The Peugeot 605 SV24 was the last real French high -end

The ten years of career of the large Peugeot sedan have certainly been chaotic and the commercial results without panache, we are well obliged to recognize it: since its disappearance in 1999, almost no French car has gathered so many qualities to make the shineTricolor colors on Autobahn or elsewhere.The recent wink of a graphic designer reminded the 605 to our good memory.

But, and the Biturbo Safrane?Yes, easy.The performances still make it an incredible showcase for Renault.But its rarity due to the endless manufacturing deadlines (just over 800 copies) and its prices, too ambitious compared to its direct competitors (430.000 francs at the time, more than a more efficient BMW 540i E34!) Quickly got the better of this bold blow.The 605, born in 1989, remains the latest French to date capable of seriously competing with the German trio in its time (even if the premium status of Audi was still fresh and fragile).

Au sommet de la gamme, la SV24 faisait appel au bien connu V6 PRV dans son évolution la plus recommandable (la seule ?). Chronos et tempérament n'avaient rien de ridicule face à une BMW 525i, voire une 530i.

It has always looked like a kind of unrealistic fantasy.And when certain productions are approaching, there are often only us (or some original British, possibly) to find real concrete qualities.Even if today, a 508 knows how to show itself, in its genre, dynamically as pleasant as a BMW 3 Series...And as always, the range of engines stops where the Bavaroise ensures its mid -range.

Of course, the 605 capped at 200 hp with the SV24 which provided the top of the basket.But the palette of engines was complete: it started at 115 hp with the modest SL, ensured correct performance with the 2 liters of SRI and SRTI (supercharged with a low pressure turbo), and delivered a beautiful approval with the 6 cylinders.No complex to have: opposite, BMW proposed many 518i, 520i (but in 6 cylinders for the latter) and Mercedes counted on its sober but chicks diesel to ensure the bulk of the sales of the W124 (the ancestor of the class)).Well, of course, the 500 E was out of reach.

Tout comme l'extérieur, l'habitacle donne dans le classique, en phase avec le premium de l'époque : matériaux moussés, inserts en vraies boiseries, cuirs de bonne facture. Du moins pour les versions SV, le niveau d'équipement supérieur.

Of the Peugeot, without imitating the Germans

On the SV24, the engineers had even managed to make sympathetic and alive the amorphus (and unbalanced) V6 PRV!His time was almost sporty, especially since at the time, cars were not so heavy as today (just under 1.5 t in SV24)...There were 7.9 s from 0 to 100 km/h and 235 km/h in point.Too fair to follow an M5 or the V8 of a 540i, but sufficient to keep the pace of a 535i a little more powerful.Same thing for the Mercedes: under the hood of a 300 e 24 equivalent, the 6 online did not offer much more than the French.Except a few extra pounds.

The 605 was mainly acclaimed for its dynamic qualities.Pure juice peugeot, comfortable and remarkably agile for a large road in this size.We can without blushing, even today, consider it as a case of a successful traction school.With very little chauvinism (even if your servant learned to drive a 605, and therefore keep a certain attachment).Try to ask a contemporary Audi 100 Patauade as much or to the rough chassis of an Alfa Romeo 164, we're going to laugh.

Le restylage de 1995 est visible : protection latérales en plastique plus larges, calandre revue et logo du Lion plus gros et modernisé. Les moteurs sont restés quasi identiques, les qualités routières toujours royales... et la réputation beaucoup moins.

Speaking of 164, so!The Peugeot curiously shares some common lines with the Italian that appeared in 1988, the previous year.Pininfarina, author of the Alfa pencil stroke, collaborated in the first sketches of the 605, without however signing its silhouette strictly speaking.The comparison ends there, fortunately, for the construction of the French, much more neat: on board, good materials, foaming plastics and real woodwork are rigorous.As for assemblies, it's a little less brilliant on the other hand.And...Catastrophic for on -board technology!All the more cruel since it was one of the keys to the Auto ambitions.The controlled suspensions, the on -board computer, the heated seats and other electrical refinements (too early to really talk about electronics) involved wiring lengths worthy of an Airbus.Alas, the precipitated development and the electrical or mechanical setbacks (twisted cardan, really?!) Who followed very quickly stuck a badly born car label.Too fast, too early!Like the Renault Avantime who invented crossover 15 years before everyone else (it's another story).

The 1995 restyling has greatly improved the table, but the evil was done.The career remained at half mast, like that of its Citroën XM technical cousin, until its disappearance in 1999.To arrange anything, unlike it, the 605 has not been available in station wagon.And il ne fallait pas compter sur la 607, avec son postérieur XXL et ses inserts décoratifs en vrai plastique, pour prendre la relève.As we said at the start: the 605 was the last.

L'habitacle de la 605 phase 2 est reconnaissable au nouveau volant, recevant un airbag. Les commandes sont redessinées. La qualité a progressé d'un cran, et l'atout principal n'a pas bougé : son habitabilité gigantesque.

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