Oh wow, that Mi16 looks great…
Yes right? That’s a sporty sedan that has withstood the test of time well. It was launched in 1988 and had some fairly subtle changes from the original Pininfarina designed 405. It had different bumpers, side skirts, a rear spoiler, sportier suspension and five-spoke aluminum wheels.
More importantly, the power came from a 1.9-litre 16V engine with 155 hp and 183 Nm of torque. The Phase II debuted in 1992, the special Le Mans version you see here came two years later, to celebrate the Peugeot 905’s victory in the 1993 24 Hours of Le Mans.
What’s so special about the Le Mans version?
For starters, only 500 were made (this one, in immaculate condition, is number 485), meaning you’ll probably never see another one. According to the website How many left? in fact, there are only seven Mi16s of any version on the road in the UK.
In line with the just facelifted 405, this had a 2.0-litre engine and was painted in the color Diablo Red. There were also Le Mans logos on the front and back, and 905 motifs on the doors. More logos inside, sports seats half/half upholstered in leather and Alcantara and special floor mats.
Very nice. What is the 508 PSE then?
That is Peugeot’s latest fast sedan, the 508 Peugeot Sport Engineered, as it is called in full. Like the Mi16, it is more aggressive. The suspension is 4 millimeters lower and 50 percent stiffer than a standard 508, and you also get triple-adjustable dampers and wider track (24 millimeters front, 12 millimeters rear).
And then of course there are the necessary visual upgrades, the most eye-catching of which are those neon green accents and the aerodynamic winglets. The aesthetic is a ‘love it or hate it’ matter, but it sure is striking.
Enough lurking – how do they drive?
In the beginning, the Mi16 seems to be a comfortable cruiser: smooth, quiet, all very refined. But make no mistake: it’s at its best when you give it a go, it pulls really strong from around 3,500rpm and is capable of a 0-100 in 8.9 seconds and a top of 215km /you. In addition, the steering is wonderful in heaviness and feel, the handling is silky and it weighs only 1,180 kilos – no wonder it was so loved. Unfortunately in 1995 it was over for him and the 405, and came the 406.
And the sports enthusiast of today?
Believe it or not, this is the strongest production car Peugeot has ever put on the road. This is thanks to a combination of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder and a pair of electric motors, for a power and torque of 360 hp and 530 Nm respectively. You go from 0 to 100 in 5.2 counts, the top is adjusted to 250 km/h and you can also drive 42 kilometers on electricity alone.
Handy in the city, but like the Mi16, the PSE shines mainly on the country roads, with sharp handling, large amounts of grip and performance that pretends it doesn’t weigh 1,850 kilos. One thing: that price of over 72k in euros (both in the Netherlands and Belgium!) is a bit of a shock…
#Peugeot #PSE #Peugeot #Mi16 #fast #sedan #years