Peugeot 305

Infobox Automobile
name = Peugeot 305


manufacturer = Peugeot
class = Small family car
body_style = 4-door sedan
5-door station wagon
3-door panel van
layout = FF layout
engine = 1.3 L I4
1.5 L I4
1.9 L diesel I4
production = 1978–1989
predecessor = Peugeot 304
successor = Peugeot 309
similar = Ford Orion
Opel Kadett
Volkswagen Jetta
Renault 9|

The Peugeot 305 is a small family car produced by the French automaker Peugeot from 1978 to 1989.

Origins

During the mid to late 1970s, the motoring press speculated that a new Peugeot would soon arrive, in order to update the company's model lineup, in an attempt to make the Peugeot more internationally appealing. Since Peugeot had only recently discontinued their Peugeot 404 model, many people thought that the purpose of the new car was to fill the gap, previously occupied by the 404, between the Peugeot 304 and Peugeot 504 models.

It therefore would have been natural for the new car to be called the 405. The car was to be developed from and use the running gear from the 304, but in terms of size and price, it was to succeed the 404, especially considering that the top model in the new range would cost more than the entry-level 504, and that the 304 would remain in production some time after the new car was introduced. Instead of being called the 405, the new car was called the 305. When it made its press debut in November 1977, the motoring press were initially confused as to why it was called a 305 rather than a 405 but it sold well anyway.

Body design

The body was done by Italian stylist Pininfarina and was completely newFact|date=February 2007. It was all-steel monocoque which strongly resembled the BMW 3-Series of the time. The design came from Peugeot's 'VSS' prototype safety vehicle, which Peugeot created to improve car safety. This meant that the car had front and rear crumple zones, side impact protection, a protected fuel tank and bolt-on front wings.

The 305 had the standard 'three-box' saloon body style with a separate boot, instead of a hatchback and also an estate version.

History

The Peugeot 305 went on sale in Europe in 1978, and was initially available as a four-door saloon with a choice of two petrol engines: a 1290 cc, 65 bhp unit for the GL and GR models or a 1472 cc, 74 bhp for the top-specification SR model after facelift top model was GTX. It was first of the "05" generation of Peugeots, a generation which survived until the end of 605 production in 1999.

Despite that drawback with the smaller engine, the gearbox in all 305s was excellent, with an extremely precise and light gearchange.Fact|date=February 2007 The 305 combined a front-wheel drive car with an excellent and durable gearbox. On the downside, there was no fifth gear provided but, especially at motorway speeds, the four gears gave the 305 the maximum power it needed in fourth, Peugeot was reported to have said that the car had no difficulty reaching convert|95|mi/h|km/h|0|abbr=on if pushed to the limit.

Its key competitors were the Ford Escort, Volkswagen Golf and the Chrysler/Simca Horizon, but it was actually considerably larger than most other cars in its class. In fact, it was almost as large as the Ford Cortina, Opel Ascona and Chrysler Alpine. Power came from 1.3, 1.5, 1.6 petrol and 1.6 diesel engines and later a Peugeot 1.9 petrol and XUD diesel engine as used in the Talbot Horizon a model acquired in 1979, when Peugeot took over Chrysler's European division and rebranded it as Talbot.

Sales of the 305 were strong in France and most other countries where the car was sold, though Peugeot found its British sales volumes disappointing. The problem was eased in January 1986 when Peugeot launched the 309, a replacement for the Talbot Horizon which took some of the pressure off the larger 305.

Production ceased in 1988 following the launch of the slightly larger and more powerful Peugeot 405, which was a much stronger seller in the UK.

Suspension

The 305 estate marked the debut of the now standard PSA Peugeot Citroen rear suspension layout. This is fully independent using horizontal coil springs and trailing arms. It is very compact and was designed to minimise suspension (vehicle) intrusion into the wide flat loadspace, while providing excellent ride and handling. This was later developed to use torsion bars and it was a key ingredient of the success of the Peugeot 205.