Heller 1/24 Peugeot 205 GTI Plastic Model Kit

The 205 is a small car produced by the French automaker Peugeot from 1983 until the end of 1998, although development began in 1978. The sporty 205 GTI followed in 1984. In 1986, the GTI's 1.9-liter engine produced a remarkable 128 hp (94 kW), achieving a top speed of around 200 km/h while weighing a mere 921 kg. Peugeot's in-house styling department, La Garenne, headed by Gérard Welter, was responsible for the design. Launched in 1984 as a competitor to the Golf GTI, this sporty small car became a highly desirable vehicle for an entire generation of young French people. Understatement was, quite literally, a foreign concept in the 1980s. With its larger alloy wheels and fender flares that culminated in red pinstripes, the two-door 205 GTI visually stood out from the other Peugeot 205 models. After a Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 won the World Rally Championship in 1985, the 205 GTI became the ultimate sensation.