“Quite” a birthday for the 205 at L’Aventure Peugeot Museum

The PEUGEOT 205 celebrates its 40th anniversary in 2023! An important change of decade that L’Aventure Peugeot will celebrate throughout the year with the Clubs and all enthusiasts.
After a nod at Retromobile, L’Aventure Peugeot Museum in Sochaux inaugurated a major exhibition on February 23rd with numerous photo and video archives and the presentation of more than ten models. What better place to celebrate the anniversary of such a legendary car? Other events will enliven the year, culminating in the hosting of a large gathering at the Museum from July 7th to 9th, organized with Le Club 205.

Quite an exhibition

While the L’Aventure Peugeot association celebrated its 40th birthday in 2022, its Museum welcomes the PEUGEOT 205 into the circle of dynamic young cars in their forties! From rally victories to the GTI, through special series and unforgettable advertisements, discover the highlights of this legendary model on the occasion of the exhibition which takes place from February 23rd to September 3rd, 2023 at L’Aventure Peugeot Museum in Sochaux. More than ten models will be presented including the first style prototype, a fire van and of course sports versions!

Quite events

Beyond the exhibition, various events will be organized by clubs, associations as well as concessions, in France and around the world throughout the year to mark this special anniversary. The major event will undoubtedly be the gathering organized at L’Aventure Peugeot Museum from July 7th to 9th in Sochaux by Le Club 205. Please note that registrations are mandatory for 205 owners and for all visitors wishing to take part in the activities (guided tour, conference, dance party…) and can be done only on the website https://40thbirthday-205.com/

More practical information soon.

Among the many other celebrations, let’s salute the initiative of our German friends from the “Deutsches Peugeot Vorkriegsregister” club who were present at the Retro Classics show in Stuttgart from February 23rd to 26th with a magnificent 205 T16 and the newly created Club 05-09, who came to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the 205 on Sunday February 26th in Sochaux.

The Peugeot Sport UK club will celebrate this anniversary during its big festival on Sunday July 16th in Prescott Hill (Gloucestershire) while the Peugeot205-309Club in the Netherlands is organizing a big party on September 17th at the Visscher Classique in Buren!

Birth of a “quite character”
On January 20th, 1983, the “M24” became 205. It was first presented to Peugeot dealers in Monaco. The invitation was launched to the network, in September 1982, under the title “the event of events”. At the same time, the Peugeot-Talbot merger gave birth to a new slogan: “a manufacturer shows its claws”. This is already the sign of the recovery desired by the company and embodied by the PEUGEOT 205.
Designers, manufacturers, dealers, journalists, customers, all are seduced by this car! At the time of its launch, the 205 was a “response” to the great challenge of the European automobile.
Despite the difficulties, Jean Boillot, then director of Automobiles Peugeot, took the courageous decision to engage the Brand in the adventure of rallies. More than a sports program, it was a key factor in the success of the 205 and the survival of the PSA group.
On February 23rd, 1983, Jean Todt, director of Peugeot Talbot Sport, presented the 205 Turbo 16.
February 24th, 1983 is the date of the commercial launch of the PEUGEOT 205 in France.
Barely 24 hours between these two events! Designed and produced in parallel, the 205 range and the 205 T16 will live and evolve together, each in their own field…
The chic and very sporty GTI will become a true icon. Its image is enhanced by the successes achieved in motorsport. The 205 T16 won the World Rally Championship in 85 and 86. It then won the Paris-Dakar in 87 and 88.
The PEUGEOT 205 was first manufactured in Mulhouse, but its success was such that several production sites also subsequently built it: Sochaux, Villaverde in Spain, Poissy, Creil, Aulnay… The 205 was produced in 5.278 million units.
The 205 will mark its decade and will forever remain quite a character!