1990 Peugeot 205 GTI Griffe

The Griffe gave the 205 GTI a more restrained form of exclusivity: distinctive green paint, darker wheels and a carefully coordinated leather interior. Peugeot unveiled it at the 1990 Paris Motor Show and retrospectively describes a three-thousand-unit edition. This profile follows that original European GTI programme, keeping it separate from later Peugeot models using the Griffe name, ordinary green repaints and the UK Radio 1FM anniversary edition.

A special GTI with a named inspiration

Peugeot's heritage account links the Griffe with Jean Todt's personal 205 GTI. At the time he led Peugeot Talbot Sport, giving the inspiration a meaningful connection with the marque's competition culture. That background does not make the Griffe a homologation car or assign it an individual rally history. Its distinction is a defined factory edition based on the road-going GTI, with appearance and cabin treatment central to its identity.

Peugeot: original Griffe presentation, equipment and edition scope

Green paint and anthracite wheels

The manufacturer identifies Fluorite Green paint and anthracite wheels as key features. The combination matters more than either component in isolation, because wheels and paint can be reproduced on an ordinary GTI. A surviving example should be checked against its original market and delivery specification. Replacement panels, refinished wheels or a restoration in the correct colour can preserve an authentic edition, but those changes should remain visible in the history.

An interior with a different emphasis

Peugeot describes grey Ouragan leather with green stitching, creating a cabin that matched the understated exterior. This is useful identification context and an important part of the edition's design. However, upholstery replacement can blur the visible boundary between a preserved car, a restored original and an ordinary GTI fitted with period special-edition seats. Original paperwork and consistent vehicle identifiers provide stronger evidence than a single attractive interior photograph.

Peugeot: original Griffe presentation, equipment and edition scope

What the three-thousand figure describes

The brand's retrospective calls the Griffe a limited edition of three thousand units. That is a manufacturer-reported edition reference, not a national allocation for every country in which a car later appears. Imports, exports and re-registration do not create new factory production. The number is kept separate from the population of known survivors and from broader 205 GTI totals. It should also not be transferred to unrelated later models that used Griffe as a trim name.

Peugeot: original Griffe presentation, equipment and edition scope

Griffe and 1FM: related details, separate editions

The dedicated UK 1FM register notes interior and wheel-related connections with the Griffe, but its anniversary programme has a different market, date and numbered identity. Shared components do not make the two editions interchangeable. For either car, preserve original delivery records and document later component changes. This profile retains the Griffe's own 1990 presentation and manufacturer-reported scope without adding the twenty-five-car UK programme to its total or creating a new Griffe count from transplanted trim.

Specifications and identity reference

Rarity and production scope

Verified original Griffe edition. Peugeot retrospectively describes a 3,000-unit limited programme; completed production is not independently audited here and known survivors remain a different measure. No regional count is invented.

What the photograph represents

Standard Peugeot 205 GTI 1.9 photographed as a model-family reference. This is not authenticated as a Griffe and does not establish the edition’s Fluorite Green paint, Ouragan trim or factory order identity.

Related Peugeot heritage profiles

• 1992 Peugeot 205 GTI 1FM — UK
• 1984 Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 — Road Homologation Series

Frequently asked questions

Is Griffe a rare-edition name on every Peugeot?

No. This profile covers the specific original 205 GTI programme.

Does the Griffe figure include the UK 1FM?

The two are separately documented editions with different scopes.

What is the production-count boundary for this profile?

Verified original Griffe edition. Peugeot retrospectively describes a 3,000-unit limited programme; completed production is not independently audited here and known survivors remain a different measure. No regional count is invented.

Sources and further reading

1. Peugeot: original Griffe presentation, equipment and edition scope

Research checked 16 October 2026. Linked factory, heritage and specialist-register records support the specifically attributed claims. Photographic descriptions identify the illustrated subject. Design analysis and suggested authentication steps are editorial interpretation.