505

The early Peugeot 505s were built on the virtues of the renown 504 that made it popular in rural Australia – high ground clearance, rear wheel drive, independent rear suspension, four-wheel disc brakes, rack and pinion steering and a torquey four-cylinder engine.

The latter was the simple 70.5kW 2.0-litre overhead valve carburettor unit that was a development of the 1960s’ 404 unit.

Mated to either a five-speed manual or three-speed ZF automatic gearbox, it powered the 505, 505 GR and later 505 SR models. Air-conditioning, cloth trim, central locking and power windows were standard.

From March ’81 a 50.4kW 2.3-litre four-cylinder diesel 505 sedan replaced the 504 GLD in Peugeot’s local line-up, but that only lasted until the first turbocharged diesel marketed in Australia, the 59kW 2.3 505 SRD five-speed manual sedan, appeared in mid-‘82.

At the same time, the long-lived 505 wagon debuted. With its longer wheelbase and eight-seat capability, the 70.5kW 2.0 petrol-powered auto-only wagon eventually replaced the ageing 504 wagon.

It – along with the 505 SRD and limited edition sunroof-equipped 505 LE – featured power steering.

The 505 STi, a more sports-orientated sedan, supplemented the 505 GR during 1983.

Its Renault-sourced 84.7kW 2.2-litre fuel-injected motor also powered 1984’s 505 Executive and its replacement, the 505 GTi, from 1985, while the mildly revised 505 SR from early ’84 to ’86 was a re-badged GR.

The flagship GTi Executive of ’85 added leather trim.