Peugeot 405 Mi16
The handsome French saloon that Coventry built.
The story
The 405 won European Car of the Year by a record margin. It rode and handled better than anything in its class. Figures here are for the Mi16 sports version. The diesels were a favourite with high-mileage drivers.
Inside
A simple angular dash, soft supportive seats and a big boot.
In period colours
Tap a colour to respray the drawing.
Its television advert, with a burning cornfield and the song Take My Breath Away, is one of the best remembered of the 1980s.
Meanwhile, in 1987
The Great Storm flattened millions of trees across southern England.
Best-selling single of 1987: Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley
Before you buy a 1980s car
- Check for rust in the usual places, though many cars from this decade were better protected.
- Electrical and fuel system faults are common, so test everything.
- Parts for mass-market cars are usually easy to find.
General notes, not specific to this model. Check the model's own history before buying.
Rivals of its day
Picked automatically: cars on sale at the same time with similar size, speed and price.
See the real thing
These open in a new tab: the car on Wikimedia Commons, the interior and the badge as Google image searches.
Today's money: the launch price adjusted for inflation to 2026, using the Office for National Statistics price index.