to supplant the lower specification 605s. Performance and handling were improved as well, and many of the reliability issues were solved. Technological advances were made, most remarkably the side airbags, although sales remained low. After the launch of the well received Peugeot 406 (that was larger than the 405 it replaced) in 1995, 605 sales dropped to near insignificant levels, and it was quietly dropped in September 1999. The 605's successor, the Peugeot 607, was launched in the autumn of 1999, and was slightly more successful on the domestic and export markets. The end of 605 production in 1999 spelled the end of the "05" generation Peugeots in Europe after more than twenty years, this generation had started in 1977, with the 305. Design and styling Its appearance resembles that of the Alfa Romeo 164, launched in 1987, and also styled by Pininfarina. Despite the resemblance, the Peugeot did not use the Type Four platform; it rode the same platform as the Citroën XM. As it closely followed Peugeot's design language of the time, the 605 bears a strong visual resemblance to the smaller Peugeot 405, this was generally considered to harm the 605 in the marketplace, as the car was not distinguished enough from its lower cost brethren. Engines Eight petrol engines were offered during the 605's lifetime: 2.0 litre 8 valve carbureted inline four, 2.0 litre 8 valve fuel injected inline four, 2.0 litre 8 valve fuel injected inline four, – a non-catalyzed version available in many markets produces 2.0 litre 8 valve fuel injected turbocharged inline four, 2.0 litre 16 valve fuel injected inline four, 3.0 litre 12 valve fuel injected V6, 3.0 litre 24 valve fuel injected V6, 3.0 litre 24 valve fuel injected V6, As well as three diesel engines: 2.1 litre 12 valve normally aspirated inline four, indirect injection, 2.1 litre 12 valve turbocharged inline four, indirect injection, 2.5-litre 12 valve turbocharged inline four, indirect injection, The carbureted four cylinder petrol engine and the normally aspirated diesel (which arrived for the model year of 1991), though reliable, were generally considered to be simply over matched by the car's weight. Even the turbodiesel came in for such criticism, with its hard working engine requiring as much fuel as its bigger competitors. The fuel injected inline four was better received though it was criticised for lacking low and mid range punch, whereas the powerful V6 suffered