Peugeot 205 T16

Description

Four-wheel-drive was authorized in rallying from 1979, but for a time no serious car manufacturer even tried to harness it to their cars. Soon, though, it was Audi who produced the world’s first rally-winning four-wheel-drive car — the Quattro. However it was Peugeot who designed, developed, campaigned and won with the first truly sophisticated four-wheel-drive Group B Car — the 205 Turbo 16. It was the first truly great, purpose-designed, Group B car. Determined to win at almost any cost, Peugeot hired Jean Todt (who would later transform the fortunes of the Ferrari F1 organization) in 1981, and set him an ambitious target. His dream car had to be running in 1983, homologated in 1984, and capable of winning World Championships by 1985. Packed with illustrations, technical details, facts, figures and successes of this innovative car this book is a must for any rally fan.

After a varied career in the automotive industry, Graham Robson has gained a worldwide reputation as a motoring historian, and has more than 160  books to his credit. Born in 1936, and educated at Ermysteds Grammar School in Yorkshire, Graham then went on to study Engineering at Oxford University. He  joined Jaguar Cars as a graduate trainee, becoming involved in design work on the Mk II, E-Type and Mark X. Beginning as a hobby, he became a rally co-driver, eventually joining the Sunbeam 'works' team in 1961, and took part in rallies up to International level (once with Roger Clark), but stopped rallying by 1968. During this time, he joined Standard-Triumph in Coventry, in 1961, as a Development Engineer, mainly on sports car projects. He then ran the re-opened 'works' motorsport department from 1962 to 1965, this being the period of the birth of Spitfire Le Mans cars, TR4, Vitesse, Spitfire and 2000 rally car developments. Graham Robson’s writing began with rally reports for magazines which evolved into a job with Autocar from 1965 to 1969. He was recruited back to industry at Rootes to run the Product Proving department, then after a brief period in 1972 as technical director of a safety belt company, became an independent motoring writer. Graham has lived 'by the pen' and 'by the voice', not only writing but commentating, presenting and organising events of all types.
 

Australian Classic Cars, April 2008Review by Patrick Quinn
Australian magazine
Circulation: unknown
Last month, we read up on the Austin-Healey 3000 in this series of Rally Giants and now it’s the turn of the Peugeot 205 T16.
While the Rally 3000 evolved from the road going version, the Peugeot was designed as a rally winner from the start. By the mid-1980s, such configurations as 4WD and mid engine were de rigueur. In the Peugeot, the turbocharged 1.8-liter 4-cylinder was mounted sideways behind the passenger – LHD car – drove across to a transaxle that in turn drove the driveshaft fore and aft.

In this publication, erudite Graham Robson makes it quite clear that he is a fan of the Peugeot, and after 3 outright wins in Peugeots in 1984, 7 in 1985 and then 6 the following year it hardly seems surprising. Robson tells the story of the development of the 205 T16, its rally history and also of those who were involved behind the wheel and navigating. What I found informative were the descriptions of the drive train through narrative and diagrams and the lengths Peugeot engineers went to ensure that servicing was as straightforward as possible during the course of a rally. Worth a look for rallying and Peugeot enthusiasts.

Peugeotex, November 2007
Club magazine for the Peugeot Car Club of Auckland The ‘Peugeot 205 T16’ written by Graham Robson was published this year by Veloce Publishing Ltd as part of a series on ‘Rally Giants’.
It is a well written book, liberally and well illustrated with both diagrams and superb photos. He has put the history of the 205 T16 in the context of the time, the new Group B regulations and the contemporary competition.
The book covers the goals, development, problems and achievements of the rally car. A chronological account is included of their World Rally successes in the years 1984-86. Nor is the human side overlooked. There are biographical sketches of the main people involved in the design, the development and the driving.
It is a very readable book, worth adding to your library – and worth looking at other books he has written in the series.

UK magazineLatest offering in Veloce’s Rally Giants series is Graham Robson’s effort on the Peugeot 205 T16. Costing $29.95, the book runs to 130 pages packed with pictures and data on the iconic four-wheel-drive Group B car, and follows similar titles on Quattro, Impreza, Stratos, Austin-Healey and Escort.