Simca Esplanada

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Simca
Simca Esplanada
Simca Esplanada
Esplanada
Production period: 1966-1969
Class : Upper class
Body versions : limousine
Engines: Petrol engine :
2.5 liters
(96-102 kW)
Length: 4520 mm
Width: 1750 mm
Height: 1480 mm
Wheelbase : 2690 mm
Empty weight : 1150 kg
Previous model Simca Chambord
successor Dodge darts

The Simca Esplanada was a car in the luxury class by Simca do Brasil . The successor to the Simca Chambord was presented in November 1966 at Brazil's only automobile exhibition Salão do Automóvel in São Paulo . It was a redesigned version of the Chambord, which was originally based on the Simca Vedette . The Esplanada was produced in the factory in São Bernardo do Campo until 1969 . This factory was later taken over by Volkswagen Brasília and is now a shopping center belonging to the Casas Bahia Group.

French origin, Brazilian design

The drive with the V8 engine, the chassis with struts and wishbones at the front and leaf-sprung rigid axle at the rear, the frame and the passenger compartment with the doors were essentially taken over from the predecessor. The Brazilian Simca branch redesigned the front and rear of the body and the interior. The car now basically had leather seats and jacarandá wood trim on the dashboard and doors. The top models were Esplanada 3M and 6M with a vinyl- covered roof. The Flathead V8 gasoline engine, originally from Ford, now had 102 kW (140 hp) and an electric fuel pump. A hydraulically operated clutch for improved gear shifting was new. This and an overdrive made a significantly higher level of driving comfort possible.

The Chrysler Influence

Simca Esplanada after the facelift (1968–1969)

The takeover of Simca by Chrysler naturally also had an impact on Simca do Brazil. From August 1967, Simca Esplanada had a small sticker on the rear with the words " fabricado pela Chrysler " ("built by Chrysler") after the takeover by the American automobile manufacturer. Strict quality checks dictated by the Detroit headquarters led to improvements on the mechanical side of the Esplanda in 53 points. From 1968, for example, there was a reduction in output to 96 kW (130 PS) for reasons of longer service life. There were also new headlights, a new radiator grille, various chrome elements and new rear lights. In 1968, a further upgraded version was introduced as the Simca Régente and a sporty version with, among other things, a shorter gearbox as the Simca GTX .

The improvements increased confidence in the product and Chrysler introduced a novel two-year or 36,000- mile warranty, to the dismay of local competitors in the segment, especially Ford . Ford responded with a Brazilian version of the full-size Ford Galaxie car . Chrysler then decided to introduce the larger Dodge Dart in order to be able to continue to compete with it in the segment in the future. The production of the Simca Esplanada was therefore stopped in 1969.

literature

  • Enio Brandenburg: Automóveis Brasileiros , FBVA, Rio de Janeiro - Brazil
  • Álvaro Casal Tatlock: The Automobile in South America - The Origins ( Argentina , Brazil, Paraguay , Uruguay ) , FBVA, Rio de Janeiro - Brasil
  • Malcom Forest: Automóveis de São Paulo , FBVA, Rio de Janeiro - Brasil

Web links

Commons : Simca do Brazil  - Collection of images, videos and audio files