There are hot hatches, and then there is the 205 Rallye. A three dimensional effigy of the KISS principle: Keep It Simple, Stupid. And when Peugeot Talbot Sport applied that philosophy in 1988, what emerged was one of the most intoxicating homologation specials ever made.

Rewinding the tape, in 1982 Peugeot created the scratch-built 205 T16, a car so outrageous it required an entire competition department of its own: Peugeot-Talbot Sport (PTS).

Their Group B monster duly delivered two consecutive World Rally Championships, cementing Peugeot as one of the extreme sport’s titans. But while Group B was short-lived, the PTS magic didn’t end there. Faced with new Group A regulations, they took aim at the 1300cc category and in doing so, gave the world the pared-back, featherweight 205 Rallye.

At just 780 Kilograms, the Rallye was practically lighter than a co-driver’s pants and 60 Kg’s lighter than its 1.6L GTI sibling. Under the bonnet sat a bespoke TU24 all-alloy engine, its twin 40 DCOM carburettors sucking air with the kind of urgency you’d normally associate with a Columbo V12.

The output figure sounds modest, 105 hp, but paired with a 5-speed close ratio and fully synchromesh manual gearbox, behind the wheel, this little Peugeot dances. Harris Monkey himself famously compared it to a modern 911 R and, in his words, the French pocket rocket “absolutely nailed it.”

Anecdotes abound: period road testers quipped that the Rallye was so stripped-back that Peugeot had kindly left in two seats “as a courtesy,” while Peugeot’s engineers joked that the car was the only one in the showroom to weigh less after it was filled with fuel.

The truth is, every nut and bolt was rethought by PTS with competition in mind: flared GRP arches and bumpers, stiffer shocks and springs with a lower ride height, custom wishbones and anti-roll bars, and just enough PTS decals to remind you this wasn’t your neighbour’s 205 Junior.

A cult hero was born. At weekend hill climbs and on the most technical stages of the world’s toughest races up against factory backed teams, like the 1989 Monte Carlo Rally, the 205 Rallye could be seen embarrassing far more powerful machinery.

This superb and original 1991 Peugeot 205 Rallye by PTS offered here was the subject of an exacting restoration in Europe before arriving on our shores in 2023 under the private import of one of our most discerning clients.

Correct in so many important details that set it apart from the rest, if there is another original Rallye Downunder, it represents a rare opportunity to experience the raw, undiluted thrill of a genuine Peugeot-Talbot Sport homologation car. One that, unlike its Group B forebear, you can actually enjoy without a team of mechanics on standby.

This car also benefits from a recent service and brand new Supersprint exhaust, but perhaps the best part? This slice of rallying joy won’t require a second mortgage. For less than the price of a family hatchback, you can own the distilled essence of one of the most dominant rally programmes in history and you’ll never park next to another on the milk run.