The Peugeot 309 is 40 years old. Was supposed to save the talbot, instead buried it

The hatchbacks have always attracted drivers to simple technology, modern design and practical interior. In the 1980s, there was a model that celebrates forty years this year – Peugeot 309.

Although it has long been disappeared from the Slovak roads, we managed to track down one preserved specimen of the sports GTI, which we also checked from behind the steering wheel.

Brand

Although the story of the model 309 began to be written in Peugeot development studios, it was originally supposed to prove to the world as a novelty of the British-French Talbot car. It has had a history of relatively successful models such as Sunbeam, Solara, Samba or Horizon.

The Talbot brand was awarded to PSA Peugeot Citroën in 1978 when it bought the European Chrysler division, including Simca. Since July 1979, Peugeot has replaced the names Simca and Chrysler with the only brand Talbot, which the French and the British were to perceive as their own. The dog first wanted to preserve production, use existing models and factory.

However, the brand has never been more prominent. She suffered from an unclear identity, declining sales and was increasingly pushed into the background with its own competition in the form of Peugeot, Citroën or the Renault state -owned car.

New without predecessor

The project with the working title Talbot Arizona was supposed to be the successor of the Horizon. Although Horizon won the title of European car in 1979, his technique quickly obsolete and Talbot did not have sufficient resources for further development.

In addition, the quality of production was unbalanced for frequent strikes in factories and cars suffered from corrosion. The problem was to be solved by the upcoming hatchback Arizona, who was supposed to get a galvanized body from production.

Arizona stood on the modified Peugeot 205 platform and was based on the aerodynamic prototypes of Peugeot Vera Plus and Vera profile, which achieved a remarkable resistance coefficient of 0.22, which was an exceptional number for those times.

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Development took place, the first pre -production pieces passed through the tests and waited for production. In 1985, however, it was clear that the Talbot brand grinds from the last, so the leadership of the group decided at the last minute to transfer the upcoming model under Peugeot.

The basis remained the same, only the designation of the model, logos and some design details changed. The most significant change was the rear license plate, which moved from the fifth door to the bumper.

Peugeot 309 GTI (Source: Adam Poliak)

The new designation 309 was also out of the then sequence of Peugeot models. The management of the concern did not want to include the new model among the existing ppeugeota.

The number 305 was already occupied by an older sedan who was still produced, and the new compact hatchback did not have a direct predecessor. The designation 309 was supposed to distinguish the new model from existing and hide its origin.

In the footsteps of a smaller 205

The Peugeot 309 debuted in the fall of 1985 as a five -door hatchback, which was supposed to fill the gap between the smaller 205 and the larger 305. It was created on the extended platform of the 205, from which he also took over some body parts.

The basic versions used simple but proven carburetor engines with a capacity of 1.1 to 1.3 liters, originally from Simca. On the other hand, more powerful variants were given to modern all -aluminum XU engines with a capacity of 1.6 and 1.9 liters.

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In 1987, the offer was expanded to include a three -door body, automatic transmission, 1.8 TD and 1.9 d diesel engines, XA utility versions or a GTI sports version. It used the technique of legendary 205 GTI and was both three -door and five -door hatchback.

Later, a sharper version of the GTI 16 was created, equipped with a 16 -valve 1.9 16V engine with 160 hp (118 kW) from the 405 Mi16.

Peugeot 309 GTI (Source: Adam Poliak)

The first 309 began to be produced first in Poissy, France and in Villaverd, Spain. The production was soon launched in the British Ryton, which provided the right -hand versions for the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan.

In the year 1989 The model has undergone a modernization that touched mainly the interior and rear parts. The new owners appreciated the reduction of the loading edge of the trunk that was missing the original version. Thanks to this change, access to the luggage compartment has thus significantly improved and 309 could be considered a full -fledged lifback.

The changes were also affected by the techniques, the XU engines were given a new manual transmission, and the weaker versions have gone to the more modern power units of the range of the OHC -powered belt.

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Production in Europe ended in 1993 with the arrival of the successor 306, but between 1995 and 1997, it continued in India under the Premier brand.

In total, between 1985 and 1993, 1,635 132 Peugeot 309 were created. Of which 18 262 vehicles fell on the sports version of GTI and only 5896 pieces were created in the top version of GTI 16, which today is one of the most precious variants of the model.

First diesel from Tuzex

An interesting story left the Peugeot 309 in our local history. In 1987 he was the first Peugeot to be officially sold in Czechoslovakia. At the same time, it was the first ever car with a diesel engine that was sold in larger quantities.

If you wanted to buy this one exoticit was not enough to wait an endless advisor in Mototechne. Peugeot was only available in PZO Tuzex stores for currency or tuzex crowns, so -called. « Bony ».

The first supply of 350 pieces came to Tuzex in 1987. It was exclusively a GLD with a 1.9-liter atmospheric diesel with 47 kW and a five-speed manual transmission.

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The equipment was basic, but for the local conditions luxury. It included an analog clock on the dashboard, door protection rails, wiper cycling, closable storage box, folding rear seats split in a 50:50 ratio and a rear wiper with a washer.

The car cost 55,000 Tuzex crowns (330,000 Kčs), which made it a luxury goods designed especially for verys and foreigners. He also played one tuzex piece in the film Friends in the Resto (1988), where he was driving on Prague Vávlák Adamec.

The rumors of practicality have spread among people so much that 309 in the big one was imported even after 1989 and their price was just rising. No wonder, in times before the arrival of Felicia and Octavia, models 309 and 405 filled the « body gap » in our market.

Raid you wouldn’t expect

Today you will only meet the 309 on the road exceptionally, so we were pleased that we found one preserved specimen in Slovakia. All the more pleased that it was the top version of GTI.

The white three -door hatchback from 1989 was originally bought by the relatives of the current owner in Germany. The car was actively driving for several years and in 1995 it was sold to his grandfather Ľuboš, who inherited him after his death.