Peugeot 405 D Turbo - The Bad Boy From Paris

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My dad was a mechanic and a real Peugeot enthousiast. I still can remember doing a test drive with a new 1.6i 405 in Silver just like the one in the video. After a few miles my dad decided to buy it, he liked the ride apparently. After some time he thought that the 305 he had before was more sturdy built, this was most noticeable in the interior (hard plastic vs rubber like plastic) the quality of the seats steering wheel and the switches. also was the body less thick than that of the 305. The 405 engine was quite good, it was the first electronic ignition and injection car my dad ever had. so no more breaker point problems during the long holiday drives. Before the 305 dad had a 304 404 504 and after the 405 came the 605 8v then another 605 with 16 valves, he looked for the 24 valve V6, but then fell in love with the 406 Coupé V6. this one became his most beloved Peugeot of all time, and now at this moment while he is no longer here, i am sitting and writing this in his 406 standing on a cliff ovelooking the ocean in Brittany after a 12K tour de Europe.

I had a new 1995 version for a while. 1.9 diesel. As you say, these French diesel engines had a bullet proof reputation at the time and this was born out with my car, that never let me down.

A very, very handsome car - Peugeot were really on a roll during the 80s and 90s. I have a friend who still has a couple stored in a barn - he was a big fan back in the day, and had several. The 406 to me is one of those ‘peak cars’ alongside the Xantia.

Growing up reading the likes of Autocar and Motor and Car magazines I always loved the 405, especially the Mi16. The motoring press always raved about how good the handling was. I bought a couple of turbo-diesels over the years until a chance encounter with an old friend who had bought a Phase 1 405 Mi16 with the ultimate goal of shoe-horning the engine into a 205. I made him an offer he couldn't refuse (the princely sum of £900) and I had a gorgeous 1992 1.9 Mi16 in my yard. Tidied it up a little and got everything working the way it should and it was every bit as good as they said. I have honestly never driven a better handling car in my life (with standard suspension). And the suspension is quite stiff yet somehow supple. The steering is power assisted but it feels like it isn't, so the feedback and feel of the steering is phenomenal. Even details like the way the steering wheel itself feels just adds to it. Peugeot were on top of their game in the mid to late 80's. I still own the car but it's fell into a little disrepair for various reasons. Still started and warmed up regularly so the engine doesn't get damaged though. I'm sourcing some parts and planning a full restoration next year.

My Dad had a diesel 405 for a large part of the 90s and he was commuting from the Isle of Wight to central London 3 days a week. He must have put over 200,000 miles on that car and the only things I remember causing any major issues were when he had to get body repairs and paint from the usual dings and scrapes he would come back to when it was parked in the city day after day. It's astonishing to think of the miles he did week in and week out and it only needed the usual serviceable stuff which he mostly did himself except the tyres. Great cars.

It does not have a fixed rear beam, it has a fully independent transverse torsion bar rear suspension in the same fashion as was used on the 205 and 309 that preceded it having first appeared on the 305 estate. It offered excellent driving as you describe but also excellent packaging with its horizontal shocks which minimised rear boot intrusion. The car it first went up against from Austin Rover was the facelifted Montego (the one that was two tone) and later the Rover 400 version of the R8.

In the USA in the late 1980s there weren't many Peugeot dealers and not much advertising for the car. The Peugeots of the day were considered to be very good by the few people who knew what they were. The one person I knew who owned one loved her car. But compared to the Japanese manufacturers and their dealers, Peugeot was hardly in the USA market. I passed the Peugeot dealer "near" me frequently but avoided going in for a test drive because I wasn't quite ready to buy a car. By the time I was the dealer was selling furniture and Peugeot was out of the US market.

I once had a Peugeot 405 SRi as a hire car for a few days and it was a delight. Super-sharp steering and handling with just enough power to be fun. That I can still remember driving it for a few days 30 years later is a good sign of just how much fun it was to drive. The big takeaway for me was the sharp steering, which took me a bit of getting used to.

In the seventies, I was in college here in Texas, and my parents bought Peugeot 504's: my mother a sedan and my father the station wagon. This was a complete switch from years of Pontiacs with huge bodies and equally huge V8's. They fell in love with theirs, particularly my father with the station wagon.

I had the GTX 1.9 diesel in red. Bought it with 76k on the clock and put another 60k on it in three years. Loved it. Whilst in France on our hols late 90s, had a noisey issue with the exhaust. Back box fell off.. Peugeot dealership in the town fitted a complete new exhaust for less than the cost of a backbox in the uk !...

Thanks for featuring this underrated car from a Yank! I worked at a French car garage in the States from '99 - '02 and owned a red '89 mi16 while there. Peugeot's biggest problem in at least my region was its atrocious dealer service network. Coupled with scant independent options once out of warranty, many owners found it difficult, if not impossible, to get their competently repaired. That soured the market in my region.

Great film, thanks Jack, brought back many happy memories of working on the 405 as an Assembly Engineer at the Peugeot Ryton plant in my early career, before moving on to the then all-new 306. Great car, lovely drive (even the non-turbo diesel 1.9 was a quiet mile- muncher on the motorway). Great cars, great memories

I had a black MI-16 in the 90s, Jesus, what a rocket! Different car above 3000 rpm! Lovely memory!

In one of my early jobs the company cars were Sierras. Salesman got a 405 to replace his Sierra. I used to drive it now and again and it was light years ahead of the Sierra. Different class altogether.

My grandparents had a 1992 1.9 GR automatic in the mid 90's. Had many holidays via it. Fond memories. The main one of flying down the middle of wide a-roads as my grandad had been a van driver and drove like one.

I always thought it was a very underrated car (everywhere but France) I drove a fair few of these in the 90's and found them equal if not better than most other mainstream cars of the time. Also, I agree Jack... A pretty car, still today... Very attractive in the 80's... The design of modern EV's leaves me rather sad and wondering if we will ever see mainstream cars that look esthetically pleasing in the future.

The 405 was incredible in 1988 and I suspect it would be exceptional now as well for usability and comfort. Plus they handled like a dream. These, the 406, 306 and the 605 were the last good Peugeots. The sweet spot was the 1.9 8 valve with the 205GTi engine.

My Dad's first ever diesel engine car was a Peugeot 405 GLD 2 litre saloon and it was one of best cars we have ever had in our family. It started out as his company car for the first 3 years but he bought it off the company and held on to it for a further 10 years. It was a big wedge shaped car, massive back seat and very comfortable, generous sized boot space for a saloon. Excellent road handling system and just a really good car to drive.

I had a 405GTX turbo diesel N826NNL with air-con, wood trim & a factory 6disc CD player in the boot. What a car, just about unstoppable