What mental picture do you get from the name “Simca”? Assuming it rings a bell, you might think of the Aronde, the 1000 or the 1100 – Fiat-influenced four door saloons, not really designed to win races or beauty contests. But there was a pretty long line of sweet little coupés, penned by famous coachbuilders, that gave Poissy’s pedestrian product line a dash of glamour. Let us end French Coupé Week by taking a closer look at the final high-class Simca, the Bertone-designed 1200 S.
I cannot tell you how elated I was to see this sweet blue Simca on my usual Sunday CC romp. These are rare even in France now, but having talked with the owner for a bit, it appears that there is a grand total of two roadworthy examples in the whole of Japan. Simcas in general are pretty thin on the ground over here – even the aforementioned family saloons. Sure, the Zagato-bodied Alfa parked in front also warranted my full attention (and will get its day on CC, you can be sure of that), but a Simca coupé hits different.
You might think that Simca just followed the Karmann-Ghia recipe with this car: take your rear-engined people’s car down to Italy, come back with a sexy new two-door body, build back in your home country, sell at a hefty premium and laugh all the way to the bank. But it’s not a case of Poissy aping Wolfsburg, it’s the other way around.
In 1948, Simca launched their “Sport” model. Based on the Simca 8 (itself a licensed variant of the Fiat 1100), this cabriolet was clad according to the latest transalpine trends, courtesy of Stabilimenti Farina. Virtually identical styling was applied by the Turin carrozzeria to contemporary Fiats and Ferraris.
In 1950, a coupé version was added; subsequently, the chassis switched to the Aronde and the styling was refreshed – more modern, but with a tad less character. Simca in a nutshell, really.
Simca by Facel: above, 1953-56 Coupé de Ville; below: 1957-62 Plein Ciel
In 1953, the Simca Sport got a completely new body, courtesy of Facel – yes, those folks who did the Vega (not that Vega, the original Vega). In 1957, the coupé became known as the Plein Ciel and got yet another body, now with trendy wraparound windshield and pointy rear end. The Facel coupés and cabriolets were built until late 1961, by which time the Aronde itself was on the decline.
The new Simca for 1961 was the 1000, a boxy little four-door with a tail-mounted engine. Simca wasted no time in getting the range a new touch of pizzazz by commissioning Bertone’s Giorgetto Giugiaro to fashion a fine-looking coupé. It was ready for the 1962 Geneva Motor Show.
But pretty though it was, its modest 52hp 944cc engine meant it was less punchy than the coupés of yore. It soon developed a reputation as a relatively expensive and underpowered “lady’s car,” i.e. sales poison, especially in that time and place.
Sluggish sales (10,000 coupés sold in six years) did not deter Simca. The Bertone coupé was too slow? We’ll just stick a brand-new twin-carb 80hp 1.2 litre variant of the “Poissy” 4-cyl. in there and give it some much-needed vitamins. Too effete? Let’s send it back to Bertone and see what the new chief designer could do on that score.
Marcello Gandini had just finished putting the finishing touched on the Miura when he was tasked with retouching his predecessor’s work on the Simca. This might explain those grilles on the hood, which have a bit of a Lamborghini aftertaste. The bigger engine called for a front-mounted radiator, which meant the entire front end had to be opened up. Add a pair of in-board lamps to the face and some back-up lights in the back, and you’re turning this franchise around.
Simca couldn’t wait for the slow-selling 1000 Coupé to be overtaken by its more substantial successor and opted for a June 1967 launch, as opposed to saving the car for one of the autumn motor shows. Maybe those austere product planners at the Société Industrielle de Mécanique et Carrosserie Automobile had an inkling that the summer of ’67 was going to be a hot one, which would benefit their sexy new sports coupé.
Woah! As we can see from this 1970 ad, they certainly put a lot of effort in changing the car’s image. Yes, there is a car in this advert.
Even with the breast of intentions, the Simca would have to have some steak to go with all that sizzle. And it did: the 1204cc engine made a world of difference, finally justifying the four disc brakes Simca had seen fit to put on their coupé. In 1969, it gained an extra 5hp, pushing the top speed dangerously close to 180kph. This particular engine has had a few mods, including a Rallye head and an Abarth exhaust, so north of 180kph for our blue beauty.
All this came at a price – and quite a hefty one, all things being relative. The Simca was quite a bit dearer than, say, the Peugeot 204-304 Coupé or whatever Renault had going on in that field (the Caravelle in 1967-68, the Renault 15 from late ’71 on), but also a lot quicker. Let’s see what the state of play was like by the end of the 1200 S’s career – and when our feature car was new – back in the second half of 1971…
OK, the Mazda is a de facto 2-plus-litre car (and taxed as such in France), but if we’re looking at things in a vacuum, it does sort of fit the table. The CG was a plastic-bodied two-seater based on the Simca’s own platform, showing what a lighter and slipperier body could wring out of that 1.2 litre four.
In 1970, Simca officially ceased to exist as a company, being re-christened Chrysler France. Small pentastars started to appear on the cars, including on the 1200 S, just below the Bertone crest. The Campagnolo alloys were not on the options list, but are certainly period-correct, especially for a car with Italian connections…
Good on Bertone for designing a front-hinged trunk lid. But what is gained in terms of safety is lost from an accessibility standpoint. Not that there’s all that much space in there. You can’t do everything.
What is pleasing in every way, however, is that interior. This is the type of steering wheel that demands to be used with driving gloves. Oh look-ey there!…
Simca did not shy away from fielding the 1200 S in a few races, early in the model’s career. This culminated in the 1969 Simca 1800 XS, basically a 1200 S with the upcoming Chrysler 180’s 132hp 1.8 litre 4-cyl. engine. But by 1970, Simca had new partners in the sports arena: Chappe & Gessalin (CG), who were past masters at aerodynamic GRP-bodied prototypes, and Matra, who were into Formula 1 and Le Mans prototypes.
