You don’t see a lot of modern French cars in Phoenix, Arizona. You’ll see the occasional Citroen at a car show or auction, but if you come across something produced by a French car manufacturer in the last thirty-years it is usually a Renault that made its way north from Mexico. Those Renaults were never intended for the U.S., and I’m not sure when we can expect French vehicle manufacturers to develop and market vehicles for the American market.
But alas, there are opportunities to own a Peugeot, Citroen, or Renault in North America and this involves importing a car from across the Atlantic. All efforts to get that vehicle here, or buying an already imported one, could be worth it for the exclusivity and as a conversation starter from curious onlookers.
The Pick of the Day is a right-hand drive 1993 Peugeot 205XL with 55,983 miles listed for sale on ClassicCars.com by a private seller in Conroe, Texas. (Clink the link to view the listing)
“I am the third owner of this car, well kept with minimum wear and tear,” the listing states. “Previous owner mostly kept in the garage, then when I purchased the vehicle it became my faithful daily commuter. I then imported the Peugeot to Texas from the UK in 2019. Since then, it has been driven minimally (ie inspections etc), but kept in my garage full time.”
The seller advises that the Peugeot has had regular maintenance and in 2016 a new water pump, timing cambelt kit and timing belt (alternator aux belt) were installed.
This two-door hatchback is powered by a 1.6-liter inline-four SOHC 8V engine that produced a factory-rated 88 bhp. The engine is paired with an automatic transmission. This is by no means a rocket ship off the line, I think a drag race with a Renault Le Car would make for dramatic viewing, but a 205XL could be a solid commuter that’s pretty good on gas.
This right-hand drive 1993 Peugeot 205XL is available for $15,000 and serious offers are welcome. I’m not sure when I’ll have the opportunity to buy a new Peugeot in the U.S., but this one is a solid choice until I can get a new one at a dealership in Phoenix.
To view this listing on ClassicCars.com, see Pick of the Day.
how do you say junk in French? Le Junk!
Je ne dirai pas “Junk” (Pacotille ou camelote en Français) car ce type de véhicule Français est trés solide et capable de faire 400000 km sans gros problème, certes il n’est pas adapté à la vision Américaine, mais pour autant et pour info, c’est
la soeur de celle-ci, la 208 T16 qui en 2013 avait battue un record à Pike Peake. Peugeot à un sacré pédigré et reste le plus vieux constructeur au monde !! Pourquoi les constructeurs Français n’ont’ ils pas franchie l’atlantique ? Ils sont allés sur le marché Européen plus facile, et il est vrai que nous ne savons pas exporter, et que l’innovation est un véritable désastre dans un pays comme la France . Dernière info : Mon gendre est américain, je l’estime beaucoup, et j’aime bien L’Amérique, mais sachons rendre à César ce qui est à César .
Tres bien!