(first posted 2/7/2013. I would like to have prepared a more in-depth article on the 305 for Peugeot Fest, but other pressing demands make that impossible right now. Hopefully those European readers with experience and familiarity with the 305 will weigh in. The 305 deserves better. PN)
Our man in Spain, coopey, has stumbled into something that we’re not likely to see in the US, a Peugeot 305 Break (wagon). The 305 was the successor to the 204/304, which did make it to the US, although it wasn’t exactly a big seller here. The 204 was Peugeot’s first FWD car, and was a rather cute little thing, with the typical superb French ride. The 305 first arrived in 1977, and was a step larger; actually it was roomier than the Golf class, and competed fairly effectively with the next class of cars, like the J-cars Ascona/Cavalier and the Ford Cortina. Since this has the face-lifted front end, it’s from the 1984-1988 era, which also saw some major changes under the hood. Here’s the sedan version:
image:wikipedia
This sedan has the original version of the front end. The 305 was designed by…who else? Pininfarina, of course. The early versions used the transmission-in-sump drivetrain of the 204/304, but in 1981, the new XU series of fours (with separate transmission) made its debut in the 305, and that includes the highly regarded XUD diesel family. These were considered the most modern and nicest-running four cylinder diesels of its time.
The original (non-Ford) HDI engines, known for their civilised sound and run, were effectively a thorough redesign of the XUD, which itself already had a long life and built up a reputation of being both powerful and tough. Too bad about the 305 shell which was moderately succesful at best. At least it Peugeot learned from its deficits and replaced it by the outwardly radically different but mechanically similar 405.
Yes the original PSA HDI engine was an outgrowth of the XUD, but they also made the 2.1 TDI which was a stroked 1905 with a 12 valve head 110hp or 82 kw and 238 NM of torque and bloody fast I had a 406 wagon so equipped and from 2000rpm in any gear it pulled hard all the way to the red line. unfortunately PSA went away from bucket&shim valve lash adjustment and went hydraulic and the system failed twice on my car, The newer HDI only has the same numbers as my old car but the reliability has improved to 1905cc levels ie; if you change the oil regularly and keep the cooling system clean it will do 500,000kms before needing an over haul my current car is coming up for 300k and burns no oil between changes and runs like a dream and best of all inside the car it is Quiet you can just hear the engine in the background you cant tell its diesel
I do agree that the HDi engines is stout and long lasting. But fast? No, I think they are pretty lazy. The 2.0 HDi with 110 hp and 250 nm is not fast, not quiet and not very reffined if you ask me. But solid, yes they are!
I nearly bought a £300 one of these 4 years ago (was running a Citroen BX at the time)… later saw it being pressed into service as a carpet hauling van
It is very remarkable that you found that model in Spain, as it was never sold here. I remember them from the many French tourists that visited here.
At the early 80s, there were still tariffs to import cars (not until 1986 we entered the EEC) and Peugeot built their cars at the Villaverde factory (yes, the Barreiros one). The big seller at the time was the Peugeot-Talbot Horizon and later the Peugeot 309 (which had to be the Talbot Arizona) which had a hatchback like the Renault 11
The hint is the registration plate: those ending in three letters are later than 2000 and surely correspond to an imported model.
Nevertheless, my first car (Peugeot 205 Roland Garros) had one of those XU engines, the 1.4 80 HP and it was a great engine. My mechanic always said that it was one of the best ever built – and came from this car. (a pity my car had serious structural damage and had to be sold)
Hi!
Is it for sure that they were never officially sold in Spain? Because other people have seen more units with their old original plates. Perhaps they only got in limited numbers?
In Spain, 1980, was the first full year when 305s, were sold, over Peugeot/Citroën’s showroom….
Anyway the people steer their moneys to buy, bigger and representative 505 model, that cost less than 305 (!!!).
Reasons: Peugeots 505s, were built in Vigo, Spain, and 305s were genuine French models (With high importation Fees and taxes)
Anyway a few batch of them were sold here, with early 80s Spanish license plates
I have the last model Citroen fitted with the XUD 1905cc diesel great little motor easy on fuel plenty of torque in a light car makes for good performance.
I saw one of these in Ottawa in the mid eighties (diplomatic plates), and later saw a few around Harare Zimbabwe in the late nineties. The rear suspension on the wagons was absolutely fascinating. With longitudinal springs lying under the cargo floor, it had almost no wheel well intrusion in back. I wish I could find a diagram.
Where there is a group of 204 and 304 fans, there is no love at all left in the old world for the 305.
Although it was an excellent car, much, better built then its 04 pre-decessors and not very rust prone at all.
Perhaps it was too bland and did not really have the Peugeot je ne sais quoi feel, or it was simply too down to earth.
Peugeot’s successor the 405 was a hughe hit, this car is most forgotten; like a Citroën GSA (not the GS I mean)
A friend got a red 305 as a company car, he was a private chauffeur at that company and the 305 was needed to haul stamps and as a shopping car.
