Chrysler 180

Chrysler 160

The Chrysler 160 / 180/2 Litre - even Chrysler - Simca 1610/2 Litre or Talbot - Simca 1610/2 Litre - was a passenger car of the upper middle class of the automobile manufacturer Chrysler - Simca.

• 3.1 The starting point
• 3.2 The modifications in detail

The background

The Simca 's main plant Poissy originally belonged to the Ford Société Anonyme France ( Ford SAF). When Ford withdrew from the French market, which originated from the Fiat - General representation firm Simca acquired the Poissy plant, and with him - among many other things - the rights to McPherson struts that gave the Simca Vedette Versailles - top model, spectacular handling characteristics. Famous French art driver availed themselves of Versailles for their acrobatic feats until they umstiegen later on the Simca 1000. Even the French President drove in the 1950s temporarily Simca Simca Vedette Présidence among other things. These existed even as Chambord Présidentielle convertibles, also intended for the French President.

In 1958, the American company Chrysler acquired shares in Chrysler Simca This was represented in Europe by three pillars: In addition to Simca in France and Barreiros in Spain it also held substantial shares in the British Rootes Group, which in 1967 completely in American since the late 1950s ownership was transferred. In the first ten years of the European commitment was not able Chrysler to harmonize its branches even to begin. In particular, the British and French legs bandaged until the late 1960s, more or less independently. There were no networked development and no synergies; Simca and Rootes of France in the United Kingdom developed rather regularly autonomous cars that competed in the same market niches and sometimes competed with each other directly. This applies for example to the French Simca 1300 a and to replace the British vehicles of the Arrow platform on the other hand, but also for the Simca 1000 and the Hillman Imp Since the late 1960s, Chrysler attempted this uneconomic coexistence through effective cooperation, by future single cars should be developed for the UK and European market. The Chrysler 160/180/2 Litre was a first step on this path.

The development story

Both in the UK and on the French market had the Chrysler brand in the 1960s, demand for a new vehicle for the upper middle class: Simca had this market in France no longer served with own cars, since the Simca Vedette ( Beaulieu -Chambord ) and its four-cylinder variant Ariane had been set; instead constructed in America Dodge Lancer, Plymouth Valiant and Dodge Dart had been offered, automotive and engines mounted AG in Switzerland at AMAG and were sold on the Simca - distribution network in France. In Britain, the Rootes Group offered initially presented the 1957 Humber Hawk, who was, however, getting on in years and was finally withdrawn in 1967, to be replaced by the Chrysler Valiant from Australian production.

Concepts

Both Simca and Rootes worked in the second half of the 1960s to own cars for the upper middle class:

• In France, the project 929, a smooth- lined limousine with a trapezoidal structure and bodywork by Bertone was born.

• The Rootes group, however, developed the so-called C -car, visually an enlarged version of the B- car, which should be known as the Hillman Avenger. The C -Car was American-inspired design, comparatively turgid lines and a so-called Coke -bottle line with a belt line, which was swung over the rear wheels. Conceptually, the Rootes group saw three lines before: a basic model for the brand Hillman, a sporty version for Sunbeam, and a deluxe version with six-cylinder engine, which should be sold as a Humber.

Both projects were far advanced than the American Chrysler management realized that it made ​​little sense to develop two competing models for parts of the European market. In the spring of 1969, Chrysler decided after an analysis of both concepts to from carrying on only the development of the British C -cars; the French Simca 929, however, was abandoned.

The development of the new car

Externally, so were put towards a Americanized design the course. The joy in Coventry about this landmark decision struck, however, soon to end in disappointment, because in return Simca was commissioned solely responsible the design of the interior and especially the technology under the sheet to develop. Simca put then in much of primarily French ideas through. This was reflected primarily in the choice of engines. While Rootes had provided an outfit with 1.8, 2.0 and 2.5 liter engines - the latter was a specially designed six-cylinder, whose development had already devoured 30 million pounds - to Simca decided overlooking the French car the displacement -dependent control for small-volume four-cylinder engines with 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 liters of displacement and overhead camshaft of French production. These machines were later also in the Talbot Matra Murena 2.2, Talbot Tagora 2.2, Peugeot 505 Turbo and Citroen BX TC. The engine consisted of four-cylinder OHC engines of Simca from 1977 with transistor ignition:

• The 160 had a 1639 cc engine with 58 kW ( 79 PS) (from mid 72 to 59 kW (80 PS)) and a top speed of 155 km / h
• The 160GT and the 180 had a 1812cc engine, reaching 170 km / h
• In the model 2 Litres of Displacement (bore / stroke 91.7 mm/75 mm) was enlarged to 1980 cc, compression ratio 9,45:1, 110 SAE hp at 5600 min -1.

Simca also contributed the come out with the Simca 1300 rear anchor axis.

The model range was limited to a four-door notchback sedan. Alternative body styles were not realized. Although in a five-door station wagon individual pieces as well as a two-door coupe came; but they were never intended for series production and left the factory premises hardly.

Model chronology

The starting position

The Chrysler -France models developed in Coventry, heavily Americanized released in August 1970 and were introduced at the Paris Salon in October 1970. In France, the car was marketed as Chrysler Simca and was there at first 160, 180 and 2 Litres; in the UK, however, was the only Chrysler car. That was unusual in that the Rootes Group had a number of well-established brands and yet not produced in Europe car had received the name of the parent company as a brand name.

The modifications in detail

During the eleven years of production of the Chrysler learned 160/180/2 Litres almost no facelift. Although there were superficially much movement; there it was, however, largely to changes in the area of equipment packages and motorization. There was no meaningful development of technology nor design was revised.

