Peugeot 205 GE. Impression of a rescued strong number.

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Purchasing classics there

It is a great opportunity to drive a Peugeot 205 for the first time in years. Christiaan Okkema owns a copy from the autumn of 1986. He thus returned to a childhood sweetheart. The car enthusiast pur sang prevented the 205 GE from leaving our country forever and bought it from the export stock of a trader. This impression came about when Christiaan had just taken over the Peugeot for next to nothing, and a few things (technical and cosmetic) still had to be done. But the Peugeot was gradually restored to its former glory, and was already good enough at first acquaintance to show the historic basic qualities of the strong song. Fun!

On October 29, 1986, this Peugeot got its original Dutch registration. The first owner drove it for more than three decades. This Rotterdammer did not like a luxury package or rich standard equipment. Peugeot was not known for an extensive package of standard features anyway. But whoever ordered a new Peugeot 205 GE was given very little equipment in terms of equipment. You did get five doors as standard, the three-door version was called XE.

Real entry-level version

The original sales invoice is still with the car. The first owner checked a set of seat belts in the back. The 205 GE, painted in Bleu Topaze, also received the GR decorative strips on the sides. That's all. That was it. This five-door 205 shows more savings. The absence of a temperature gauge, trim material in the trunk, an antenna and a wipe-wash installation on the rear window are some of those references that reveal that the GE was a true entry-level version.

1.124 cc of the old school

This 205 GE has a 50 HP supplying 1.124 cc XW7 engine, so still one of the nice old school. This was not the entry-level engine. Those who chose this received the 954 cc (XV8) version. Fuel is supplied via a carburettor and the choke may still have to be operated manually. Striking is the round air filter at the front and the shape of the air duct that is mounted on top of the carburettor. This also shows that this is not yet a TU engine, but the 1.124 according to the “X” recipe. Incidentally, this Peugeot covered just over 100.000 kilometers with this original power source. The first owner was fully responsible for this.

Signs of recognition

Even when you take a seat in the interior you see that Christiaans' Peugeot is still from a fairly early series. The time-honored sliders for ventilation and stove control tell part of that story. Furthermore, the control levers on the steering wheel are noticeably slimmer in cut than those of the later 205. And the rear light units also say that we are dealing with a fairly early Peugeot 205.

Brilliant chassis

Still, the car is quite modern by classic terms and it soon becomes clear why this strong number saved an entire concern. Despite the compact dimensions, the seating comfort is excellent, even for taller drivers. Moreover, the furniture is very pleasant. The clarity is also in order. But what made this 205 so successful in addition to the striking body design is that unsurpassed chassis. Especially with the 205, Peugeot succeeded in designing a chassis that was light years ahead of its time according to eighties standards. The coordination between the wonderfully smooth suspension and the excellent damping makes the Peugeot 205 feel very mature in terms of characteristics.

Nicely tuned drivetrain

The combination of engine and gearbox offers flexibility. The French mounted a four-speed gearbox in the Peugeot 205 GE 1.1, and chose the right proportions. The fourth gear is pleasantly long. Across the board, the Peugeot is in a relatively good sense of its place. The intermediate acceleration is also doable. 33 years later, it becomes clear why the 205 was a rock-solid value in the Peugeot program even during the purchase in the autumn of 1986, it is really a very pleasant car to be on the road with.

Still a very strong song

Today, the range of the 205 is shrinking. That is another reason why we are glad that the Peugeot 205 GE will soon not be admired in exotic regions. Christiaan Okkema took the car off the boat, so to speak, and that turns out to be an excellent choice. In the meantime, the Peugeot has been technically and cosmetically restored to its original splendor by its owner. We will soon be subjecting the reborn Peugeot to an extensive report. We look forward to a renewed acquaintance with the 205 GE and it is very promising. Because even before the retouches that Christiaan carried out, the Peugeot turned out to be a nice car. A car that shows why the 205 was rightly called a strong number.

Also read_
- Peugeot 104 GL (1983). Une petite Peugeot from Bram Kloosterman
- Peugeot 205 Rallye!
- Driving an old acquaintance: the Peugeot 504 Coupé V6 TI

 

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6 comments

  1. Cor Tjepkema, I did a test drive in such a standard 205 at the time, I thought I remembered that the backrest of the front seats was not (even) adjustable… Furthermore, the engine drove fine, which produced a nice civilized sound.

  2. Hello Erik. You have delivered another great story. The GE was the five-door version. The three-door was called the XE. Do I still have brochures of it. I had this 1124 cc engine in my 104 GL 6. The aluminum block lay flat back so that the spare wheel fitted nicely. Good day. Regards. Cor. Tjepkema.

    • Thank you Cor! This is a nice block though. The XE and GE were then also available with the 954 cc engine. They remain nice, the 205's from Peugeot, even in this trim level. And that handling was a breakthrough in this class.

    • That happened more often.
      Also with contemporaries such as the Escort mk3 and 4, and for example the Sunny B11, seat belts in the back were an option that was not always checked

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