It was an excellent car really he did over a hundred Thousand miles in it but still, No thanks.
Still loving Peugeot Fest. This series has delivered many fun reads this summer. 🙂
Was the 305 ever imported into Canada? I saw a 305 sedan parked in Vancouver, B.C., some years ago.
Unfortunately not, however there was a 305 sedan in Calgary in the 80’s that originated in Iceland then somehow made it’s way here. A friend owned it, and referred to it as “an unfussy little car.”
Saw a 305 van here in Britain a few weeks ago,looked like it was still being in daily use. This was a rare sight,even when new, as not many were sold in Britain although the saloon and estate were very popular. Unfortunately I didn’t have my phone with me so no photos.Hopefully will see it again.
That wouldn’t have been a white one would it? If so it was probably mine and is a workhorse for me as I use it for my carpentry biz.
Friends of our family had a 305 estate like that when I was a little kid, but higher trim level and metallic blue.
They were farmers on the Mull of Kintyre. I remember the sheep shearers turning up in a very nice orange 504 pickup – iirc the only dealership franchise in the area was Peugeot, but there may have been one other.
As with the 505, there is a sense that these vehicles were not as innovative as their forebearers were a decade before. Incomes were rising and with it costs of production. This may have led to building to a price.
While today’s stylists would call it boring, I like clean, functional designs that I can see out of, like this Peugeot.
Better to be boring than ugly.
Happy Motoring, Mark
This car got lost because the market shifted, and Peugeot was too clueless to understand it without outside help. As said in the article, it was really an in-between model, wedged between the Golf class family cars and the mid-sized corporate cars like the GM J-car. Peugeot knew how to build cars, and build them well and to a price, they were just clueless about the demographic and the marketplace.
What made the 204/304 a success was that it was the sensible choice amongst French quirky Citroen Ami, rear engined Renault 8/10, rear engined Simca 1000, etc. The 204 was utterly conventional in concept, a small three-box sedan. But progressive in execution, being fwd. It was built to a high standard and for a reasonable price. Because of those qualities, the 204 became the best selling car in France in the early 70’s, in an era most remembered for its joie de vivre Citroen 2Cv and Renault 4. It became a success just because of its conventionality.
Though, during its time, the market shifted towards what was to become the Golf-class of shorter but taller hatchbacks. And the 204 did also compete with the second best seller of those years, the Golf progenitor Simca 1100. Likewise, the market shifted upwards to the corporate sponsored and mostly leased mid-sizers, while the Golf-class hatchback became the most common car amongst the people who paid for their own cars.
Thus, the successor to the 305 wasn’t really the 405, which was actually a class larger. No, the real successor to the 305 was the Simca-derived Talbot Horizon, and its successor the Peugeot 309. The 305 was really a sort of engineering dead end, because the market had shifted and disappeared from under them.
It can really be said that it was actually the acquisition of Simca that saved Peugeots day, as the influx of engineering know how launched both the 205 supermini and the Golf-class Talbot-derivates. And there are questions of how viable Peugeot would have really been without their help, as none of Peugeots “own” cars like the 305 or 505 was really a slam dunk success in their respective fields. Because how good the 505 may have been, already in its lifetime it was seen as utterly conventional and even conservative in both design and execution.
It does seem that the European corporate midsize market would be a natural for Peugeot. Yet the 405 did not arrive till 1988.
The 305 seemed pretty well aimed at the Renault 18 and Simca 1307 in the late 70s. Not sure any of the three were particularly well executed. I imagine all three makers were feeling starved for resources. Given Chrysler’s state, it is rather amazing how much Simca was getting done.
Thank you for your concise analysis (as usual). Any chance you could do a quick similar one on the 104? 🙂
I’d say it was a fairly succesful me too also ran in what was to become the supermini-class. I’d say it also shows how clueless Peugeot really were, as it had none of the charm of the Renault 5 that was the car that really defined the class.
The 104 was a four door fastback, it had no hatch for its first four years of production. It also felt tinny and insubstantial and with not much charm. It could also be noted they had outside help to tweak the design, first from Citroen, who took the 104 Short and made it inte the Citroen LN/LNA. Citroen also took the entire design and remade it into the Citroen Visa. Simca also tweaked the 104 Short into the Talbot Samba.
So, I don’t know. I don’t think there was anything fundamentally wrong with the design, it just wasn’t developed as much as it should’ve been from the beginning. Wikipedia says it was a a success with 1.6 million sold after 16 years of production. But note also its more charming successor the 205 sold 5.3 million cars during 15 years of production. The Visa sold 1.250 million cars in 10 years, and with 1.2 million Visa-based C15 vans on top of that for 20 years of production. And therein lies the answer. The 104 was a could’ve been if Peugeot had only known how…