Simca

Simca was a Car manufacturer French, created in 1934 to build in France of the vehicles FIAT under license.

The mark, recovery successively by Chrysler then by Peugeot, was abandoned in 1980, with the profit of Talbot. It forms today part of the inheritance of PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Origin of the name

  • SIMCA : Industrial society of Mechanics and Automobie body.

History

The history of SIMCA begins with Ernest Loste, a former racing cyclist of talent which, for its reconversion, decides to open an automobile garage in Paris. In 1907, it becomes sole distributer of the cars FIAT for France. After war, its businesses become so flourishing that the Italian head office starts to judge that to let a small French dispensary distribute its products is not conceivable any more. In 1926 is created the SAFAF " French public limit company of the Fiat" Cars; French subsidiary company of FIAT-Italy charged to ensure the distribution of the cars in all the hexagon. Loste is named president of the company but is nothing any more but one minority shareholder, the Italian associates of FIAT holding the essence of the capital. FIAT imposes even on Loste a young managing director inhabitant of Turin 28 year old, Henry Theodore Pigozzi.

In 1929, the world economic crisis causes the retreat of the world industrial production and the fold on oneself of the whole of the nations. In a preoccupation with a protectionism, the customs duties are considerably increased: vis-a-vis the French productions, cars FIAT are not any more competing. Pigozzi then succeeds in convincing the shareholders of FIAT to produce their cars directly in France, the tariff barriers having become too strong and the assembly of cars starting from parts of importation not being more possible.

In 1932, the SAFAF, while keeping the same initials acronymic becomes the " then; French public limit company for Manufacture in France of the Fiat" Cars;. Pigozzi encounters a serious problem, because simply it is not a question to assemble parts made in Italy but truly to manufacture the parts and to mount the vehicles. In the absence of factory SAFAF, Pigozzi sets up a nebula of small subcontractors who produce the parts starting from the Italian plans while the dispensary of Suresnes is in charge of the assembly of the cars. In 1932 FIAT presents in Italy its news FIAT 508 Balilla renamed 6 CV in France. The first 6CV SAFAF are marked on the grill " Manufactured with 80  % in France" then " Française" manufacture;. These cars are recognized with their right grill and have 3 speeds. In April 1934, a few months after FIAT in Italy, the SAFAF presents the new version of the 6CV equipped with a box to 4 speeds whose new line sacrifices to the " mode; aérodynamique".

The 6CV is a sharp success in France which leads to an obviousness: it becomes from now on essential to manufacture the large scales cars in a true factory and not in an irrational way scattered at a constellation of subcontractors. November 27th, 1934 the Industrial society of Mechanics and Automobie body, a company with the capital of eight franc million, 100  % Frenchwoman, of which all the shareholders are French (even if the invested funds are quasi-exclusivement Italian…) and whose head office is with Nanterre is born to replace the SAFAF. It any more but does not remain to build a factory. Opportunity offers at the beginning of 1937 when the manufacturer Donnet, who is in great financial problems following his stubbornness wanting to persist in the engine car 2 times, finds himself in bankruptcy. SIMCA then repurchases Donnet to have its modern factory of Nanterre. To spare national susceptibilities (a modest ex-subsidiary company of an Italian firm repurchases a factory française !) Pigozzi, brought to direct the factory, still remains in the shade as an Italian.

On the grill of French FIAT appears, for the first time in July 1935, name SIMCA in diagonal on logo FIAT. Range SIMCA-FIAT is already important. The 11CV FIAT 518 Ardita inaugurates in its version " Large Luxe" the line " Comète" characteristic of the French productions. If the models produced in Nanterre remain simple copies of the Italian versions of FIAT, the techniques of promotion and management of the products make it possible Simca to become one of the very first manufacturers French in front of Citroen. Semi-1936, mark SIMCA prevails on new macaroon. With the summer the convertible 6CV adopts in its turn the line " Comète" , imitated soon by the trucks and the half-compartment. Simca presents the Simca 5 then (FIAT 500 Topolino) which quickly meets a big hit near the hexagonal customers (Simca 5 is even revealed in France before the FIAT 500 in Italy). The manifestations of the Popular front will disturb the production somewhat of it.

