Barreiros (manufacturer)
Encyclopedia
Barreiros was a Spanish
manufacturer of engine
s, truck
s, bus
es, tractor
s and automobile
s.
s, reaching licensing agreements with French Berliet
(truck cabs), British AEC
(buses and coaches), and German Hanomag
(agricultural tractors) and Vidal & Sohn Tempo-Werke GmbH
(light vans and trucks), all of them driven by Barreiros's own engines. Additionally a pay-in-kind contract with Polish Star was active in the late fifties, by which engineless Star chassis-cab trucks were exported to Spain, while Barreiros engines were sent to Poland; the whole resulting in Barreiros-engined Star tractors being sold in China (and Polish trucks in Spain).
Later on Barreiros branched out into the production of passenger cars by means of cooperation (and capital links) with the Chrysler Corporation
. An agreement was reached with Chrysler in 1963 to build the Dodge Dart
allowing the company to enter the car market. Sold as the Barreiros Dart it had modified front styling, a four speed gearbox and all round disc brakes. During that time, the Spanish automobile market was strongly protected, making entering it effectively only possible by domestic manufacturing. As the 1960s progressed, the range was extended with some smaller models from Chrysler's French subsidiary, Simca
. The Barreiros-made Simca 1000
was launched in 1966, and later the Simca 1200 joined the range (in fact the French Simca 1100
, but with a bigger standard engine for the Spanish market).
version of the Dodge Dart
was manufactured in the Barreiros Villaverde factory in Madrid
. A total of 17589 units were manufactured in Spain. The Dart was produced as a SKD due to the protectionist
Spanish regulations of those years.
The Dart was the biggest national production car available in Spain during all production years. It was an expensive luxury car with very low fuel economy
by Spanish standards.
The Dodge Dart GL was a luxury model, while the GT was the sporty version. A later version was the Dodge 3700GT.
All gasoline
Darts had the biggest engine ever mounted into a mass production car in Spain, the 225 in³ Chrysler Slant 6 engine
. The "3700" number is a reference to the 3.7 litres of displacement. No other six cylinder engine car has been produced in as big numbers in Spain.
A diesel
Dart (named "Barreiros Diesel") was also produced. These models were very basic and very slow, and used the round taillights
from the first generation Simca 1000
.
There was also a station wagon
version, as well as variants (diplomatic motorcade cars, ambulance
s, hearse
s, etc.)
Production of Spanish Darts stopped in 1977. Peugeot
bought the Villaverde factory, as Chrysler was divesting
European operations in Spain, France
and the United Kingdom
.
Darts were popular with members of the Spanish government during the 1960s and 1970s. Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco
was killed on 20 December 1973
while travelling in his Dodge Dart 3700GT.
took complete control of the company.
In 1975, Barreiros became for the first time the sole source for a Chrysler Europe model - the production lines of the slow-selling Chrysler 180
series were moved to Madrid from Simca's factory in Poissy. Unlike in most other European countries, the Chrysler 180 became relatively popular in Spain. Barreiros also continued to assemble other Chrysler Europe models for the domestic market, including Simca 1307
(renamed Chrysler 150 in Spain to be more in line with the popular 180) and Simca Horizon.
On the truck and bus side, a full range of light, medium and heavy models was offered, still marketed as Barreiros in Spain and as Dodge
or Fargo
elsewhere, but eventually the Dodge badge prevailed in all markets.
, who subsequently renamed all former Chrysler/Simca models to Talbot
(so for example the Chrysler 150 became Talbot 150). Barreiros continued to assemble Talbot car models launched under the PSA reign, such as Talbot Solara or Talbot Samba
.
The truck and bus division was sold to Renault
, and for a short time the old ex-Barreiros models were sold badged as Renaults.
Francisco Franco
, was assassinated in 1973 by a 2000 kg bomb planted by the Basque
E.T.A
. Carrero Blanco was assassinated
riding in an armoured Dodge Dart GT 3700, when the bomb detonated. The car, whose armoured structure resisted the 2000 kg dynamite bomb, was blown over a building and fell in an interior garden. Carrero Blanco and his driver died. The car is now on display at the Spanish Army
museum in Madrid.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
manufacturer of engine
Engine
An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert energy into useful mechanical motion. Heat engines, including internal combustion engines and external combustion engines burn a fuel to create heat which is then used to create motion...
s, truck
Truck
A truck or lorry is a motor vehicle designed to transport cargo. Trucks vary greatly in size, power, and configuration, with the smallest being mechanically similar to an automobile...
s, bus
Bus
A bus is a road vehicle designed to carry passengers. Buses can have a capacity as high as 300 passengers. The most common type of bus is the single-decker bus, with larger loads carried by double-decker buses and articulated buses, and smaller loads carried by midibuses and minibuses; coaches are...
es, tractor
Tractor
A tractor is a vehicle specifically designed to deliver a high tractive effort at slow speeds, for the purposes of hauling a trailer or machinery used in agriculture or construction...
s and automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s.
