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Peugeot 505

From Alfawiki
Peugeot
Company typePublic
IndustryAutomotive
Founded1810; 216 years ago (1810)
FounderJean-Pierre Peugeot
Headquarters
Sochaux
,
France
Area served
Worldwide
ProductsAutomobiles
ParentPSA Group (historical)
Websitewww.peugeot.com

The Peugeot 505 is a large family vehicle produced by the French automaker Peugeot between 1979 and 1992 at the Sochaux plant in France. Manufacturing also occurred internationally, including Argentina (by Sevel from 1981 to 1995), as well as in China, Thailand, Indonesia, and Nigeria. Notably, the 505 was Peugeot's final model to utilize a rear-wheel drive configuration.

From 1978 to 1992, Peugeot assembled a total of 1,351,254 units, of which 1,116,868 were saloon/sedan variants.

History

The 505 was officially launched on 16 May 1979 as the successor to the Peugeot 504, sharing numerous mechanical components with its predecessor. Initially available only as a saloon, a station wagon/estate version—including an eight-seat Familiale variant—was introduced at the 1982 Geneva Motor Show. The design was a joint effort between Pininfarina and Peugeot’s in-house styling department, bearing strong resemblance to the smaller Peugeot 305. The cabin was crafted by Paul Bracq, renowned for his contributions to Mercedes-Benz and BMW. The model featured a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout that set it apart from many rivals.

At launch, the 505 was produced solely in left-hand drive; however, right-hand drive versions for the UK market became available in October 1979, where it primarily competed with the Ford Granada. The vehicle earned acclaim for its smooth ride and handling over uneven terrain, which bolstered its appeal in emerging markets. It boasted generous ground clearance and, for enhanced off-road capability, Dangel offered a four-wheel-drive conversion for the 505 Break/Familiale equipped with either an intercooled turbodiesel or a 2.2-liter petrol engine. These modifications also included shorter gear ratios.

Higher-spec petrol models initially came with fuel-injected alloy engines, while base versions were fitted with carburettors; diesel options were also part of the lineup.

The estate variant debuted in 1982 featuring seven seats, echoing the layout of the Peugeot 504 estate. That same year saw the arrival of the fully equipped 505 STI powered by a newly developed 2165 cc four-cylinder Douvrin engine, co-developed with Renault. In October 1982, Peugeot launched the 505 Turbo Injection equipped with an enhanced 2.2-liter version of the Simca Type 180 engine originally designed by Chrysler Europe. Initially rated at , this output increased to following the addition of an intercooler in early 1984. By 1985, dealers offered a Kit Template:Hover title de 200ch created by Peugeot’s tuning specialists Danielson. A facelift introduced in 1986 further raised power to through higher boost pressure and added ABS brakes to the Turbo model.

Facelift

In 1986, the entire 505 lineup underwent a facelift that included an updated interior design. Despite this refresh, European production declined after the introduction of the smaller Peugeot 405 in 1987. That year also witnessed the launch of a new 2.8-liter PRV V6 variant aimed at filling the market segment left vacant by the 604, priced comparably to the Turbo model but targeting different customers.

Production of saloon versions ceased in 1989 upon the release of the flagship 605, while estate production continued until 1992 since no estate version of the 605 was made. Although manufactured for ten years, the Peugeot 605 never reached the sales success of its predecessor. In countries such as France and Germany, estate versions of the 505 found extensive use in commercial roles including ambulances, police vehicles, and military applications. While coupé and truck prototypes were developed during its lifespan, none entered mass production.

The Peugeot 505 was among the brand’s last offerings sold in the United States; sedan sales ended in 1990 and wagon sales concluded in 1991. US models exclusively featured the PRV 2.8 V6 engine; uniquely for this market were turbocharged petrol and diesel wagon variants. Additionally, assembly and sales occurred in Australia—initially managed by Renault Australia starting October 1980, then by Leyland Australia from March 1981 until late 1983. Following Leyland Australia’s transition into Jaguar Rover Australia (JRA) in 1983, fully built imports from France replaced local assembly from 1984 onward. Production also took place in Argentina, Chile, China, and New Zealand. For a brief period, diesel-powered Peugeot 505s operated as taxis within New York City.

In Thailand, due to restrictions on importing fully built vehicles, the model was marketed successfully as a CKD kit assembled locally.

