Open main menu
Home
Random
Recent changes
Special pages
Community portal
Preferences
About Wikipedia
Disclaimers
Incubator escapee wiki
Search
User menu
Talk
Dark mode
Contributions
Create account
Log in
Editing
Simca
(section)
Warning:
You are not logged in. Your IP address will be publicly visible if you make any edits. If you
log in
or
create an account
, your edits will be attributed to your username, along with other benefits.
Anti-spam check. Do
not
fill this in!
== Chrysler == In 1958, the American car manufacturer [[Chrysler]], which wanted to enter the European car market,<ref>''Riding the Roller Coaster: A History of the Chrysler Corporation'' by Charles K. Hyde β Wayne State University Press, 2003 β {{isbn|0814330916}}</ref> bought 15% of Simca from [[Ford Motor Company|Ford]] in a deal which [[Henry Ford II]] was later reported as having publicly regretted.<ref name=Motor197106/> At this stage, however, the dominant shareholder remained [[Fiat S.p.A.]], and their influence is apparent in the engineering and design of Simcas of that period such as the [[Simca 1000|1000]] and [[Simca 1300|1300]] models introduced respectively in 1961 and 1963.<ref name=Motor197106/> However, in 1963 Chrysler increased their stake to a controlling 64% by purchasing stock from Fiat,<ref name=Beaulieu/> and they subsequently extended that holding further to 77%.<ref name=Motor197106/> Even in 1971 Fiat retained a 19% holding, but by now they had long ceased to play an active role in the business.<ref name=Motor197106/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allpar.com/cars/adopted/simca/index.html|title=Simca (Societe Industrielle de Mecanique et Carrosserie Automobile)|website=Allpar.com|access-date=25 April 2019}}</ref> Also, in 1964 Chrysler bought the British manufacturer [[Rootes Group|Rootes]] thus putting together the basis of [[Chrysler Europe]].<ref name=Beaulieu/> All the Simca models manufactured after 1967 had the [[History of Chrysler#Logos|Chrysler pentastar logo]] as well as Simca badging. In 1961, Simca started to manufacture all of its models in the ex-Ford SAF factory in Poissy and sold the factory at Nanterre to [[CitroΓ«n]]. The rear-engined [[Simca 1000]] was introduced in 1961 with its sporting offspring, the Simca-[[Abarth]] in 1963. The 1000 also served as the platform for the 1000 Coupe, a [[Sports car|sports coupe]] sporting a [[Gruppo Bertone|Bertone]]-designed body by [[Giorgetto Giugiaro]] and 4-wheel [[disc brake]]s. It debuted in 1963 and was described by Car Magazine as "the world's neatest small coupe". 1967 saw the more powerful 1200S Bertone Coupe that, with a [[horsepower]] upgrade in 1970, could reach the dizzying speed of almost 112 mph (180 km/h), making it the fastest standard production Simca ever built.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.simcatalbotclub.org/scoupe.htm |title=SIMCA 1000 COUPE, SIMCA 1200S COUPE |website=Simcatalbotclub.org |access-date=2010-11-25}}</ref> In 1967, a much more up to date car, the 1100, appeared with front wheel drive and independent suspension all round, and continued in production until 1979. On 1 July 1970 the company title was formally changed to Chrysler France. Having increased their stake to 77% of [[Simca]] in 1963<ref name=Motor197106>{{cite magazine| title =Simca - Chrysler with French dressing|magazine=[[The Motor (magazine)|Motor]]| volume = nbr 3598| pages =24β25 |date = 19 June 1971}}</ref> and taken control of the Rootes Group by mid-1964, Chrysler had already marketed numerous Simca and Rootes models in the United States, including the Simca 1204, via a new ''Simca-Rootes Division'',<ref name="arrow">{{cite magazine |title = Two Bargains... But Brickbats Too: PM Plymouth Cricket Owners Report | magazine = Popular Mechanics | page = 76 |date = September 1976 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=hNcDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA76&dq=%22plymouth+cricket%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwi1yYfaro2LAxVuFFkFHTPCGwEQ6AF6BAgHEAM#v=onepage&q=%22plymouth%20cricket%22&f=false}}</ref> formed in 1966<ref name="division">{{cite news |title = No. 2 Spot Eyed by Simca Rootes |newspaper = Detroit Free Press | page = 16 |first = Fred | last = Olmstead |date = February 20, 1966 |url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/97531271/?match=1&terms=%22chrysler%20imports%22%20simca-rootes}}</ref> — with 850 dealers selling four Simca models and 400 dealers selling four Rootes models.<ref name="hardnumbers">{{cite news |title = Imports Are Headed For Record Year |newspaper = Detroit Free Press | page = 60 |date = November 27, 1966 |url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/97457742/?match=1&terms=%22chrysler%20imports%22%20simca-rootes}}</ref> Results were dismal,<ref name="results">{{cite news |title = 2 Chrysler Imports Face Rough Going |newspaper = Detroit Free Press | page = 12 |date = September 3, 1971 |url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/98689109/?match=1&terms=%22chrysler%20imports%22%20simca-rootes}}</ref><ref name="aim">{{cite news |title = Chrysler Imports Aim For U.S. |newspaper = Detroit Free Press | page = 31 |date = August 25, 1971 |url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/98846695/?terms=%22chrysler%20imports%22%20simca-rootes}}</ref> and in late 1969, Chrysler announced it would henceforth market its Rootes and Simca products from its Chrysler-Plymouth Division.<ref name="reshuffle">{{cite news |title = Chrysler-Plymouth to Sell Simca Sunbeam |newspaper = Detroit Free Press | page = 51 |date = August 24, 1969 |url = https://www.newspapers.com/image/1147457819/?match=1&terms=%22chrysler%20imports%22%20simca}}</ref> The Simca 1204 was imported to the United States through 1971, marketed next to another [[captive import]], the [[Hillman Avenger#1971β1973: Plymouth Cricket|Plymouth Cricket]], at its Plymouth dealerships.
Edit summary
(Briefly describe your changes)
By publishing changes, you agree to the
Terms of Use
, and you irrevocably agree to release your contribution under the
CC BY-SA 4.0 License
and the
GFDL
. You agree that a hyperlink or URL is sufficient attribution under the Creative Commons license.
Cancel
Editing help
(opens in new window)