Ride ! The 205 has been famed for it’s exceptional handling over the years. It can still be improved on though as most cars can. Drop the front 60mm with a set of springs, alter the rear torsion bar a couple of splines, and you’ll out-handle any car on the planet. It can be slightly uncomfortable though, so a compromise would be 30mm lowering. If your going for a 60mm drop, get a front strut brace to keep the geometry straight. A set of adjustable dampers on the rear will let you have a soft/hard ride… whatever you fancy.

If your going for 17’s, make sure that all the rear suspension is in 100% condition. As the 205 gets on in years, the axles start going about 100K, and if there slightly out, you ain’t going to get the wheels on properly. Also, if your keeping the standard arches, you’ll need to just cut the inside of the plastic to make sure the wheels don’t foul. 17’s are too big but look the business. Not matter what you cut, file and roll, 17’s will catch. 16’s are the way to go with a 60mm drop and sweat handling. 17’s are for shows. The choice is yours.

Make sure that if going for 16’s or 17’s, the tyre is 205/40/16 or 205/40/17’s with an alloy with a 15-20mm offset.