Mechanical features

The Peugeot 505 utilized a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive configuration with the engine mounted longitudinally. Its front suspension comprised MacPherson struts paired with coil springs, while the rear suspension featured semi-trailing arms with coil springs, supported by a body-mounted differential and four constant-velocity joints. For station wagon models and most sedans produced in Argentina, a live-axle rear suspension with a Panhard rod and coil springs was employed. Stabilizer bars were standard equipment on the front axle, with rear stabilizers varying according to the specific model. The braking setup combined front disc brakes with either rear discs or drum brakes, depending on the variant. Steering was managed through a rack-and-pinion mechanism, typically assisted by a power system on most versions.

Break/Familiale

Introduced in the spring of 1982, the Break (Estate) and Familiale variants featured an extended wheelbase identical to that of the Peugeot 404 and 504 estate models, thereby increasing interior room.

The Familiale was designed with three rows of bench seats to accommodate up to eight passengers, catering primarily to larger families and taxi operators. Its rear seats could fold flat, providing a cargo volume of 1.94 cubic meters and an overall payload capacity of . In the United States market, this model was marketed as the "SW8" ("station wagon, eight seats") and positioned as a premium touring wagon.

In France, Dangel developed a specialized version of the Peugeot 505 Break equipped with raised suspension and four-wheel drive, resembling an early form of crossover SUV.

Engines

A selection of petrol and diesel engines powered the Peugeot 505.[1] The diesel engines (XD2) were introduced in July 1979 shortly after petrol options became available. A turbocharged petrol engine variant was launched in October 1982.

While predominantly fitted with inline-four engines, the 505 briefly offered petrol V6 units following the discontinuation of the Peugeot 604.

... [table continues with similar compression for other engine variants] ...


Trim levels

The equipment levels of Peugeot 505 variants displayed considerable diversity. The entry-level SRD models equipped with the 2,304 cc diesel engine did not include power steering, whereas the GTD Turbo, GTI, V6, and TI trims came standard with features such as power steering, central locking, air conditioning, a five-speed manual transmission, a sunroof (with the exception of the GTD Turbo), and front fog lamps. The V6 trim further incorporated speed-sensitive power steering, remote central locking, and electronic climate control. Early versions of the 505 were available with a three-speed automatic transmission, which was later upgraded to a four-speed gearbox. Among all variants, the GTD equipped with a five-speed manual transmission was regarded as the most robust. In the Australian market, the 505 lineup included GR, SR, STi, and GTi sedans along with SR and GTi eight-seat wagons powered by petrol engines; diesel versions were uncommon. With the Series II revision, the SR trim was succeeded by the SLi.

North America

From 1980 onward, the US and Canadian markets received a unique 505 body style initially unveiled in Martinique. Notable distinctions comprised an inward-mounted fuel tank located behind the rear seat with a filler neck positioned on the right side, distinct quad headlamps, redesigned taillights on sedans produced before 1986, larger bumpers, a tailpipe relocated to the left side, and a telescopic antenna mounted on the rear fender. Engine options were limited and detuned to comply with more stringent emissions standards. The North American lineup featured trims such as Base, GL, S, GLS, STI, DL, Liberté, STX, Turbo, GLX, SW8, V6, and Turbo S. Initial engines included a 2.0-liter four-cylinder and a 2.3-liter diesel—both carried over from the Peugeot 504—with fuel injection introduced for the gasoline engine.

During the energy crisis of 1981, diesel-powered models reached their peak sales in the US at 85%, totaling 14,430 units sold. Both XD2S and XD3T diesel engines were offered in 1985–86; wagons were powered by the smaller displacement diesel unit. By 1986, diesel's share had declined sharply to just above 10%, with 1,545 out of 14,439 vehicles sold featuring diesel powertrains. The limited-edition Liberté model was introduced in 1987 to commemorate the centennial of the Statue of Liberty; it offered equipment levels close to those of the GLS but retained a less powerful 2.0-liter petrol engine delivering in sedans and in wagons. Following 1987, diesel engines were no longer available in US-market Peugeots.

All North American-spec 505s were manufactured at Peugeot’s Sochaux facility in France. For the 1981 model year (late 1980), a 2.3-liter turbodiesel producing was added to the lineup and came standard with a five-speed manual transmission. This turbodiesel engine had no direct competitors in the US market and represented nearly half of Peugeot’s initial annual sales there. The Turbo variant was introduced in spring 1984 for the 1985 model year featuring an initially non-intercooled engine outputting , which increased to in subsequent years. The Turbo estate version was exclusively available in North America.


Notes and references


External links

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