It replaced the long-running Paykan which was itself based on the Hillman Hunter, an ancestor (in corporate ownership and model positioning terms) of the 405, having been produced by the Rootes Group and Chrysler UK from 1963 until 1979 - the year that Peugeot purchased Chrysler's European operations.
Peugeot | PSA Peugeot Citroën | Peugeot 309 | Peugeot 307 | Peugeot 208 | Peugeot 206 | Peugeot 107 | Peugeot 106 | Peugeot (cycling team) | Peugeot 405 | Peugeot 205 | Finnair Flight 405 | USAir Flight 405 | Sergio Pininfarina's design for the Peugeot 504 | Peugeot BB1 | Peugeot 604 | Peugeot 504 | Peugeot 406 | Mohawk Airlines Flight 405 | German submarine U-405 |
For 2.0 litre class, the class later to become known as Supertouring, it consisted of BMW 318i, Hyundai Lantra, Peugeot 405, Toyota Carina, Toyota Corolla, a modified DTM Mercedes-Benz 190E and older modified Group A BMW M3s and Ford Sierras.
Climb Dance is a famous cinéma vérité short film, which features Finnish rally driver Ari Vatanen setting a record time in a highly modified four-wheel drive, all-wheel steering Peugeot 405 Turbo 16 GR at the 1988 Pikes Peak International Hillclimb in Colorado, USA.