Automotores Franco Chilena
| Automotores Franco Chilena SA | |
|---|---|
| legal form | Sociedad Anónima |
| founding | 1973 |
| Seat | Los Andes , Chile |
| Branch | Automobile manufacturing |
Automotores Franco Chilena SA was a Chilean automobile manufacturer based in Los Andes .
history
In 1968, Industria Automotriz Renault Chile was founded as a subsidiary of Renault in Arica . The R4 was manufactured there, production of which was relocated to a plant in Los Andes in 1971. Peugeot also already produced vehicles ( 404s ) at a plant in Arica.
The Chilean government under Salvador Allende decided in the early 1970s to restructure the automobile industry under state control. To this end, the Corfo-Citroën joint venture was approved to produce small vehicles. Renault and Fiat should make medium-sized cars, while Peugeot should make large vehicles.
Peugeot then decided to set up a joint venture with Renault (48%). The Automotores Franco Chilena SA plant was founded in Los Andes . At the same time, the assembly plant in Arica was closed.
When the domestic sales partner closed in 1976, Peugeot decided to found a subsidiary under the name Peugeot Chile Ltda., Which was converted into a stock corporation (SA) two years later.
With the opening of the domestic market in 1979, imports to Chile boomed. The production restrictions have also been lifted. In 1982 Automotores Franco Chilena had a share of around 33.5% in Chilean vehicle production (3437 of 10255 vehicles).
The production of Renault models ended in 1991. In 1992, Peugeot took over Renault's stake in the company, which, however , retained the Cormecanica transmission plant in Los Andes, which had been founded in 1969 (and was completely taken over in 1980) . According to one source, Cormecánica also made vehicles: for example 1143 Renault in 1998.
In 1996 that became 100,000. Vehicle produced. Between 1997 and 1999, the company produced 2376, 1688 and 219 vehicles, respectively (against the backdrop of a recession in 1998 and 1999). Assembly work ended in 2004. Since 2012, the company has been used as a distribution center.
Models
The new plant produced the Peugeot 404 , later the 504 (also as a pickup) and the 505 Break . Later 305 , 306 and 205 were added.
The models 405 , 406 and 206 were also manufactured for export to Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela and Colombia, among others.
More than 8,000 copies of the Peugeot 504 with a 1.8-liter engine were produced in four years. From the 504 2000 SE built from 1979, more than 4,300 vehicles were added in three years.
Renault first manufactured the R4 and R12 in Los Andes . The Renault 18 followed in 1979 . In fact, Los Andes became the second most important production site for this model.
Web links
- Website on Automotores Franco Chilena ( Memento of October 13, 2016 in the Internet Archive )
- Un pasado de fabricación: La desconocida historia de la industria automotriz nacional , in: Emol.com of October 20, 2017.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b c Salvatore Bizzarro: Historical Dictionary of Chile . Scarecrow Press, Lanham 2005 ( limited preview in Google Book search).
- ↑ a b Usine de Los Andes (Cormecanica). In: group.renault.com. Retrieved February 22, 2019 (French).
- ^ Renault Chile. Los Andes Plant .
- ^ Peugeot convierte ex sociedad de ensambles en retail automotriz. In: economiaynegocios.cl. October 18, 2012, accessed February 28, 2019 .
- ↑ El Peugeot 504 cumple medio siglo de vida. In: veoautos.cl. October 21, 2018, accessed February 22, 2019 (Spanish).