Let’s suspend our rules of engagement at GCFSB for a post and look towards Germany’s western neighbor, France. While we write up a Swede from time to time, it’s not often that French cars make our blog. But since the Franks, who established rule over France under the Merovingians in the late 400s, were actually a Germanic tribe, let’s make an exception and consider this listing. Being a fan of European cars, it’s not often that I get stumped by one – but in my normal searches I came across the front end of what appeared, at first, to be a Peugeot 205 GTI. The 205 is perhaps the car that out-GTI’d the original GTi, better handling, awesome looks and more speed meant it’s become as legendary as the car credited with starting the market segment. But it didn’t look quite right, and a closer inspection revealed it was in fact the bigger brother of the 205; the 309. In GTI trim, they mimicked the recipe started by Volkswagen; turn up the engine, lower the suspension, fit larger alloys and of course stick red accents and “GTI” badges everywhere. Producing 120 horsepower and with low weight, these were fairly potent hatchbacks in their day:
CLICK FOR DETAILS: 1989 Peugeot 309 GTI on eBay
Year: 1989
Model: 309 GTI
Engine: 1.9 liter inline-4
Transmission: 5-speed manual
Mileage: 32,311 mi
Price: $12,990 Buy It Now
Vehicle Details
Year: 1989
Make: Peugeot
Model: All ModelsVIN: 11111111111111111
Mileage: 32311
Transmission: ManualEngine: 4 Cylinder, 1.9L L
Exterior Color: Red
Title: ClearDescription
This is an absolutely stunning example of the rare Peugeot 309 GTI , presented in highly original and factory standard specification, and in near concours condition throughout.
Those of us of a certain age remember the 205 GTI 1.9 as being THE hot hatch to have in the late 80s and early 90s.
The 205 GTI gets all the plaudits now (and values of pristine cars have rocketed of late), but back then it was the 309 GTI that had the motoring magazines enthusing about it’s combination of gutsy performance and pin-sharp handling. Autocar and Motor magazine named it “Best Hot Hatch” 3 years in a row, and in 1991 a 309 GTI won the Esso Superlube Saloon Car Championship, beating BMW E30 M3s and Ford Sierra Cosworths on the way to the title.
The 309 GTI was produced in a limited numbers of just 5300 cars produced by early 1992, and featured Italian Red paint, Speedline alloy wheels with polished rims, full black with red accents interior, GTI badges, a leather-rimmed MOMO steering wheel .
It had just 1 owner and 58K kilometers, and in near perfect order. and preserved in time-warp condition.According to 309 registry, there are just over 2000 309 GTI currently on the road,. Compared with the 6,000 or so 205 GTIs still around , the 309 GTI is a very rare model, and so to find one that has been preserved in standard, unmodified condition is very special indeed.
Here is our assessment of the condition of the car:
Exterior bodywork and paint
The Ilaian RED paint is in fantastic condition, with a deep shine and virtually no blemishes. There are no dents on the body panels. The bumpers and side rubbing strips are all in excellent condition, as are the spotlights and foglights to the front spoiler. There are a couple of very minor mark to the rear quarter, only visible upon very close inspection. The GTI badges are all perfect.
Chassis and structure
The underside of the car is very clean, with the factory applied underseal and paint in excellent condition. The wheelarches are also very clean and all original. I can find no corrosion on the bodyshell at all, or any evidence of any previous repairs.
Engine and gearbox
Like travelling back 20 years! The torque-rich 1.9 XU9 engine burbles away at idle, has a lovely crisp throttle response and delivers punchy acceleration through the close ratio 5-speed gearbox. The clutch and gearbox change action both feel fresh and much more like a 2 year old car than a 26 year old one!
All fluids are clean and to the correct levels, the car having been fully serviced in January 2015, including a brake fluid change. Unlike any other Goodwood I have seen in the past few years, it does NOT feature an aftermarket exhaust or an induction kit – just the standard items specified by Peugeot.
