Despite formidable opposition from Audi and Lancia, by 1986 the Peugeot 205 Turbo 16 had emerged as the car to beat in the World Rally Championship. In just three years, it had taken 16 WRC wins from 26 starts and consecutive Drivers’ and Manufacturers’ titles; its progress only halted by the enforced abandonment of Group B regulations at the end of 1986.

As had rival manufacturers, Peugeot took advantage of the technical freedom and comparatively modest homologation requirements of Group B to produce 200 road-legal 205 Turbo 16s. Bearing only a passing resemblance to the production 205, the Turbo 16 was a masterpiece of packaging; its rear-mounted, 1.8-liter turbocharged engine operating in conjunction with a complex viscous-coupled four-wheel drive system beneath a hinged, racing-style rear clamshell. At approximately 200 horsepower, the Turbo 16’s output was barely half that of its competition counterpart, yet 60 mph was still achieved in under seven seconds en route to a top speed of 132 mph.

Originally delivered to London-based Qatari Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al-Thani, this particular example was the 177th road-legal Turbo 16 constructed. Unusually finished in black, it was used regularly on the streets of the capital, and it was serviced throughout its original ownership by Peugeot agents Warwick Wright of Chiswick, West London. Sheikh Al-Thani retained the car until July 2007, at which point it had covered just 8,062 kilometers. Thereafter, ownership passed to Hafid Dilaimi, also of London, who appears to have used the car minimally; its odometer reading having increased by only 28 kilometers when he sold it to Tom Kirby of Stroud, Gloucestershire in January 2013. In Mr. Kirby’s ownership, the car was fastidiously maintained and prepared for concours events, its appearance at the prestigious Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace being a particular highlight.

In January 2022, the car was treated to a comprehensive service by renowned rally preparation specialists BGMSport of Brackley, Northamptonshire, at a cost of almost $14,000. This included cambelt, filter, and fluid changes as well as the fitment of new clutch and brake master cylinders, refurbishment of all four wheels, and professional detailing. Suitably refreshed, the car was acquired by the vendor last year, in whose custody it has continued to be used extremely sparingly.

Displaying just 8,696 kilometers (~5,404 miles) at the time of cataloguing, and with impeccable provenance and a commensurately comprehensive history file, this remains a magnificently correct example of perhaps the most accomplished and practical of all road-legal Group B designs. For these reasons—not to mention its dynamic capabilities or illustrious sporting heritage—the term “homologation special” has never seemed more appropriate.