Barreiros Diesel
The company was founded in 1954 as Barreiros Diesel S.A. by Eduardo Barreiros and based in Madrid. Established initially as a producer of diesel engines, the company then expanded to make commercial vehicleCommercial vehicle
A commercial vehicle is a type of motor vehicle that may be used for transporting goods or passengers. The European Union defines "commercial motor vehicle" as any motorised road vehicle, which by its type of construction and equipment is designed for, and capable of transporting, whether for...
s, reaching licensing agreements with French Berliet
Berliet
Berliet was a French manufacturer of automobiles, buses, trucks and other utility vehicles, based in Vénissieux, outside of Lyon, France.-Early history:...
(truck cabs), British AEC
AEC (Associated Equipment Company)
AEC was a United Kingdom based vehicle manufacturer which built buses, motorcoaches and lorries from 1912 until 1979. The acronym stood for the Associated Equipment Company, but this name was hardly ever used; instead it traded under the AEC and ACLO brands.While famously associated with London's...
(buses and coaches), and German Hanomag
Hanomag
Hanomag was a German producer of steam locomotives, tractors, trucks and military vehicles. Hanomag first achieved international fame by delivering a large number of steam locomotives to Romania and Bulgaria before World War I....
(agricultural tractors) and Vidal & Sohn Tempo-Werke GmbH
Tempo (car)
Tempo, , was a German automobile manufacturer based in Hamburg. The company was founded by Oscar Vidal in 1924....
(light vans and trucks), all of them driven by Barreiros's own engines. Additionally a pay-in-kind contract with Polish Star was active in the late fifties, by which engineless Star chassis-cab trucks were exported to Spain, while Barreiros engines were sent to Poland; the whole resulting in Barreiros-engined Star tractors being sold in China (and Polish trucks in Spain).
Later on Barreiros branched out into the production of passenger cars by means of cooperation (and capital links) with the Chrysler Corporation
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
. An agreement was reached with Chrysler in 1963 to build the Dodge Dart
Dodge Dart
The Dodge Dart is an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960-1976 in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, shorter wheelbase, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a...
allowing the company to enter the car market. Sold as the Barreiros Dart it had modified front styling, a four speed gearbox and all round disc brakes. During that time, the Spanish automobile market was strongly protected, making entering it effectively only possible by domestic manufacturing. As the 1960s progressed, the range was extended with some smaller models from Chrysler's French subsidiary, Simca
Simca
Simca was a French automaker, founded in November 1934 by Fiat. It was directed from July 1935 to May 1963 by the Italian Henri Théodore Pigozzi...
. The Barreiros-made Simca 1000
Simca 1000
The Simca 1000 was a small, rear-engined, four-door saloon manufactured by the French automaker Simca from 1961 to 1978.-The launch:The car was inexpensive and, at the time of launch, quite modern, with a brand-new inline-4 watercooled engine of 944cc...
was launched in 1966, and later the Simca 1200 joined the range (in fact the French Simca 1100
Simca 1100
The Simca 1100 is an automobile built from 1967 to 1982 by Chrysler Europe's division Simca. It was replaced by the Talbot Horizon.The 1100 was the result of "Project 928", started in 1962, finalized by engineers Philippe Grundeler and Charles Scales...
, but with a bigger standard engine for the Spanish market).
The Spanish Dodge Dart
From 1965 to 1977 a SpanishSpain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
version of the Dodge Dart
Dodge Dart
The Dodge Dart is an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960-1976 in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, shorter wheelbase, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a...
was manufactured in the Barreiros Villaverde factory in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
. A total of 17589 units were manufactured in Spain. The Dart was produced as a SKD due to the protectionist
Protectionism
Protectionism is the economic policy of restraining trade between states through methods such as tariffs on imported goods, restrictive quotas, and a variety of other government regulations designed to allow "fair competition" between imports and goods and services produced domestically.This...
Spanish regulations of those years.
The Dart was the biggest national production car available in Spain during all production years. It was an expensive luxury car with very low fuel economy
Fuel economy
Fuel economy may refer to:*Fuel economy in automobiles, refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed*Fuel efficiency in general...
by Spanish standards.