The simple, economic 6CV is sold always well in 1937 in spite of the atmosphere of increasing crisis. Its basic price of 17  500  F corresponds to 10 months of wages of a skilled worker. The 11CV, of luxurious presentation, costs it 33  000  F. In 1938, the Simca 8 takes the changing of the growing old 6CV which remains a few months with the catalog in the version light van 300  kg. The 11CV also disappears from the catalog. Then the war occurs and the activities are partly cold.

Partly only… The German winners want that all the companies take part in the effort of war, in particular to produce vehicles intended for the Russian face. Each factory is seen assigning an administrator appointed by the occupant. But FIAT, firm whose country, Italy, is combined of Germany, succeeds in obtaining that the administrator of SIMCA is one of the directors of FIAT-Germany. In fact, the factory of Nanterre will continue to produce cars for three years more, contrary to the factories Citroen or Peugeot, forced to manufacture military material. In 1943, the reverses of the German army lead to the suspension of the preferential treatment which SIMCA enjoyed. The factory is assigned to the maintenance of the military vehicles.

With the release, manufacture begins again gradually more especially as the factory has escaped with the bombardments. In 1946, the just plan Pons SIMCA with the General Automobile Frenchwoman (GFA) with Delahaye-Delage, Unic, Laffly and Bernard. But SIMCA escapes from the nationalization and the constraints from the government aiming through the GFA at rationalizing automobile manufacture. The production starts again with Simca 5 and Simca 8. Simca 6, evolution of the 5, are launched in 1947 but meets only little success vis-a-vis the sharp competition of Renault 4CV. Pigozzi, in particular thanks to the American sums of money of the Marshall plan, lance the project of a new modern small car, coded Simca 9, which will become in spring 1951 the first " véritable" Simca, the Swallow.

The Swallow is one big hit which makes it possible SIMCA to release from important benefit. In 1954, Pigozzi is named chairman of the company while SIMCA becomes Simca and starts to covet the French subsidiary company of Ford, Ford SAF. Ford are sold badly because, with their very greedy V8, are adapted little to the French market. As of 1952, Henri Ford thought of getting rid of this subsidiary company which had evil to run out the High-speed motorboat, designed in the USA but built in the Hexagon. Simca becomes purchaser of Ford SAF, increasing considerably its production capacity thanks to the factory of Poissy of this last and inheriting the High-speed motorboat, given meanwhile to the last style. In 1955, Simca also acquires the company Unic which builds cars (manufacture will be stopped quickly) but more especially of the heavy trucks. Then, always with the assistance of FIAT, Pigozzi creates SOMECA for the manufacture of farm equipment, tractors in particular. Simca becomes the first private French manufacturer behind the government enterprise which is the Renault Control.

In 1958, the American manufacturer Chrysler becomes shareholder with 25  % of Simca by repurchasing the 15  % of the capital still belonging at Ford and by taking 10  % additional. Simca manufactures 200.000 cars then per annum and repurchases the manufacturer Talbot. In 1961, the American sums of money make it possible Pigozzi to launch a new project, the Simca 1000. The technical solutions, derived from FIAT 850, are similar to those of Renault R8 with small 4 rolls rear in a cubic body with three volumes. The models of preproduction of the 1000 leave the chains of Poissy in July 1961 and it is presented to the living room of Paris in autumn. Simca 1000 meets an enormous success which will last until in 1978, while the Vedette range is stopped.