The model designations changed frequently, in each year, with a special logic was not always visible. Corresponded to the model names initially even the displacement of the engine used, a combination of displacement and (French ) was later introduced tax formula, and in the last years of production, the model designation sparked partly entirely on the motor size. Thus, for example, was the British Chrysler 180 from 1977 equipped with a 1.6-liter engine. This model was called in France Chrysler - Simca 1610, but did not belong, as the name indicated in the control stage 10, but in the control stage 11 (in our system ) correct name of this car, should have read in 1611; such a vehicle has been but never sold.

The presented in October 1970 Chrysler Simca 160 had a gray grille, disc brakes on the front wheels and a dashboard with three round gauges; the current supplied to July 1972 after Germany GT with 97 hp engine had disc brakes on the rear axle. The 180 was initially the top model of Chrysler France what the radiator grille with two red horizontal stripes and the bumper horns made ​​recognizable. In 1973, an inexpensive two-liter car to (Chrysler 2L ). The two-liter Chrysler was exclusively delivered with a related Chrysler USA Torque -Flite automatic. At 180, the automatic cost surcharge, but came from BorgWarner.

From 1 September 1971, the name SIMCA was replaced by Chrysler France. The new brand completely replaced the individual SIMCA letters on the cars. The Simca 1501 was still produced for export to use up stocks of parts, in France, he was re-introduced due to the poor sales of the Chrysler 160/180. In addition, the Chrysler 180 has been exported to Australia. There is, the model Chrysler Centura.

Mid-1972 the Chrysler 2L was presented at the Amsterdam Auto Show the public. He was available from January 1973. This luxury car was only offered with automatic transmission and had a vinyl roof.

As of August 1976, the Chrysler 180 were renamed 2 Litres in Chrysler - SIMCA 1610 Chrysler 2L in Chrysler - SIMCA. The SIMCA Emblem reappeared on the car. The Chrysler - SIMCA 1610 replaced the Chrysler 180, while the production of the Chrysler 160 has been discontinued. In Germany, the car has since been offered only as Chrysler - Simca 2L, either with manual or automatic transmission. Here, the automatic transmission represented the standard equipment, while the transmission was delivered at a nominal charge on request.

From the summer of 1978, the newly formed PSA Group Chrysler Europe and thus also the brand Chrysler - Simca took over. Chrysler Europe was called the Talbot, which was used from the summer of 1979 and for the individual vehicles: the Chrysler - Simca 1610 on Talbot - Simca 1610 2L models was renamed Talbot SIMCA 2L. The Talbot nameplate appeared on the hood, but the Chrysler Pentastar stopped in the middle of the grill. In the last full year 1980, there was now also a manual transmission.

The production of 1610/2L was discontinued in July 1981 in France. Only in Spain, where he was also offered with a diesel engine of Barreiros, production for some time ran on, because there, the car sold very well as a taxi. Even a station wagon version called the Estate was in the program.

On the production line of 2L later the production of Talbot Tagore went on.

In the summer of 1980, the successor Talbot Tagore developed when Chrysler C9 project was presented, but this was stopped because of low demand in the fall of 1983 again. In June 1986, PSA introduced the Talbot brand a whole.

Reception on the market

The big Chrysler sedans sold generally poor. Neither the UK nor on the continental European market they could prevail against its competitors. This had different reasons. The press found in extensive testing, although no particular weaknesses, but also no outstanding strengths of the car. It was, as the magazine MOTOR wrote in early 1971, an "average in all respects Auto". In addition to the lack of special properties, had a negative impact that the new big Chrysler was still accepted because of its history of development either in France or in the UK as a local vehicle, but was strongly perceived in all markets as a foreign model, which is also reflected in the European for the taste unfortunate design documented. The marketing of the first year did not help to support the position of the car. The advertising initially supported the impression of arbitrariness. During the presentation of the new car was introduced as "An American From Paris ".

Chrysler Centura

A variant of this model was the Chrysler Centura, which was built from mid- 1975 until the end of 1978 in Australia. There he was to supplement the model range to a car below the Chrysler Valiant. As in Australia larger engines were preferred, received the Centura as the basic engine 1980cm ³ big engine of the European 2 Litres. In addition, however, there were also with him two adopted from the Valiant six-cylinder engines with 3500 cc and 140 hp (103 kW ) and 4,000 cm ³ and 165 hp ( 121 kW). Thus, the larger six-cylinder engines fitted in the car, the front of the car was to the French model slightly extended and redesigned. The Centura also received other rear lamps. Chrysler Australia has also taken several attempts to fit a 5.2 -liter eight-cylinder American production in the Centura. Although the engine found in the engine compartment of the Centura place, but the body structure not proved strong enough to carry the heavy motor reliable than. Therefore, the idea of ​​an eight-cylinder Centura after the production of single prototype was abandoned.

The planned for 1973 introduction of the Centura on the Australian market was delayed because the Australian unions called because of the French nuclear tests in the South Pacific for a boycott of French goods. Therefore, the imported parts from France in the Australian ports could initially not be unloaded. When the Centura finally stood in the summer of 1975 for sale, he was criticized in the press as an already outdated model. Even more problematic was the fact that many metal parts that were stored for up to two years in Australian ports were corroded in wait and had to be installed in already significantly rusted condition.

The Centura was not a success and was canceled in late 1978 again from the offer. In total, nearly 20,000 units were built.

Swell

• Automobile review, catalog number 1973 ( for technical data)
• Graham Robson: The Cars of the Rootes Group, London 2007, ISBN 978-1-903088-29-6