The Dodge Dart GL was a luxury model, while the GT was the sporty version. A later version was the Dodge 3700GT.
All gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
Darts had the biggest engine ever mounted into a mass production car in Spain, the 225 in³ Chrysler Slant 6 engine
Chrysler Slant 6 engine
The Slant-6, known within Chrysler as the G-engine, is one of Chrysler's better known automobile engines. The engine is an inline-6 piston engine specifically designed such that the cylinders are inclined at a 30-degree angle from vertical...
. The "3700" number is a reference to the 3.7 litres of displacement. No other six cylinder engine car has been produced in as big numbers in Spain.
A diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
Dart (named "Barreiros Diesel") was also produced. These models were very basic and very slow, and used the round taillights
Automotive lighting
The lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides, rear, and in some cases the top of the motor vehicle...
from the first generation Simca 1000
Simca 1000
The Simca 1000 was a small, rear-engined, four-door saloon manufactured by the French automaker Simca from 1961 to 1978.-The launch:The car was inexpensive and, at the time of launch, quite modern, with a brand-new inline-4 watercooled engine of 944cc...
.
There was also a station wagon
Station wagon
A station wagon is a body style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door , instead of a trunk lid...
version, as well as variants (diplomatic motorcade cars, ambulance
Ambulance
An ambulance is a vehicle for transportation of sick or injured people to, from or between places of treatment for an illness or injury, and in some instances will also provide out of hospital medical care to the patient...
s, hearse
Hearse
A hearse is a funerary vehicle used to carry a coffin from a church or funeral home to a cemetery. In the funeral trade, hearses are often called funeral coaches.-History:...
s, etc.)
Production of Spanish Darts stopped in 1977. Peugeot
Peugeot
Peugeot is a major French car brand, part of PSA Peugeot Citroën, the second largest carmaker based in Europe.The family business that precedes the current Peugeot company was founded in 1810, and manufactured coffee mills and bicycles. On 20 November 1858, Emile Peugeot applied for the lion...
bought the Villaverde factory, as Chrysler was divesting
Divestment
In finance and economics, divestment or divestiture is the reduction of some kind of asset for either financial or ethical objectives or sale of an existing business by a firm...
European operations in Spain, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Darts were popular with members of the Spanish government during the 1960s and 1970s. Admiral Luis Carrero Blanco
Luis Carrero Blanco
Don Luis Carrero Blanco, 1st Duke of Carrero Blanco, Grandee of Spain was a Spanish admiral and long-time confidant of dictator Francisco Franco.- Biography :...
was killed on 20 December 1973
Operación Ogro
Operación Ogro was the name given by ETA to the assassination of Luis Carrero Blanco the Prime Minister of Spain in 1973...
while travelling in his Dodge Dart 3700GT.
Chrysler subsidiary
In 1969, Chrysler EuropeChrysler Europe
Chrysler Europe was a division of the Chrysler Corporation that operated between 1967 and 1979.-Formation:In the 1960s, Chrysler sought to become a world producer of automobiles. The company had never had much success outside North America, contrasting with Ford's worldwide reach and General...
took complete control of the company.
In 1975, Barreiros became for the first time the sole source for a Chrysler Europe model - the production lines of the slow-selling Chrysler 180
Chrysler 180
The Chrysler 180 was the base name for a series of large saloon cars produced by Chrysler Europe. Resulting from joining development efforts of Rootes Group and Simca, the car was produced from 1970 to 1975 in Poissy, France, and later in Chrysler's subsidiary Barreiros' factory in Spain...
series were moved to Madrid from Simca's factory in Poissy. Unlike in most other European countries, the Chrysler 180 became relatively popular in Spain. Barreiros also continued to assemble other Chrysler Europe models for the domestic market, including Simca 1307
Simca 1307
The Simca 1307 was the name under which Chrysler Europe launched its new large family car in July 1975.A modern, front-wheel drive hatchback, it was one of the first such cars in that class, along with the Volkswagen Passat, and became the 1976 European Car of the Year...
(renamed Chrysler 150 in Spain to be more in line with the popular 180) and Simca Horizon.
On the truck and bus side, a full range of light, medium and heavy models was offered, still marketed as Barreiros in Spain and as Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
or Fargo
Fargo (truck)
Fargo was a brand of truck manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation. In general terms, Fargo trucks were a mere rebadging of Dodge trucks models.-History:...
elsewhere, but eventually the Dodge badge prevailed in all markets.
