Peugeot celebrates the birthday of an icon: 505 have reached 40

Peugeot Argentina has recalled 505, on the occasion of its 40th anniversary, with a sense of communication that highlights the peculiarities of the model and the importance it has for the brand around the world .

The Peugeot 505 was designed by the legendary Pininfarina, began manufacturing in 1979 and has sold over 1.3 million copies worldwide., even in the United States, a difficult market for European brands. Similarly, production continued until 1997 in China. In Argentina, for its part, it was manufactured until 1995. Without a doubt, it was an icon with millions of fans around the world. Then, the tribute note of Peugeot to 505.

#PeugeotLegend: the 40th anniversary of 505, an icon of elegance and versatility

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the launch of the Peugeot 505, a model that made history by being the last big sedan of the brand that used rear-wheel drive, its dynamic behavior and its strength on the most difficult terrain. . All a predecessor of the new Peugeot 508 and, why not, the current range of Peugeot SUVs.

With a bold and dynamic exterior, signed by Pininfarina, and an elegant interior designed by Paul Bracq, known for his work on Mercedes and BMW models from the 50s to the 70s, the Peugeot 505 was marketed between 1979 and 1997. Two decades, has exceeded 1,300,000 vehicles produced, achieving commercial success in markets as difficult as the United States.

The Peugeot 505 was one of the initiators of the concept "World Car", a vehicle with characteristics capable of satisfying the needs of very diverse markets. It is enough to see the list of the countries in which it was manufactured: France, Spain (Vigo), Chile, Egypt, Argentina, New Zealand or China and India badembled with units of this model.

The Peugeot 505 arrived on the market in 1979 with an easy challenge: to replace the Peugeot 504, a model that marked a turning point in the history of the brand's large sedans and which defined the "Peugeot style" thanks to its dynamic profile and iconic flagships, inspired by the eyes of the Italian actress Sofía Loren. A mission which met a mark, if one looks at its commercial trajectory, with 1,351,254 units sold until 1997, when it finished its manufacture in China.

This model marked the end of an era for the brand, being the last of its salons to use rear-wheel drive, one of the most ingrained traditions of Peugeot's history. However, this did not mean a break from a brand feature since its inception: reliability and behavior on the roads. Its robustness and solvency on poor roads and roads remains legendary and has been key to its success in Africa, Latin America and the Far East. Regions of the planet in which they still circulate as the first day, Peugeot 505 units marking 500 000 km or even 1 000 000 km on the odometer. All an ancestor of the current SUV León range.

This strength is also translated by great versatility. In the various markets where it was marketed, it was an ambulance, a police vehicle, a military car, a hearse and even a motorcycle. a double-cabin pickup. Dangel came to prepare a 4 × 4 version badociated with the 110 hp turbo diesel engine.

Its possibilities multiply exponentially with the launch of its family version presented at the Geneva Salon in 1982. This spacious break was an example of modularity decades before this concept became fashionable: it allowed to have 3 rows of seats and up to 8 pbadengers. This capability has made it popular with large families and taxi professionals, who already trusted this model for its reliability. In fact, this version has successfully competed with the first minivans on the market.

Aesthetically, the Peugeot 505 fits perfectly into the saga of the brand's major fairs. Its exterior, designed by Pininfarina, stands out for its dynamism and daring aesthetic for the time. Its interior, elegant and comfortable, is the work of Paul Bracq, one of the most prolific interior architects of the mid-twentieth century automobile world, who participated in the creation of several legendary models of Mercedes and BMW between the 50s and 70s, In addition to being one of the architects of the concept cars that defined the Peugeot aesthetic, such as Quasar, Próxima and Oxia.

The international vocation was another key aspect of the Peugeot 505. A whole "world car" was manufactured in Sochaux (France), but also in Vigo (146 216 units produced between 1980 and 1987), China, Chile, Australia , India, New Zealand and Argentina. He was one of the last Peugeot models sold on the difficult North American market, where he landed with a large order for the legendary yellow taxi fleets of New York and Los Angeles. The United States reached its peak in 1984, when 20,000 Peugeot 505s were registered in the country. With 1,351,254 units sold until 1997, year of its manufacture in China (two years after his farewell in Argentina).