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Peugeot 605
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The Peugeot 605 was an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot between 1989 and 1999.
The 605 was based on the Citroën XM (although using a sedan bodystyle), and was successor to the unsuccessful Peugeot 604 which went out of production some years earlier.
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Encyclopedia
The Peugeot 605 was an executive car produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot between 1989 and 1999.
The 605 was based on the Citroën XM (although using a sedan bodystyle), and was successor to the unsuccessful Peugeot 604 which went out of production some years earlier. The popular Peugeot 505 model was thus replaced by two cars - the large family car 405, and the executive car 605.
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, 605 suffered from grave build quality issues that resulted in a large number of breakdowns or malfunctions (particularly with the ambitious electrics), which severely damaged the car's reputation. It took Peugeot three years to improve these disappointing levels of quality.
PSA Peugeot Citroën has not been able to address the "luxury-brand" issue effectively - the automobile market rewards such segmentation, by brands from one factory - like Lexus/Toyota, Acura/Honda, and Audi/Volkswagen. Consumers demand a certain exclusivity from luxury cars that commodity producers cannot provide.
After the launch of the well-received Peugeot 406 in 1995, 605 sales dropped to near-insignificant levels, and the 605 was quietly dropped in 1999. Cars built after 1992 generally have good build quality and are often surprisingly good bargains on the second-hand market because the model's poor reputation keeps prices down.
The 605's successor, the Peugeot 607, went into production in late 1999 and has been slightly more successful on the domestic and export markets.
The end of 605 production spelled the end of "05" generation Peugeots in Europe after more than twenty years; this generation had started back in 1977 (UK market 1978) with the 305.
Design and styling
Its appearance resembles that of the Alfa Romeo 164, launched the 7 February 1987 before, and also styled by Pininfarina. It also bears a strong visual resemblance to the smaller Peugeot 405.
Engines
Eight petrol engines were offered during the 605's lifetime:
- 2.0-liter 8-valve carbureted inline-4,
- 2.0-liter 8-valve fuel-injected inline-4,
- 2.0-litre 8-valve fuel-injected inline-4,
- 2.0-litre 8-valve fuel-injected turbocharged inline-4,
- 2.0-litre 16-valve fuel-injected inline-4,
- 3.0-liter 12-valve fuel-injected V6,
- 3.0-liter 24-valve fuel-injected V6,
- 2.9-liter 24-valve fuel-injected V6,
As well as three diesel engines:
- 2.1-liter 12-valve normally aspirated inline-4, indirect injection,
- 2.1-liter 12-valve turbocharged inline-4, indirect injection,
- 2.5-liter 12-valve turbocharged inline-4, indirect injection,
The base 4-cylinder petrol engine and the normally aspirated diesel, though reliable, were generally considered to be simply overmatched 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 V6 suffered from criticisms over poor fuel economy (mostly due to its design essentially dating from the late 1960s). 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-liter (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, then the 2.1 was converted to direct injection. In 1997, the antiquated 3.0-liter engine was replaced at long last by an all-new 2.9-liter, 24-valve, V6, finally giving the car a powertrain worthy of its exceptional roadholding.
Fiction
The Peugeot 605 is featured prominently in the car chase scenes of John Frankenheimer's film Ronin. In the first chase, three Peugeots 605 are escorting a Citroën XM carrying a mysterious briefcase, where it comes under attack by Robert DeNiro's character.
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