After the success recorded with the pocket-rocket 205 GTI, the French carmaker Peugeot decided to offer it in an open-top version: the CTI.
Apart from the Golf GTI, there were hardly any other hot-hatches on the European market in the mid-’80s. Moreover, Volkswagen didn’t offer an open-top version for it. In fact, there was no Golf II cabriolet at all. Peugeot took its chance and offered the GTI with a rag-top.

Peugeot didn’t want to make the conversion all by itself and called Pininfarina studios for support. The Italian company made the design and produced most of the bodywork panels, which were exported to France, where the French carmaker finished the vehicle. It featured enlarged wheel arches and a sportier front bumper, which continued with an apron. The carmaker had to ad a roll-bar instead of the B-pillar to meet the safety requirements on its sides. Pininfarina cut the roof and the C-pillar and beautifully installed the fabric roof, so when the top was up, it looked like a regular, three-door 205.

The interior featured similar trims and materials as the GTI, but the sport bucket seats with high bolstering were fitted as standard. Since the roof had to fold behind the cabin, the rear bench was pushed forward, so there was hardly any room left for anyone in the back.

Under the hood, Peugeot installed the same 1.9-liter engine from the GTI, which provided 115 hp. A lower-budget version for the CTI was the CJI, which featured a 1.4-liter engine.