A luxury Chrysler Simca mid-sized car with MPS. Maybe that multiple personality disorder wasn't so strange after all. Not only had this large middle class car been known as Chrysler, Simca and Talbot, but its history was also rather confusing, to say the least. La pauvre enfant was and remained a bastard.
French? No, a Brit
In the late 929s, both the Rootes Group in the United Kingdom and France's Simca were working on a model for the upper middle class. The Routes Group steadily and stoically tinkered with their C-Car, the joyous French indulged in Project 1501. That seemed very mysterious, but was actually just the development of the successor to Simca's large model, the earlier Vedette, and an addition to the already running XNUMX. Until then it was Simca's top model, but the parent company Chrysler wanted more. And bigger. Downsizing was still a long way off.
Uncertainty between two options
Chrysler Europe ultimately decided not to market both models at the same time. Wise. A place at the top of the sales statistics was not their natural habitat anyway, they recognized that themselves. Perhaps the British branch has also given it a push, with some self-mockery. So a decision had to be made. It fell on the design of the British Roots Group, which was renamed Chrysler UK. And the concept was transferred to Simca, which now continued as Chrysler France. For example, the Chrysler 1970 and 160 were introduced in 180, by the thus created Chrysler Europe. With clear American styling influences, to add to the confusion about the newcomer. Because what was the point?
The best of both worlds
That's the way it was intended. The idea was not bad: a European driving car with an American appearance. Reality was more difficult. Lovers of American styling bought ... an American. They almost never compromised. Supporters of the European way of driving just as little. They bought European. It was therefore no surprise that this multi-culti Chrysler did not become a hit in the sales statistics. It got off to a bad start and later adjustments and upgrades to Chrysler Simca 1609/1610, Talbot 1610/180/2 liters or Talbot Simca 2 liters also meant no flattened doors at the relevant dealers. They were already too busy with the almost continuous adjustment of the facade advertising.
Unknown, unloved. Except in Spain
This nice mongrel sold best in Spain. Relatively many of these top Chrysler were still sold in the Mediterranean oasis flooded by pale elderly people. And maybe that multiple personality disorder wasn't so strange either. Sold even in a diesel version. This was of course mainly due to the fact that Chrysler had moved production of the unsuccessful model from the French Poissy to the Spanish Barreiros. They were not the proverbial hot cakes, but partly due to the said diesel version and locally manufactured station wagon variants, quite a reasonable number were still sold.
A silent death
In the rest of Europe, Chrysler Simca's topper continued to struggle. It remained a bummer. Despite all plans, because in the concept phase there was even a thick six-cylinder version. But he never really got going, people didn't know what to do with it. He was certainly comfortable, but again not American comfortable. His driving characteristics were okay, but again not really at the European top level. He didn't really excel at anything, it was neither meat nor fish. European production finally stopped in 1981, for the Spanish home market it was produced for another year until the last one rolled off the production line in 1982 and still no one knew exactly what was meant by the extremely sympathetic schizophrenic.
In 1977, at the age of 19, I bought a 4-year-old Chrysler 2 liter automatic transmission from Simca Chrysler dealer Van de Gun in The Hague for only 3000 guilders. Metallic blue net black vinyl roof. A bargain for a car that already cost 20k when new, but that also says a lot about the gigantic depreciation of this model. But as a 19-year-old I was the king in this luxurious box. After a year I was able to resell it for the same price and bought a Ford Taunus 2 liter GXL, which I have not regretted.
I'm from 1961. As a kid already crazy about cars. Especially the Italian. On Saturday I cycled to all the dealers. There was the 70 at a dealer in the early 180s. Looked pretty impressive. Until I was allowed to ride along for a bit. Don't like it. Later sold the “2 liters” as a junior seller. Trade-in value was nothing: after about 4 years at most a few thousand guilders. They were luxurious, and beautiful velor upholstery. The article basically tells the story as it was.
Bertone's proposal
Nice article, thanks Lars. Personally, as a car-minded child (from 1971), I never thought it was a nice car. I lived in Spain for about ten years until ten years ago, where I owned a Spanish Simca 1200 (known here as 1100). I regularly came across the large 2 Liters at old-timer gatherings. In any case, you saw / see quite a lot of other Simcas / Talbots: in particular 1000 (often Rallye or something that looks like this), 1200 (1100), Horizon, Solara and occasionally a stray Rancho or 1307. The rust ghost had much less influence in Spain.
Sorry about the 2 writing errors, Routes and Roots .
Must be Rootes of course.
I own a Chrysler 2 liters 1975.
As far as I know, the only one of this year of construction that is still left.
Very underrated car, drives great with the perfect American automatic transmission.
The 2 liter engine is indestructible and later widely used in e.g Citroen and Peugeot.
This is done through various modifications.
My friend Pol had such a nice car. Toured Europe with a friend. Plenty of space to stow our tent and personal belongings. Comfortable and without problems. I have fond memories of it (Y)
A very nice long journey car for that time.
I made a very nice ride to Spain, France, Monaco, Switzerland and Germany without any problems.
In 1977 with the Chrysler 180
I thought it was a very nice car as a child, my father had 70 in the 4s, always bought new, driven for 2 to 3 years, max 80000 km per car. Trade-in was sadly low, I remember that 😉. As a 14-year-old in a Chrysler under the guidance of my father in a parking lot had my first illegal driving lessons 😅
I'm looking for the simca Versailles? Thanks andre
You can still find a Simca Versailles, or Chambord on Leboncoin.Fr Have fun with the search.Greetings from Marcel
He doesn't seem that unknown to me. A familiar sight in my memory. Beautiful car, that may be said.
I thought it was a nice car
A great underrated car, I've owned two one in 1988 and one four years ago both 2 liter automatics!
It's Simcas, not Simas
😉
Not a bad car, but indeed lacked a good image. Was certainly no worse than most of its competitors, such as Ford Taunus, Opel Ascona or VW Passat. They did not exactly shine with good handling and / or comfort.
And twice in a row. Thanks for the attention.