Berkeley Street Sighting - 1989 Peugeot 405 Mi16

When one thinks of European sport sedans of the late 1980s, one might name the Germans first: BMW E34 M5, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.3-16, Audi 4000S Quattro and the like. Then there are the others like the Italian Alfa Romeo 164 Quadrifoglio and smaller 75/Milano, but the French weren't necessarily known for building sporty sedans during most of the 1980s. You could get a 505 Turbo, or if you wanted something that looked like 1990 instead of 1980 you could opt for the smaller and more modern 405. And the hottest 405 sold in the States was the Mi16.

San Francisco Street Sighting - 1989 Peugeot 405S

When considering a family car, many people today go straight to Honda or Toyota. Want a luxury sedan? Mercedes and BMW have you covered. So what happened in the '80s in America if you wanted something outside the norm? Well, maybe you went Swedish, and bought a Volvo or a Saab. Still not funky enough for you? Perhaps a half-British, half-Japanese Sterling or a European Ford badged as a Merkur? No, let's think French. At one time, you could buy a Renault, Citroen or Peugeot here in the States.