Simca 1307

The Simca 1307 wis the name unner which Chrysler Europe launched its new lairge family caur in Julie 1975. A modren, front-wheel drive hatchback, it wis ane o the first sic caurs in that class, alang wi the Volkswagen Passat, an became the 1976 European Caur o the Year. The model wis sauld unner a variety o names, includin Simca 1308 an 1309 models (wi lairger ingines), Chrysler Alpine (name uised for the Erse, UK an New Zealand markets), Chrysler 150 (Spainyie mercat), Talbot 1510 / Talbot Alpine / Talbot 150 (a faceliftit version launcht bi PSA efter its takeower o Chrysler Europe) an Talbot Solara (the saloon version).

Mair upmarket models wur designatit 1308 (1508 in some markets) an 1309. Styled bi Roy Axe, the Simca 1307, alang wi the recently introduced Volkswagen Passat, wis ane o several full-size European family hatchback inspired bi the Renault 16 that haed defined the sector back in 1965. In the 1970s the maist popular mid-size caurs in Europe wur still traditional sedans lik Ford Taunus, Ford Cortina, Opel Ascona (Vauxhall Cavalier) an Peugeot 305. The caur wis oreeginally manufactured in Poissy in France, in Ryton in the Unitit Kinrick, frae 1977 in Villaverde in Barreiros, subsidiary o Chrysler Europe in Spain, an assembled frae CKD kits bi Todd Motors (later Mitsubishi Motors NZ) in New Zealand atween 1977 an aboot 1983. Atween 1979 an 1985 the caur wis an aa biggit bi Valmet Automotive in Uusikaupunki factory in Finland.

In 1980 the caur, which wis nou sauld unner the Talbot-brand, received a facelift. The new model wis kent as the Talbot 1510 (the Talbot Alpine name wis uised in the UK). A saloon version, cawed the Talbot Solara, wis released that year, an produced alangside the hatchback version.

In New Zealand, Chrysler, Talbot, Alpine an 1510 badges wur uised on the caur durin its lifetime, tho it wis offeecially in price leets as an Alpine, follaein the UK convention. In 1982 the caur wis faceliftit an renamed SX thare.

French manufacturin o 1510, Alpine an Solara, alang wi the smawer Horizon, endit in 1985. In the United Kinrick the last cars war rebadged as the Rapier an Minx which war badged dependin on trim level rather than body style. The names war soorced frae the corporate ancestor o Chrysler Europe, the Rootes Group, haein been uised on the Sunbeam Rapier an Hillman Minx. Supply o thir models wis limitit an in 1986 production ceased, wi the Talbot marque bein shelved suin efterwards on aw passenger vehicles.

Due tae corrosion problems seemilar tae thae o the Horizon, vera few Alpines hae survived in the UK; accordin tae the Juin 2009 issue o Practical Classics, in fact, it wis reportit that ae 15 Chrysler/Talbot Alpines remain in the Unitit Kinrick.

Simca 1307 wis ane prototype for design o Roushie Aleko (1986-2001)(http://www.autowp.ru/articles/azlk_moskvich2141/).

Wikimedia Commons haes media relatit tae Simca 1307.

• www.1307-1308.org Archived 2007-10-13 at the Wayback Machine (in French)
• Simca Talbot Information Centre, featurin Chrysler Alpine an SIMCA 1307 / 1308 Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine, Talbot Alpine / Talbot 1510 Archived 2011-06-11 at the Wayback Machine an Talbot Solara Archived 2010-07-26 at the Wayback Machine
• Chrysler Alpine an relatit models @ Rootes-Chrysler.co.uk Archived 2017-07-13 at the Wayback Machine
• Club del Chrysler 150 Archived 2011-01-28 at the Wayback Machine (in Spaingie)
• Simca Automobile Club Netherlands (in Inglis an Dutch)