This meant that the checkered flag had come for the Simca sports coupé. The 1200 S was a decent seller, but the basic body was starting to show its age by this point. CG were trying to develop a clientele for their street cars (which never really took off), and there was the matter of Matra: the upstart aerospace company’s automobile branch had had a meteoric rise thanks to their performance on the track, but needed a road car to keep their business on an even keel.
Said road car, in 1970, was the M530 – an oddly-styled mid-engined machine that failed to really convince the enthusiast crowd. Simca and Matra worked together to develop a new sports coupé that would not feature a Ford V4 as its main attraction, but a tried and trusted Simca motor.
Now finished with a trendy vinyl top and assembled in Chrysler’s Rotterdam factory, the 1200 S Coupé sailed through 1971, but production was halted by the summer. Stocks were then sold until early 1972. Almost 15,000 units were made from 1967 to 1971, which goes to show that a “manly” facelift and a much better engine do go a long way. Duh.
On that bombshell, it’s time to bring the second French Coupé Week to a close. I wouldn’t hold my breath for a third edition, except if I happen upon a cache containing a Simca Sport, a Peugeot 404 or 504 C and a Fuego. It’s a tall order, but I’ve learned to expect the unexpected in this city.
That was a pretty crowded field back when stylish little coupes were a thing. It saddens me that all we have now are identikit CUVs. I suppose the last gasp was the turn of the century when the Ford Puma and Hyundai Tiburon and their ilk still roamed the earth.
I do wonder how many people cross shopped an NSU, an Alfa and a Simca.
LOL in my home town we had a Simca dealer and Chevrolet Vauxhall Bedford Holden dealer and a Hillman agency. That was it, I saw lots of Simcas back in the day, I walked past the Simca dealer on my way to school for Years.
Another post that explains why T87 is known as the Professor of European Curbivore Studies.
Greta post, interesting car – I’m assuming that’s a French number plate under the Japanese plate? Not sure the vinyl roof helps though!
Beautiful, thank you Tatra ! Agree with Roger, the vinyl roof has to go. While 80 hp is “sufficient” for 890 kg, I’d be tempted to retromod it with the lightest possible version of the VW EA888 engine.
Great find, Ive heard of these but never seen one in the metal, Those little Simcas could be made to go ok with the sedan body add aero and this is the result.
A fascinating little car I never even guessed existed! ありがとう
A desirable car, but look at the competition in its class. I’d happily take just abut atif those cars except the Capri, Matt’s and the GS.
As slow joe cow lamented, the car sccene now is a race to the bottom, with just about no affordable coupes available.
I’ve never seen the Simca in the metal, as it was not sold in my neck of the woods.
A slight error in the competition table. By 1971 the Fiat 124 Sport was a 1600 with 110hp. At least the picture was correct.
I double-checked for the Fiat: the 1.4 version was still available on demand for the French market in 1971. The 1.6 version cost FF20,750, i.e. about FF2000 more.
I had a little side bet going with myself as to whether the seats would be ribbed as I was scrolling down after seeing red. And yes, it paid off.
This is quite nice, I’m waffling on if I’d have had it in the day over the Alfa or the Lancia, if all three were as in the small images then perhaps not, but if the Simca was as you found it in the metal, the Simca would likely be the one. The color’s great, I don’t even mind the top, the wheels are magnifique, inside looks swell, and a little peppering of Miura never hurt anything either.
Yes, overall far better than the Simca 1100s that dotted my boyhood town…and while the upcoming Zagato will be interesting, this particular Simca isn’t remotely overexposed in any way whatsoever.
Exquisite little bomb. What is it about cars from circa 1967? The best year of the 20th century?
You are about right about the 1967 date.
It is right before when plastic as a material became too intrusive. When bumpers by default were made of chromed steel and wheels had proper wheel caps.
Designs were more pure because designers did not have to think too much about building in safety measures.
And in the US, 1968 brought in universal emission controls, and side marker lights, and mandatory safety features. All of them for good reasons, but it does make 1967 the last year of exuberant innocence. And that applies to popular culture too: the summer of love, music, drugs, sex, etc.. I was 14 in ’67 and just awakening to it all, so yes, I am a bit biased about 1967. Not to say there wasn’t plenty more to come, but it was that glorious first day of spring for me personally.
That’s a QOTD right there.
I’m torn between the mid 60s and the late 30s. And some of the vintages in the middle of those two aren’t bad either…
I look at those first few pictures and I see Alfa. Not in a bad way either.
As a long ago, longtime owner of a Simca, 1100/1204, I see that 85 DIN HP listed and start hyperventilating. Mine was 60HP, SAE gross. I know, dual carbs and higher compression will work wonders. Then again the way I drove it, it might have been for the better.
Nice car, nice article – but the Simca 1100 should not be glossed over so summarily.
It formed the basis for the Euro family car for the 1970s with its FWD layout and hatchback format. VW in fact used it as a benchmark when they were bubbling up their Golf – and look where that model got them!
The 1204 was the premiere hot hatch too.
The 1100 and its derivatives failed because Chrysler did a half baked job marketing them not only in the US but critically on European soil.
This little blue Coupe looks nice inside and out .
I’d rather have the red 1950 Coupe and deal with the less power .
A Machinist I used to work with was French and he hunted up a late 60’s Simca sedan, I always loved seeing him drive it to work now and then .
-Nate