This new Peugeot 205 GTi Dimma is a 308 GTi underneath

If you’ve ever seen photos or videos of a Peugeot 205 GTi with an almost-T16 Group B body kit, chances are it was the work of Dimma.

The company began in the 1980s creating more aggressive kits for 205 GTis, with the company saying Jean Todt, then the head of Peugeot Sport, now the head of the FIA, even driving one as his ‘work car’.

A UK branch was started, run by a man named Terry Pankhurst. Now, Pankhurst is back at it.

Revealed this week, Dimma UK is in the process of finalising a Peugeot 205 GTi Dimma body kit… but with mechanicals and running gear from the modern Peugeot 308 GTi.

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“The aim was to produce a brand-new version of the Classic Dimma 205,” Dimma says.

“Performance, handling and styling has moved on and the idea was to embrace new technology and apply it to retro cool. The new version is faster, wider and more aggressive looking than the original, but remains instantly recognisable.

“Back in the day, Dimma UK would buy new-crated 405 MI 16 engines from the factory and install them into the 205’s, why? Because it was better! This time we are going an awful lot further.”

Peugeot 205 GTi T16

Dimma has kept much of the 205’s body there physically, but replaced almost everything that affects driving with an updated 308’s version, even the interior. Its engine has also been given a tune, up from the 200kW it has stock to more than 220kW.

“It comes, brand new, from the current Peugeot 308 GTi and its all being fitted into an original 205 body. The track is wider, the direct injection 1.6 turbo engine is currently running 300bhp, it has a 6-speed gearbox, huge brakes and 19-inch wheels.

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“The 308 GTi is a fantastic car, but this Dimma is around 400kg lighter so the all-round performance improvements are highly significant.”

Its lightweighting was achieved through the extensive use of carbon

Being 400kg lighter would, realistically put the Dimma 205/308 at around 900kg. Despite Peugeot’s claim the 308 GTi weighs 1205kg, MOTOR weighed a long-term 308 GTi test car in 2019 and found an extra 100kg of weight present.

“The 2020 Dimma 205 is aimed at being a road legal modern classic, with the ability to deliver stunning driveability and performance on the road or on a circuit track day.

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205 GTi hillclimb car built by F1 engineers

“At this point the car we are showing is a drivable prototype, but the body panels have all been hand crafted by Terry and are literally sculpted from heavy solid materials.”

Dimma says the next step is to create moulds from the kit created so it’s able to produce further sets.

“Before we move to production, we need to assess customer interest, each car will have to be hand built to order and a minimum number of units would need to be pre-sold in order to make production viable.”