Peugeot 605

Peugeot 605
Overview
Manufacturer	Peugeot
Production	1989–1999 1995–1999 (facelift)
Designer	Pininfarina
Body and chassis
Class	Executive car (E)
Body style	4-door saloon
Layout	FF layout
Related	Citroën XM[1]
Dimensions
Wheelbase	2,799 mm (110 in)
Length	4,763 mm (188 in)
Width	1,798 mm (71 in)
Height	1,419 mm (56 in)
Curb weight	1,500 kg (3,307 lb)
Chronology
Predecessor	Peugeot 604 Peugeot 505
Successor	Peugeot 607

The Peugeot 605 is an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot between 1989 and 1999, with a facelift in 1995.

History

Peugeot 605 pre-facelift

Peugeot 605 pre-facelift rear

Peugeot 605 post-facelift

Peugeot 605 post-facelift rear

The 605 was a saloon built on the same platform as the Citroën XM, and was successor to the critically well-received Peugeot 604^[2] which went out of production four years earlier. The popular Peugeot 505 model was thus phased out in the late 1980s and early 1990s in favour of two cars - the large family car 405, and the executive car 605. Peugeot kept the estate version of the 505 in production until 1992 and had been planning to replace it with an estate version of the 605, but plans for this model to be produced were eventually abandoned.

It was launched in July 1989 in left-hand drive form, and was launched onto the British market during the first half of 1990 in right-hand drive form.

High equipment levels, a luxurious interior, a smooth ride, and exceptional handling were strong points for the 605. But Peugeot has always struggled to succeed with large cars outside France, and the 605 was no different. It was too similar in design and appearance to the smaller Peugeot 405 to command a price premium, while its dashboard also drew criticism for its uninspired design.

Also like the XM, the 605 initially suffered from quality issues that resulted in numerous breakdowns or malfunctions (particularly with the ambitious electrics), which severely damaged the car's reputation. In 1995, Peugeot tried to solve the problems by unveiling an extensively revamped 605 (known as the "Phase 2" model); it received a facelift which looked modern at its time, but also the interior was vastly improved by giving it more ergonomic controls and a refreshed look. Performance and handling were improved as well and many of the reliability issues were solved. Technological advances were made, most remarkably the side airbags, although sales remained low.

After the launch of the well-received Peugeot 406 (that was larger than the 405 it replaced) in 1995, 605 sales dropped to near-insignificant levels, and it was quietly dropped in 1999. The 605's successor, the Peugeot 607, went into production in October 1999, and was slightly more successful on the domestic and export markets.

The end of 605 production spelled the end of the "05" generation Peugeots in Europe after more than twenty years; this generation had started twenty years earlier in 1977, with the 305.

Design and styling

Its appearance resembles that of the Alfa Romeo 164, launched in 1987, and also styled by Pininfarina.^[3]

Despite the resemblance, the Peugeot did not use the Type Four platform; it rode the same platform as the Citroën XM.^[4] It also bears a strong visual resemblance to the smaller Peugeot 405.

Engines

Peugeot 605 V6 12V petrol engine

Eight petrol engines were offered during the 605's lifetime:

• 2.0-litre 8-valve carbureted inline-4, 84 kW (114 PS; 113 bhp)
• 2.0-litre 8-valve fuel-injected inline-4, 79 kW (107 PS; 106 bhp)
• 2.0-litre 8-valve fuel-injected inline-4, 89 kW (121 PS; 119 bhp)
• 2.0-litre 8-valve fuel-injected turbocharged inline-4, 108 kW (147 PS; 145 bhp)
• 2.0-litre 16-valve fuel-injected inline-4, 97 kW (132 PS; 130 bhp)
• 3.0-litre 12-valve fuel-injected V6, 123 kW (167 PS; 165 bhp)
• 3.0-litre 24-valve fuel-injected V6, 147 kW (200 PS; 197 bhp)
• 3.0-litre 24-valve fuel-injected V6, 142 kW (193 PS; 190 bhp)

As well as three diesel engines:

• 2.1-litre 12-valve normally aspirated inline-4, indirect injection, 60 kW (82 PS; 80 bhp)
• 2.1-litre 12-valve turbocharged inline-4, indirect injection, 80 kW (109 PS; 107 bhp)
• 2.5-litre 12-valve turbocharged inline-4, indirect injection, 95 kW (129 PS; 127 bhp)

The base 4-cylinder petrol engine and the normally aspirated diesel, though reliable, were generally considered to be simply over matched by the car's weight. The fuel-injected inline-4 was better received though it was criticised for lacking low and mid-range punch, whereas the powerful 170 hp (127 kW) V6 suffered from criticisms over poor fuel economy when combined with an automatic gearbox. The same issue affected the top-of-the range V6-24 version in spite of its all-new 24-valve cylinder head, though a top speed of 235 km/h (146 mph) made poor fuel economy more acceptable to generally well-heeled customers. The 2.1 turbo-diesel was widely regarded as a good powertrain but was outclassed by the new direct-injection engines introduced in 1988 by Audi.

A 2.0-litre (8-valve) turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol engine (150 bhp) was added in 1991 and provided good performance but proved unreliable. Later, a 2.5 turbodiesel (130 bhp) completed the diesel lineup. In 1997, the antiquated 3.0-litre engine was replaced at long last by an all-new 3.0-litre, 24-valve, 194 bhp (145 kW) V6, finally giving the car a powertrain worthy of its exceptional road holding.

Fiction

The Peugeot 605 is featured prominently in the car chase scenes of John Frankenheimer's film Ronin (1998). In the first chase, three Peugeot 605s are escorting a Citroën XM carrying a mysterious briefcase, where it comes under attack by mercenaries include the character played by Robert De Niro.

References

1. "Citroën XM". citroenet.org.uk. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
2. Buckley, Classic & Sportscar (January 2007), p. 149
3. "Curbside Classic: 1991 Alfa Romeo 164". thetruthaboutcars.com. Retrieved 2011-11-28.
4. "Four of a Kind: The Alfa Romeo 164 and the "Type Four" Cars". ateupwithmotor.com. Retrieved 2011-11-28.

External links

• Peugeot 605 (FR) web site