GT7 W105: Peugeot 205 GTI '88

For those who have kept up with my ramblings for quite a while (thank you, by the way!), you'd know that I like my sports cars lightweight and simple, with power only sprinkled in sparingly as a necessary evil. And when it comes to hot hatches, that holds doubly true. The Peugeot 205 GTI '88 then, is perhaps the single best FF hot hatch in the game thus far, for the simple reason that it is just so... simple.

205 GTI MonteCarlo Edition by Tenki-33
#edition #montecarlo
Puegeot 205 Rallye by fargoneonone
#205 #rallye #replica

Yes, its skinny Comfort Medium tyres offer very little grip. Yes, it's got an open differential. But with only a naturally aspirated 128HP (96kW) and anemic 875kg (1,929lbs), you don't need all that much to keep the car under control. In fact, the 205 seemingly pares back on everything non–essential to give a stark, refreshing reminder of just what pure driving joy is all about. The whole package is just so straightforward and no–nonsense responsive, and it's just such a joy to wring out each gear and chuck it into corners with increasing recklessness, almost as if dared to by the car itself. And yet, it also demands—and richly rewards—proper driving techniques and car control from its driver at the same time. Its compact body not only looks great, but also lends itself to incredibly tight racing as well. Quite simply put, I struggle to find fault with the 205!

This may be a very short writeup by my standards, but that's not just because I have no complaints about the car; I also feel a short piece is apropos. A good hot hatch to me is very much just like good rice: its nigh indescribable good qualities stand out all the more the less there is to distract from it, so much so that something so seemingly plain can be enjoyed all on its own. But if I must do the writer thing of ending with a memorable bombshell, here goes: the 205 is one of the very few cars that I can see myself going back to drive just for the fun of it after I'm done with it on COTW.