Peugeot 305: История, Модификации и Конкуренты.

Despite the performance limitations of the smaller engine, the gearbox in all 305s was excellent, with extremely precise and light gear changes. The 305 combined a front wheel drive car with an excellent and durable gearbox. There was no fifth gear provided but Peugeot was reported to have said that the car had no difficulty reaching if pushed to the limit. Power came from 1.3 litre or 1.5 litre petrol and 1.55 litre diesel engines and later, after the facelift, the 1.5 litre was replaced by a 1.6 litre and 1.9 litre petrol and diesel engines (XUD) were added. These were the same as used in the Talbot Horizon, a model acquired in 1979 when Peugeot took over Chrysler's European division and rebranded it as Talbot. The facelifted, series 2 models arrived at the Paris Salon in late 1982, to keep the 305 competitive with newer designs like the Ford Sierra and the new version of the Vauxhall Cavalier/Opel Ascona. They had revised frontal styling, new improved front suspension and steering, a new dashboard and a modified under bonnet and subframe layout to allow the new generation of XU series engines with 5 speed gearbox to be fitted. Thus switching from the Mini type in sump gearbox arrangement used also in the 204 and 304 to the now universal end on gearbox configuration (pioneered by Fiat in the 1960s Autobianchi Primula), of front wheel drive with a transverse engine and a gearbox on the end of the engine and unequal length drive shafts. However, the GL / GR and van models continued to use the earlier XL/XR series engines with four speed gearbox for a few more years. The diesel engine fitted to the phase 2 305 was capable of over 50 mpg (Imp). The engine at the time was regarded as the best diesel around where most other engines notably those from Volkswagen and British Leyland sounded agricultural in comparison. Sales of the 305 were strong in France and most other countries where the car was sold, In Britain, its original competitors were the Ford Cortina MK4, Vauxhall Cavalier MK1 and Morris Marina. It was launched around the same time as its key French rival, the Renault 18. Later in its production life, it was competing with newer rivals including the Ford Sierra, MK2 Vauxhall Cavalier, Austin Montego, Renault 21, and the British built Nissan Bluebird. In 1979, the 305 won 1979 the What Car? Car of the Year in the United Kingdom, although it was largely overlooked by the motoring press for that year's European Car of the Year award, who voted the Chrysler/Simca Horizon as the winner, the Fiat Ritmo/Strada in second place and the Audi 80 in third place. Production of saloons ceased in 1988, following the launch of the slightly larger and more powerful Peugeot 405, which proved a much stronger seller in the United Kingdom. Production of 305 estates ceased in 1989 and did not see a direct replacement until the launch of the 306 estate in 1997. The three door Van (Fourgonnette, or Break Service in the home market) continued to be built until June 1990 and was not replaced.

The body was done by Italian stylist Pininfarina and was completely new. It was all steel monocoque which strongly resembled the BMW 3 Series of the time. The design is based on Peugeot's 'VSS' prototype safety vehicle, which Peugeot created to improve car safety. This meant that the car had front and rear crumple zones, side impact protection, a protected fuel tank and bolt on front wings. Three bodystyles were available, consisting of a conventional three box four door sedan, a five door station wagon, and a three door panel van.

A series of aerodynamic research studies called VERA (Véhicule Économe de Recherche Appliquée, "applied research in economical vehicles") was also begun in 1981. The first model was a petrol engined version (VERA 01) with a engine, topping out at The cars were significantly lightened; the VERA 02 went from and made more aerodynamic. A large rear wing, skirts covering parts of the rear wheels, and deeply scalloped sections behind the front wheels were all noticeable. The Cx was reduced from 0.44 to 0.319, helping lower fuel consumption between 33 and 38 percent. At the 1982 Geneva Salon the VERA 02, with a 1362 cc turbodiesel, was shown, and the more radical VERA Plus followed later in 1982 this was no more than a thinly veiled Peugeot 309 prototype.

The 305 estate marked the debut of the now standard PSA Peugeot Citroën rear suspension layout. This is fully independent using trailing arms. It is very compact and was designed to minimise suspension intrusion into the wide flat loadspace, while providing excellent ride and handling. This was later developed (in other Peugeots) to use torsion bars instead of the 305's horizontal coil springs, and it was a key ingredient of the success of the Peugeot 205. The torsion bars system was very similar to those used by Renault and Simca for many years previously.

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