1985 Peugeot 205 T16 #3
Pilots: T. Salonen / S. Harjanne
Team: Peugeot Talbot Sport
Race: 1st overall (B12 class) at the 1000 Lakes Rally 1985
Ixo - RAC118 (diecast)
Published 06/20/25
In the late 70s and early 80s, the three big car manufacturers in France were Peugeot, Renault and Citroën. However, Peugeot supposedly was the most conservative of the three, and that bothered general management. Fortuitously, in 1978 Peugeot acquired Simca, bringing in the necessary expertise to make small cars. With that, they could make something other than the boring big sedans that Peugeot always made. The idea was to launch a small and smart car, aimed at a younger demographic. This new and smart car was the 205, and it came out in February of 1983. Nonetheless, just launching a new model could not be enough, they needed to make the new model desirable. To do that, Peugeot used a tried-and-true formula: take the new car racing. Where? In the WRC. In 1982 FIA introduced Group B, and a manufacturer only needed 200 units to homologate a new car.
Back then, the WRC was immensely popular, more even so than F1. And with the new class, development costs were reasonable (much lower than F1, as a comparison). Peugeot wanted to release the 205 GTI in 1984, the sport version of the regular 205. Consequently, if they developed a Group B car that looked like the GTI, it could be a hit. The idea sounded awesome, so Peugeot went all out. With a huge budget they created a new works division, Peugeot Talbot Sport (PTS), in Boulogne and led by Jean Todt. This new car was the 205 T16, and its sole purpose was to win races in the WRC. Though it looked like a 205, it was a totally different animal, with a turbo engine and 16 valves. PTS would be responsible for the works cars while the homologation cars were made in a separate factory (in Poissy).
PTS started working on the 205 T16 in 1982, and received homologation in April 1984. Though it looked like the regular 205, the T16 was totally different. The XU8T engine was a DOHC inline-4 displacing 1775 cm³, turbocharged by a KKK K26 turbo, and mid-mounted. It also counted on Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection and had four valves/cylinder, with everything connected to a 5-speed gearbox. The chassis consisted of a central steel monocoque section with front and rear subframes. Seam-welded for strength and drilled for lightness, it came with a tough fully integrated aluminum roll cage. The suspension, fully adjustable and heavy duty, consisted of double wishbones with uprated coil sprung Bilstein damper assemblies all around. And of course, the T16 had a four-wheel drive system with ZF limited-slip differentials for both axles. Covering everything up were carbon fiber+Kevlar panels, very light and quickly detachable.
Ready to race, the 205 T16 weighed 940 to 980 kg. Running the turbo at 1.5 bar, peak output was around 257 kW (350 hp) at 8000 rpm. That meant that the car was blistering fast, with a 0 to 100 km/h in under 3 seconds! Top speed was around 220 km/h. As soon as it was ready, PTS put it to race, though it only raced in 5 events in the 1984 season. Even so, the 205 T16 won three races, and gave Peugeot third place in the Manufacturer’s Championship. As always in racing, and especially in Group B, cars were always evolving. For 1985 Peugeot teamed up with French Aerospatiale, helping PTS to develop the second generation of the car (“Evolution 2”). Not counting mechanical tweaks, the big difference between the Ev1 and Ev2 is the aero package, with a big wing on the roof.
The 1985 season started with the 205 T16 on fire, winning the first three events of the calendar. In May, for the Tour de Corse, PTS debuted the Ev2 version of the car, with its improved aerodynamics. Power output was also enhanced, up to absurd 330 kW (450 hp). Interestingly, PTS used both the Ev1 and Ev2 versions of the car throughout the year. Though the Ev2 should be the better car, Ari Vatanen famously declared that the Ev2 was too fast, so he preferred the Ev1 😲. In the end, the 205 T16 dominated the 1985 season. Of the 12 WRC events of the season, the 205 T16 won seven, with three second places and three third places. This car here, 205 T16 #3, came in first place in the 1000 Lakes Rally. With those results, Peugeot won the Manufacturer’s Championship, and Timo Salonen the Driver’s Championship.
The 205 T16 was one of the Group B Monsters, and it was the most successful Group B car. If you do the math, it won 16 rallies, two manufacturer’s championships and two driver’s championships… Therefore, among kaiju it was Godzilla 😁. For me, the top three Group B cars were the Quattro, the Delta S4, and of course, the 205 T16. This was a model that I was dying to have in the W-143 Garage. Sadly though, it is REALLY hard to find. The Spark versions are, in practice, impossible to find, even at absurd prices. Thank Mercury that Ixo also offers the car; obviously not as refined as Spark’s version, yet very good. Nonetheless, even Ixo’s models are HTF, and I was very lucky to get this one at a digestible price. Now all I need is a Renault R5 Maxi Turbo and I’m set… 😋
PS: After I had finished my research on the 205 T16, I stumbled on these two videos on YouTube (part 1 and part 2). Though counting on almost zero explanations (just a few interviews) and lacking a better proof read, nonetheless, GEMS. The best footage I’ve seen on the car, hands down. In fact, from 37:44 onward in the second one you can see beautiful footage of this 205 T16 #3 in action in the 1985 1000 Lakes Rally.