Talbot Solara displaces Talbot 1510

You don't really get it. How could a super-practical hatchback like the Talbot 1510 be swept off the map by a conventional sedan like the Talbot Solara? The buyer demographic in what we now call the D-segment proved more conservative in the early 1980s than some manufacturers had hoped. The respectable sedan became one of the last revivals of the Talbot brand, whose days were already numbered.

By: Aart van der Haagen

From Simca 1307 to Talbot 1510

Encouraged by the success of the Simca 1100, Chrysler France extended the concept of front-wheel drive and a large rear hatch to a higher class. The Simca 1307, 1308, and 1309 appeared in 1975 and were voted Car of the Year in 1976. It seemed like a bull's-eye.

However, the series suffered from reputational damage due to quality issues and rust sensitivity. After PSA acquired Chrysler's European operations in 1978 and revived the Talbot brand, the 1307/1308/1309 were further developed in 1979 into the Talbot 1510. Technically, the concept remained unchanged: front-wheel drive, transversely mounted engines, and a large fifth door.

The sedan was declared dead. Or so they thought. Some mid-range customers weren't eager for a hatchback with a long roofline and a large hatchback. Johan Wiebing, a former board member of the Simca Automobile Club Netherlands, once succinctly summarized it: after the 1301 and 1501 were discontinued, traditional sedan drivers simply couldn't find a place in the range and dropped out.

Pure psychology behind the Talbot Solara

The solution was obvious. Take the Talbot 1510 and build a sedan from it. This happened in 1980 with the introduction of the Talbot Solara. The body was about seven centimeters longer than that of the 1510, but the trunk volume increased to 452 liters. This even put the Solara behind the 473 liters of the hatchback, which could also be expanded to approximately 1400 liters with the rear seat folded down.

Rear passengers did, however, benefit from the extra space. Legroom increased by about two centimeters, and a modified seating position created more headroom. The difference was primarily psychological. The Talbot Solara was positioned slightly higher in the market, with a price difference of roughly one thousand guilders. The entry-level 1294 cc engine remained reserved for the 1510; the Solara focused on the 1442 cc and 1592 cc engines, the latter being available with a two-barrel carburetor.

It was a classic move. Buyers felt like they were driving a "real" mid-size car, with a separate trunk and greater status. The hatchback's objectively more practicality was less important.

Production figures and shift to Spain

The Talbot 1510 was discontinued in mid-1982 after 75.753 units had been built. The Talbot Solara lasted longer, until 1986. A total of 184.976 units rolled off the production line. In mid-1985, production was moved from Poissy, France, to Villaverde, Spain.

In 1984, the Solara received another facelift. A body-colored grille and bumper trim, modified hubcaps, and black window frames were intended to bring the model up to date. This was to no avail for the Talbot brand itself, which permanently disappeared from PSA's passenger car range in 1986.

Talbot Solara vs. Talbot 1510 today

Looking at the current fleet, the ratios have barely changed. According to recent RDW data, there are still a few dozen Talbot Solaras registered in the Netherlands, compared to a significantly smaller number of Talbot 1510s.

The mid-size car with a traditional trunk won the internal battle in the early 1980s, and decades later, it continues to do so. The Talbot Solara proved not to be a rearguard battle, but a sunrise that briefly brought new light to a brand that was already in its twilight years.

We have a great article in issue 2 of 2026. That issue is still available on newsstands.

(More photos below)