Steering, ride, handling & brakes
Absolutely superb throughout. The steering is direct, communicative and full of feel, the ride is supple, combining soft spring rates with taut damping, so at everyday pace the Goodwood feels civilized and comfortable. Turn up the wick a bit and the whole car comes alive, with fabulous neutral handling, no understeer to speak of, and wonderful balance through the bends. The brakes are perfectly matched to the weight of the car, delivering stability and confidence to the driver. All in all, it’s a lovely thing to drive along an A or B road, and it doesn’t need to be driven at warp factor 10 to deliver a fantastic driving experience!
Interior, dash and controls
The seats are in excellent supple condition, showing no visible wear, just a few subtle creases to mark the passage of time. The dashboard is very clean and surprisingly creak/rattle free for a 90’s Peugeot. There is a blanking plate for the fuses
I have had to replace the glovebox lid, as these are notorious for snapping their catches. The correct replacement lid fits perfectly. The original-fit Clarion PU-9318A radio/cassette unit is unfortunately no longer with the car, a more modern CD unit is fitted instead.
All the gauges, controls and electrics work as they should. The doorcards and carpets are in perfect condition. The vacuum sealed glass sunroof works correctly, and the headlining is unmarked. As far as I can tell, the car has never been smoked in.Wheels and tyres
The GTI only Speedline alloy wheels are in excellent condition, with no kerbing to the polished rims and no marks to the painted face of the wheels. The tyres are Bridgestones all around.
The spare wheel is also in great condition, with a new budget tyre fittedHistory and paperwork
The car comes with it’s original Peugeot book pack, including Owner’s Handbook, Maintenance Record and Dealer Location Guide.The Maintenance Record shows service stamps, the first 8 from the supplying Peugeot main dealer.
SummaryA very rare car indeed, and one which is as exhilarating to drive now as it was when new. Remaining in pristine condition throughout, this classic “hot hatch” has benefited from the care and attention of a long term owner from new, which has helped it avoid ever being “just an old Peugeot”. It has moved seamlessly from cherished new car to cherished modern classic, and may well be unique in that respect as so few Goodwoods were ever produced.
I have taken a large number of detailed pictures of all aspects of the car, available to upon request.
If you are really interested in the car, please call me on for a chat or to arrange to come and see it. I’m happy to take you for a drive in it, and will allow test drives if I think you’re serious and sensible
This vehicles vin is VF33CDKZ210034597
This vehicle was legally imported from Japan and currently has a valid PA title. The mileage is displayed in kilometers which we cnverted to miles for the add.
Please keep in mind you are bidding on a pre-owned vehicle. Everyday driving can cause minor chips, dings or scratches on a vehicle. Unless otherwise noted in our photos or description these items are minimal, but may exist in some cases.If you have any questions about this or any of my other auctions please feel free to contact me at (267)471-6561. Thank you for your interest and I look forward to hearing from you.
Additional Photos
If the 205 GTI copied the Golf GTi, in many ways the side profile of the 309 reminds me of the original Jetta GLi – not quite as much as the Renault Reliant GTA, mind you, but it’s there. Actually, if I’m honest in the side profile I see a mix of Ford products; the 80s Escort hatch and some of the Merkurs. Condition is excellent and likely one of the best available – certainly, I don’t think it would be a stretch to say this was the best (and perhaps only) example in the U.S.. If you bought this example you’d likely have even very devoted European fans like me scratching their heads wherever you turned up, as I don’t think the 309 is nearly as well known as the 205 or 405 models. Is it a $13,000 example? Hard to say, as I don’t know the market that well, but the seller correctly notes that the 205s have pulled that amount. But ultimately, I don’t think the 309 is nearly as attractive as their better known little and big brothers; in this case, I’d prefer a clean 405 Mi-16 or 205 GTI over this example, personally. Still it’s very cool to see something different than the norm!
-Carter
