Simca Aronde
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| Simca Aronde | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Simca |
| Production | 1951–1964 |
| Predecessor | Simca 8 |
| Successor | Simca 1300/1500 |
| Class | Family car |
| Body style(s) | 4-door saloon 2-door coupé 2-door convertible 3-door estate van |
| Layout | FR layout |
| Engine(s) | 1.1 L ohv I4 1.2 L ohv I4 1.3 L Flash ohv I4 1.3 L Rush ohv I4 |
The Simca Aronde was a family car manufactured by the French automaker Simca from 1951 to 1963. It was Simca's first original design (unlike previous models, which were all to a greater or lesser extent based on Fiats),[1] as well as the company's first unibody car.[2] "Aronde" means "swallow" in Old French and it was chosen as the name for the model because Simca's logo at that time was a stylized swallow.[1]
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[edit] Generations
There were three generations of the model - the 9 Aronde, manufactured from 1951 to 1955, the 90A Aronde, made from 1955 to 1958,[1] and the P60 Aronde, which debuted in 1958 and continued until the model was dropped in 1964. There were about 1.4 million Arondes made in total, and this model alone is largely responsible for launching Simca to the position of the second-biggest French automaker at the end of the 1950s.[3]
[edit] 9 Aronde
| Simca 9 Aronde | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Production | 1951–1955 |
| Body style(s) | 4-door saloon 2-door coupé 2-door convertible 3-door estate van |
| Engine(s) | 1.2 L ohv I4 |
| Transmission(s) | four speed manual |
| Wheelbase | 96 in (2438 mm) [4] |
| Length | 160 in (4064 mm) [4] |
| Width | 61.5 in (1562 mm) [4] |
| Height | 57.5 in (1461 mm) [4] |
The first Aronde debuted in 1951 and was fitted with 1221 cc 44.5 bhp (33.2 kW) engine from the previous Simca model, the Simca 8. The available body styles included a four-door saloon, a three-door estate and a two-door coupé coachbuilt by Facel. The latter was later replaced by a coupé based on the saloon Aronde body, called Grand Large. The 9 Aronde found favorable reception in the French market - by 1953, total sales surpassed the 60,000 mark.[1]
The car had independent suspension at the front using coil springs with a live axle at the rear with semi elliptic leaf springs. Hydraulically operated 9.85 in (250 mm) drum brakes were used all round.
A car tested in France by the British Motor magazine in 1951 had a top speed of 73.9 mph (118.9 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 30.2 seconds. A fuel consumption of 34.1 miles per imperial gallon (8.28 L/100 km/28.4 mpg US) was recorded. The test car was reported to cost 970 Francs on the French market. It was not at the time available in the UK but the price was converted to £657. [4]
[edit] 90A Aronde
| Simca 90A Aronde | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Production | 1955–1958 |
| Body style(s) | 4-door saloon 2-door coupé 2-door convertible 3-door estate van |
| Engine(s) | 1.3 L Flash ohv I4 |
The second-generation Aronde debuted in October 1955. Exterior-wise, it was an update of the 9 Aronde body, with restyled front and rear ends. More importantly, the new Aronde was now powered by the 1290 cc Flash engine. New trim levels, marketed as Elysée and Montlhéry (named after the Autodrome de Montlhéry) appeared. In October 1957, two new versions joined the Aronde range - the Océane, a two-door convertible, and Plein Ciel, a hardtop coupé, both with bodies by Facel. In January of the same year, the 500,000th Aronde was made, and the Arondes were now exported even to the USA.[1]
An Aronde Elysee was tested by the British magazine The Motor in 1956 and was recorded as having a top speed of 82.6 mph (132.9 km/h) and could accelerate from 0-60 mph (97 km/h) in 23.9 seconds. A fuel consumption of 32.6 miles per imperial gallon (8.67 L/100 km/27.1 mpg US) was recorded. The test car cost £915 including taxes on the UK market. [5]
[edit] P60 Aronde
| Simca P60 Aronde | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Manufacturer | Simca |
| Production | 1958–1964 |
| Body style(s) | 4-door saloon 2-door coupé 2-door convertible 3-door estate van |
| Engine(s) | 1.1 L ohv I4 1.3 L Rush ohv I4 |
The P60 Aronde saloons, presented in September 1958, had an all-new, modern-looking body. The estate was also updated with the new front end, but retained its previous rear. A new coupé joined the range - the Monaco - while a new, inexpensive version of the Elysee, powered by a 1090 cc engine, was added under the name Etoile. A new engine, the famous Rush 1.3 L unit with a five-bearing crankshaft, was fitted to the Arondes beginning from October 1960. A 70 hp version of the engine, called Rush Super, debuted in September 1961 in two models - the Montlhéry Speciale saloon and Monaco Spéciale coupé.
[edit] References
- ^ a b c d e SIMCA ARONDE (9 Aronde and 90A models). Simca Talbot Information Centre – Simca Club UK. Retrieved on 2006-08-21.
- ^ History of SIMCA - company and cars. Rootes-Chrysler.co.uk – Rootes Group, Chrysler Europe, SIMCA, and Talbot cars. Retrieved on 2006-08-21.
- ^ SIMCA ARONDE (P60 models). Simca Talbot Information Centre – Simca Club UK. Retrieved on 2006-08-18.
- ^ a b c d e "The Simca Aronde Saloon" (October 10 1951). The Motor.
- ^ "The SIMCA Aronde Elysee" (September 19 1956). The Motor.
