1993 Peugeot 405 Mi16 – Classified of the Week

The Peugeot 405 might not be the first car you think of when conjuring up images of automotive thrills and excitement. It wasn’t a bad car, not by any stretch. Available as a saloon or an estate, it was comfortable, practical, safe for the time, the diesel would go on forever, and if you bought a high-specification model, you’d have all manner of nice kit like wood, leather and air-conditioning. It was not, however, a fast or sexy car.

Peugeot did change that though, by introducing the 405 Mi16 and Mi16x4. Both were powered by a snarling sixteen-valve petrol engine, while the latter boasted all-wheel drive. The 1.9-litre four-cylinder engine generated nearly 160bhp, the transmission was a slick five-speed manual and it would top out at 137mph. It also only weighed 1,085kg, which when combined with Peugeot’s love of getting the handling juuuuuust right, made the 405 Mi16 a riot. It was a proper Q car. The 1994 Peugeot 405 Mi16 we have here, however, is not a Q car. Mainly because it’s about as subtle as a shot of Tabasco. This one a race car.

And it’s a proper race car at that, not some home-brew pastiche or Max Power special. No, this is V21/D2/01 built by Italtecnica in 1993 and raced in 1994 with podium finishes in the Italian Super Touring Championship. That’s like the BTCC, but with more pasta, presumably? And if that wasn’t enough to get you all excited, this very car was piloted by Fabrizio Giovanardi. It’s never been a road car, it’s never been in a showroom, it’s never been subject of heated jealousy in a sales office full of reps. The track. That’s where this one has lived.

One of five team cars built, it’s impressive that this one has survived. There is no doubt that the life of a race car is hard, but this seems to have been cared for. In fact, it has been completely rebuilt by Owens Fabrication, and we do mean completely. Engine, sequential transmission, driveline, body, interior – all have been fettled and made good. It even wears the period correct livery, meaning you can live out your touring car fantasies with a pleasing amount of authenticity.

Granted, you need to be dedicated to all things motorsport in order to justify such a machine. It’s not like you can drive it on the road to a track day. But, if you want to rock worlds at Goodwood, dabble in the Masters or myriad other championships for period racers, this would be a great way to do it. It’s not a mock-up, it’s not a toy, it’s not pretend. This is a genuine, real deal, cut from the cloth of a race suit competition car. It is glorious, and it deserves to be used in anger once again.