In PSA and Renault hands
In 1978, Chrysler Europe was sold to PSAPSA Peugeot Citroën
PSA Peugeot Citroën is a French manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot and Citroën marques. Headquartered in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, PSA is the second largest automaker based in Europe and the number eight in the world.-History:In December 1974 Peugeot S.A....
, who subsequently renamed all former Chrysler/Simca models to Talbot
Talbot
Talbot was an automobile marque that existed from 1903 to 1986, with a hiatus from 1960 to 1978, under a number of different owners, latterly under Peugeot...
(so for example the Chrysler 150 became Talbot 150). Barreiros continued to assemble Talbot car models launched under the PSA reign, such as Talbot Solara or Talbot Samba
Talbot Samba
The Talbot Samba is a supermini car manufactured by the PSA Group in the former Simca factory in Poissy, France, and marketed under the short-lived modern-day Talbot brand. Based on the Peugeot 104, it was the only Talbot not inherited from Chrysler Europe, engineered by PSA alone. It was also the...
.
The truck and bus division was sold to Renault
Renault Trucks
Renault Trucks is a French truck manufacturer with its corporate headquarters at Saint-Priest near Lyon. Originally part of Renault, it has been owned by Volvo Group since 2001....
, and for a short time the old ex-Barreiros models were sold badged as Renaults.
Notoriety
Spanish Prime Minister Admiral Carrero Blanco, under GeneralissimoGeneralissimo
Generalissimo and Generalissimus are military ranks of the highest degree, superior to Field Marshal and other five-star ranks.-Usage:...
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco
Francisco Franco y Bahamonde was a Spanish general, dictator and head of state of Spain from October 1936 , and de facto regent of the nominally restored Kingdom of Spain from 1947 until his death in November, 1975...
, was assassinated in 1973 by a 2000 kg bomb planted by the Basque
Basque people
The Basques as an ethnic group, primarily inhabit an area traditionally known as the Basque Country , a region that is located around the western end of the Pyrenees on the coast of the Bay of Biscay and straddles parts of north-central Spain and south-western France.The Basques are known in the...
E.T.A
ETA
ETA , an acronym for Euskadi Ta Askatasuna is an armed Basque nationalist and separatist organization. The group was founded in 1959 and has since evolved from a group promoting traditional Basque culture to a paramilitary group with the goal of gaining independence for the Greater Basque Country...
. Carrero Blanco was assassinated
Assassination
To carry out an assassination is "to murder by a sudden and/or secret attack, often for political reasons." Alternatively, assassination may be defined as "the act of deliberately killing someone, especially a public figure, usually for hire or for political reasons."An assassination may be...
riding in an armoured Dodge Dart GT 3700, when the bomb detonated. The car, whose armoured structure resisted the 2000 kg dynamite bomb, was blown over a building and fell in an interior garden. Carrero Blanco and his driver died. The car is now on display at the Spanish Army
Spanish Army
The Spanish Army is the terrestrial army of the Spanish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is one of the oldest active armies - dating back to the 15th century.-Introduction:...
museum in Madrid.
Truck models Barreiros
(1957–1965)- TT90
- Star
- Puma
- Panter
- Cóndor
- Halcón
- Azor
- Víctor
- Saeta
- Comando
- Centauro
- Super Saeta
- Super Azor
Car models Simca
- Simca 1000Simca 1000The Simca 1000 was a small, rear-engined, four-door saloon manufactured by the French automaker Simca from 1961 to 1978.-The launch:The car was inexpensive and, at the time of launch, quite modern, with a brand-new inline-4 watercooled engine of 944cc...
- Simca 1000 automatico
- Simca 1000 GT
- Simca 1000 Gt Rallye
- Simca 900
- Simca 1000 Rallye 2
- Simca 1000 Rallye Gr2
- Simca 1200Simca 1100The Simca 1100 is an automobile built from 1967 to 1982 by Chrysler Europe's division Simca. It was replaced by the Talbot Horizon.The 1100 was the result of "Project 928", started in 1962, finalized by engineers Philippe Grundeler and Charles Scales...
LS - Simca 1200 GL
- Simca 1200 GL Special
- Simca 1200 GLS (90 octanos)
- Simca 1200 GL Special
- Simca 1200 LX-TI
- Simca 1200 Campero
Tractor models Barreiros
(1961–1980)- R335S
- R350
- R350S
- R438
- R438 especial
- R440
- R500 "labramatic"
- R545
- R545 I
- R545 IA
- 4000
- 4000V
- 5000
- 5000 VL/VR
- 5500
- 7000
- 40/45
- 50/55
- 70/70
- 90/90 [prototype]