Peugeot 205 Tolman Restomod: the ultimate nostalgic hot hatch?

Tolman Engineering have meticulously upgraded the iconic Peugeot 205 to suit the modern world, and a little bit more… But has the nostalgic hot hatch kept everything that made it so special? Watch as DriverReviews’ Vicki Butler-Henderson gets behind the wheel to find out.

Hatchback nostalgia. So hot right now. The Renault 5 and VW Golf GTI both made rebooted appearances at this year’s Paris Motor Show, as well as making Vicki’s top 3 hot hatch poster cars. But what’s the third? Of course, it’s the Peugeot 205.

The 205 earned superstar status throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s under its 1.6 and 1.9-litre guises, and Tolman engineering have now worked their magic on both to carry the legend into the present day. The Peugeot 205 Tolman Restomod comes with a hefty price tag upwards of £65,000. Plus VAT. Plus the donor car. Which inevitably poses the question: what does this actually get you?

Luckily, Vicki has the perfect man to guide us. Chris Tolman himself happily joins our host in reminiscing over the cars of yesteryear, revealing the slightly surprising path the 205 took in joining Tolman Engineering’s repertoire, before delving into the 12-month restoration process. Once you’ve sourced your donor car, it’ll be stripped down to its skeletal form for a manual factory reset, and then the world is your oyster in terms of customisation — although it turns out most people simply want to re-live the glory days, with just a touch of modern comfort and performance.

To this end, Chris’s examples have both been treated to fresh pistons, con rods, camshafts, ported cylinder heads, and modern engine management systems under their bonnets. The 1.6 has received a handy boost from around 115 hp to 132 hp, while the 1.9 which Vicki takes for a spin now packs over 200 hp, up from 130 hp. This has shaved 2.5 seconds off its 0-62 mph time, which now passes in just 6.5 seconds to make Tolman’s pug the fastest 205 the DriverReviews host has ever driven.

Round the back, the new exhaust brings a few surprises, and despite being non-intrusive in terms of design, it contributes to the overall performance boost. Oh, and the original sound has been perfectly replicated — a fact which is thoroughly double checked.

On the handling side of things, Tolman’s racing experience comes to the fore. The front suspension dampers have been tuned, the roll sensers tweaked, and the braking improved, all without taking the soul out of the 205’s iconic feel. The notorious lift-off oversteer has been reduced, and Vicki enjoys the firm but fair power steering, describing Tolman’s refresh as:

“Still frisky and quite light on its feet”

The new wheels which Tolman have developed — and flagged up as a crucial feature — are fitted with 15-inch rims which blend seamlessly into the retro Peugeot design language. These are then wrapped in Pilot Exalto PE2 tyres, designed to match the nippy hot hatch’s performance, adding some of Michelin’s own motorsport heritage into the mix.

However, Chris’s favourite feature lies withing the cockpit, but we won’t spoil it here — you’ll have to watch the video to see for yourself. Vicki enjoys the time-warp experience which has been brought into the interior, and is impressed by the customisation options. Fresh trims, carbon panels, updated air con, and heated seats are among the modern comforts which catch her eye, even if the retro key still gets the most love.

But does it pass Vicki’s full nostalgia test? Hit play to find out. 

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