The participation of Chrysler passes to 63  % in 1962, always under the aegis of Pigozzi which seeks new capital following the departure of FIAT which wishes to create its own subsidiary company and is in negotiation to repurchase Citroen. Pigozzi is dismissed a few months later, when the Americans realize that the transaction does not include/understand Simca Industries which gathers various infrastructures and marks essential to Simca Automobiles: the companies Unic and SOMECA were indeed yielded to FIAT which will make of them its subsidiary companies gathered in F.F.S.A. (FIAT France SA).

In 1963, Georges Héreil, ex-owner of South-Aviation (the manufacturer of the planes Caravel) become the new chairman of Simca and must battle firm vis-a-vis its American direction defending the project of the news Simca 1100. The leaders do not want indeed to engage of money to study a new model whereas certain models of the Chrysler range could be put on the French market. Finally Héreil obtains win and the Simca 1100 (back forage ladder and front traction) is launched in 1967: new enormous success with 2 million specimens sold until in 1981.

In 1970, Simca is famous Chrysler France, following the total repurchase of the mark by the American manufacturer. The Simca mark is however preserved on the models until 1980. During the years which will follow, Chrysler Europe will neglect to invest in the evolution of its mechanics and quickly will be found breathless. In August 1978, Chrysler decides to resell the whole of its activities Chrysler France, Rootes and Chrysler Simca Spain with PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Some dates

  • 1907 : Ernest Loste creates the first distribution network FIAT for France.

  • 1926 : Creation of the SAFAF " French public limit company of the Fiat" Cars; , subsidiary Frenchwoman of FIAT-Italy charged to ensure the distribution of the cars FIAT in all the hexagon.
  • 1932 : The SAFAF becomes French Public limit company for Manufacture in France of Cars FIAT.
  • 1934 : The SAFAF becomes Industrial society of Mechanics and Automobie body (SIMCA), created by Henri-Theodore Pigozzi, under the impulse of FIAT. First Simca are rebadgées FIAT Simca/FIAT.
  • 1937 : SIMCA repurchases the Donnet manufacturer and has a modern factory finally in Nanterre.
  • 1945 : The Italian origins of Henri Pigozzi make weigh on SIMCA the threat of a nationalization which is finally avoided.
  • 1946 : the just plan Pons SIMCA with the General Automobile Frenchwoman (GFA) with Delahaye - Delage, Unic, Laffly and Trucks Bernard.
  • 1951 : Launching of the Swallow, the first original model of SIMCA. Its success is immediate and comfortably installs the Simca mark, among the important manufacturers of the Hexagon. The same year, Simca repurchases UNIC manufacturer of trucks.
  • 1954 : SIMCA becomes Simca SA and repurchases the manufacturer Ford SAF, who receives in exchange 15% of the capital of Simca. FIAT guard its majority stake of origin. The head office moves in the modern factory of Poissy. With this repurchase, Simca recovers the range of the Vedette models.
  • 1958 : Simca repurchases the manufacturer Talbot. Ford sells its participation of 15% in Simca with Chrysler. FIAT starts to be disengaged of Simca.
  • 1961 : Launching of the Simca 1000. Enormous success, which will last until in 1978. FIAT yields the majority of the capital to Chrysler because, at the end of the agreements with Michelin and the French government, it must repurchase Citroen.
  • 1967 : Launching of the Simca 1100. Another enormous success, which will finish its career in 1981.
  • 1970 : Simca, which had been gradually phagocyte in the years 1960 by Chrysler Europe, becomes the company Chrysler France. Chrysler-Europe includes/understands also the Spaniards Barreiros heavy trucks and Simca-España, as well as the British Hillman, Sunbeam, Humber, Singer and Commer.
  • 1978 : Chrysler sells its subsidiary company Chrysler Europe with PSA Peugeot-Citroen.
  • 1979 : PSA changes name Chrysler Europe into Talbot.
  • 1980 : The Simca mark is abandoned at the end of the year. It always belongs to group PSA.
  • 2004 : A Simca museum opens in Poissy (CAAPY) on technical center PSA of Carrières-sous-Poissy.

Models

See too

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