Peugeot 205 Roland Garros: versions, equipment and how to spot a genuine one

The Roland Garros is a special edition of the Peugeot 205 — mechanically an ordinary 1.4-engined 205, set apart by its colour, interior and details linked to the Paris tennis tournament. This post covers only this edition: years, versions, equipment and verification. For a general guide to the model, including the GTI and its weak spots, see Peugeot 205: versions, engines and weak spots.

Where did the Roland Garros edition come from?

The edition grew out of sponsorship: Peugeot was a partner of the Roland-Garros tournament from 1984 until Renault took its place in 2022, according to lesvoitures.fr. The first cars carrying the tournament's name appeared in 1989. According to an Artcurial auction description, the first series of the 205 Roland Garros made its debut in May 1989, as a hatchback only.

In July 1989 the British monthly Motor Sport reported a price of £8,750 and said only 600 would be sold in the UK. It also noted the reddish-brown seatbelts, coloured to match the clay of the courts.

Which versions of the 205 Roland Garros were made?

The edition was available as a hatchback and as a cabriolet; French Wikipedia also lists a five-door. The cabriolet arrived in 1990 — Artcurial describes the 1990 second series as including 1,000 cabriolets, and French Wikipedia says the cabriolet joined the range in March 1990. The 205 cabriolet body was designed and partly assembled by Pininfarina.

Engines

The basis was the 1.4 (1360 cc) engine. French Wikipedia gives the TU3S with a twin-barrel carburettor and 85 PS for the edition; Italy's Autoblog.it also quotes 85 PS, a weight of just over 800 kg and 0–100 km/h in just over 10 seconds. Later cars with injection and a catalytic converter produce about 75 PS — the figure Auto Motor und Sport gives for the 1.4, listing a 90 PS 1.6 as the alternative. French Wikipedia also mentions a "French Open" cabriolet with a 1.6 engine, limited to 500 units and sold until 1994.

The four Roland Garros cabriolets in the MB Classics archive, from 1992–1993, are listed on their pages with the 75 PS 1.4.

How many were made?

Sources do not give a single confirmed figure for the whole edition. Partial data exist: 600 cars for the UK market in 1989 (Motor Sport) and 1,000 cabriolets in the 1990 series (Artcurial). For comparison, 72,375 205 cabriolets of all versions were built. If a seller quotes a specific production number, ask where it comes from.

What makes the Roland Garros equipment distinctive?

The key elements of the edition, according to Autoblog.it, Motor Sport and auction catalogues:

• Paint — dark green metallic (Autoblog.it calls it "bottle green").
• Interior — seats combining white leather with striped cloth, with contrast stitching; an Artcurial auction description also mentions the edition's specific carpets and seats.
• Seatbelts — reddish-brown (red), echoing the clay court.
• Cabriolet hood — white, electrically folding (Auto Motor und Sport, Autoblog.it).
• Wheels — alloys as standard.
• Badging — Roland Garros logos on the body sides, the steering wheel and the rear panel carrying the model name.

After the facelift presented in July 1990, the cars received, according to Autoblog.it, white front indicators, smoked rear lights and a new strip linking the rear lights — which helps tell early cars from later ones.

Hatchback or cabriolet, early or late?

The choice comes down to three differences: body style, pre- or post-facelift, and engine. A 1989 hatchback is the first series, built before the July 1990 facelift, with orange front indicators and non-smoked rear lights. The cabriolets entered the range in 1990, around the time of the facelift — on early cars, check which set of lights they have. Every cabriolet in this edition has the Pininfarina body and a white hood.

The engine matters in practice. The carburettor version (85 PS) and the injected, catalysed version (about 75 PS) have different ancillaries, so when viewing a car establish which one it is and whether the ancillaries are complete and match the documents. Both belong to the TU engine family, for which most mechanical parts are available.

For comparison, the earlier 205 Lacoste special edition (1984–1986), in Blanc Meije with green carpets, had a run of 24,000 cars and a 60 PS 1.3 engine according to French Wikipedia — an entirely different edition, with different equipment and colours.

How do I check that it is a genuine 205 Roland Garros?

Factory data are the most reliable route, because Roland Garros badges and decals can be bought and stuck on an ordinary 205. Check in this order:

1. VIN and documents. The chassis number on the plate and on the body must match the registration document. A mismatch or signs of tampering with the plate are a reason to walk away.
2. Archive certificate. The L'Aventure Peugeot Citroën DS association, which keeps Peugeot's archives, issues documents with the build date, body type and trim. This is the simplest way to confirm the edition.
3. Parts that are hard to fake. The leather and striped-cloth seats, carpets, logo steering wheel and seatbelt colour. A complete original interior in good condition is much harder to recreate than side decals.
4. Paint. The colour code on the plate should match the edition's green, and a paint depth gauge will show whether the car has been resprayed. A respray does not rule a car out, but it should be disclosed.
5. Hood and its mechanism. On a cabriolet, check that the power mechanism works, the condition of the fabric and rear window, and that the hood is the edition's colour.

Beyond that, a 205 Roland Garros has the same weak spots as any 205: corroded sills, arches and floor, and worn rear axle bearings. I list them in detail in the Peugeot 205 guide.

What have 205 Roland Garros cars sold for at auction?

Public auction results show how strongly mileage and original condition affect the price. Three cabriolet examples:

Sources: Auto Motor und Sport (Aguttes), Artcurial lot pages. These are individual auction results for cars with very low mileage, not a typical market price for a car to drive regularly.

The 205 Roland Garros in the MB Classics archive

The MB Classics archive includes four cabriolets from this edition: a 1992 Peugeot 205 Roland Garros, another 1992 car, a third from 1992 and a 1993 Peugeot 205 Roland Garros. The photos in this post come from their shoots. The cars I currently have for sale are in the listings.

For the wider background — why French cars from the 1980s and 1990s now have their own following — read the post on French youngtimers and the list of 7 French future classics. Other model guides are in the Models and buyer's guides category.