Simca Model History

France · founded 1934

France's second-largest carmaker of the 1950s–70s (1934–1980) — pioneer of the front-drive hatchback and twice European Car of the Year winner.

Models

Aronde

Simca's first original design (1951–1964) — a unibody saloon that propelled the brand to second place among French automakers, with 1.4 million built.

Family car · 1951–1964
Vedette

An American-flavoured V8 saloon (1954–1961) acquired with Ford's French factory — the largest and most powerful Simca of its era.

Executive car · 1954–1961
Ariane

An economy version of the Vedette using the Aronde's engine (1957–1967) — practical, cheap to run, and widely used as a French taxi.

Family car · 1957–1967
Simca 1000

A rear-engined, four-door saloon (1961–1978) that was France's affordable small car for nearly two decades, with a motorsport legacy through the Rallye variants.

Subcompact car · 1961–1978
Simca 1100

A front-wheel-drive hatchback pioneer (1967–1982) that influenced the VW Golf generation and sold over two million units across Europe.

Compact car · 1967–1982
Simca 1307 / Chrysler Alpine

The 1976 European Car of the Year (1975–1980) — a front-drive large hatchback sold as the Chrysler Alpine in Britain, one of Simca's finest achievements.

Large family car · 1975–1980
Horizon

The 1979 European Car of the Year (Simca-badged 1978–1980) — a front-drive compact hatchback that was also sold in the USA as the Dodge Omni / Plymouth Horizon.

Compact car · 1978–1980

Other makes