A staggering 5.3 million examples of Peugeot’s diminutive 205 hatchback would be built throughout its 15-year production run.

Credited not only with turning around the ailing manufacturer’s fortunes, but also helping to spearhead the emergence of the hot hatch segment, the 205 was a huge hit whether in base, Rallye, or GTi spec.

It also proved its mettle on the special stages around the world, winning no fewer than 16 rounds of the World Rally Championship, giving rise in the process to one of the greatest road-going homologation specials to ever come out of France: the 205 Turbo 16.

Passing family resemblance aside, the WRC Turbo 16 had almost nothing in common with the standard 205.

The 200 road-going examples built to homologate the model for competition were no different.

Each car started life as a standard 205 body shell, which was modified by Heuliez.

A transverse firewall was installed between the B-posts and a tubular subframe was added to the front and rear, before final...