Peugeot has celebrated its 210th anniversary by launching the Peugeot restoration service, which restores and sells models from its back catalogue in France.
It will operate from the workshops of the company’s own museum – the Musée de l’Aventure in Sochaux – with engineers already hard at work restoring a Peugeot 205 GTi to factory fresh specification.
Peugeot have chosen to resuscitate a later 1.9 variant in black, with the shell already stripped of its engine, suspension and interior. Any rust holes the engineers find are being filled in with the correct gauge steel and stamped to match the original panels, with an army of engine builders, panel beaters, painters and trimmers on hand to complete the restoration.
Luckily, the French firm has been hoarding parts for its classic models for over seven years, so it has most of the components needed to make this GTi as new again. And by leaning on its vast network of aftermarket suppliers or by using 3D manufacturing techniques, Peugeot should be able to source more elusive items, too.
Cars restored under the Peugeot restoration service will receive a certificate of authenticity before being put on sale via a new, dedicated section of the company’s website coming next year. In addition, from early 2021, owners can book their classics in with the firm’s in-house experts to receive a complete or partial restoration.
