The French automobile producer Peugeot manufactured the 205 for fourteen years, between nineteen eighty three and nineteen ninety seven. The production of the car in the UK ceased a year earlier, in nineteen ninety six. The higher performing GTI hatchback was equipped with either one point six or one point nine litre engines, producing over one hundred and five break horse power for the smaller of the two engines. The 205 was awarded the "Car of the Decade" in CAR magazine in the nineties, and the 205 GTI is often cited as the hottest of the "hot hatches".

For the inexperienced driver the 205 GTI will likely be more difficult to drive than its modern day counterparts, with the lack of electronic driving aids and the oversteer experienced when cornering hard. The initial one point six litre engine produced just over one hundred and five break horse power, but the power was increased by around ten break horse power when the new XU5JA engine was fitted which had larger valves shared with the one point nine engine. The one point nine litre engine produced one hundred and twenty six break horse power, yet the power was decreased in the late models, down to one hundred and twenty. The decreased power was seen as an answer to the increased insurance premiums for the car which was badly affecting sales.
 
There were subtle differences between the one point six and one point nine litre models. The one point six model had clothed seats, smaller alloys, and disc / drum brakes. The larger engine variation had half leather seats, fifteen inch alloys, and all round disk brakes.