Simca 8
Encyclopedia
The Simca 8 was a French car built between 1938 and 1951 (including wartime), available as a sedan, coupé or cabriolet. It was a rebadged Fiat 508C "nuova Balilla" made at Fiat's
Simca
plant in Nanterre
France.
. At launch the car featured a 1,089 cc engine with a claimed output of 32 hp at 4,200 rpm. By the time it was replaced in 1951, the Simca 8 had acquired, in September 1949, the Fiat designed 1,221 cc engine which would also be employed its successor, the popular 7CV Simca 9 Aronde
.
was priced at 303,600 francs which included a sun roof at no extra cost.)
Over the course of a few years the Simca 8 underwent some grille changes, and other minor upgrades.
, and after, Peugeot moved half a market segment up, at the end of 1948 replacing the Peugeot 202
with the larger 203
, sales of the Simca 8 held up impressively even though the Simca was itself by now clearly nearing the end of its production run. In 1948 the Simca 8 was Simca's top seller, with approximately 14,000 sold, almost all of them saloons/sedans. Two years later, in its penultimate year, the car was being produced at an even higher rate. The principal complication arose from the fact that the car was in most respects a badge engineered Fiat, which compromised its export potential at a time when government and the state of the economy ere demanding heroic export effort from France's leading auto-makers.
The French car market in the early 1950s was concentrated, with just
three
models
between them accounting for two thirds of domestic sales in 1950. Nevertheless, as the fourth best selling car of 1950 the Simca 8 with unit sales of 17,705 in that year achieved a respectable 10.2% market share.
Fiat
FIAT, an acronym for Fabbrica Italiana Automobili Torino , is an Italian automobile manufacturer, engine manufacturer, financial, and industrial group based in Turin in the Italian region of Piedmont. Fiat was founded in 1899 by a group of investors including Giovanni Agnelli...
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...
plant in Nanterre
Nanterre
Nanterre is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located west of the center of Paris.Nanterre is the capital of the Hauts-de-Seine department as well as the seat of the Arrondissement of Nanterre....
France.
The engine
It did not have a specialized engine or chassis. The '8' in its name did not stand for an eight-cylinder engine; it had but four cylinders, and was officially rated as a 6CV vehicle for tax purposesTax horsepower
The tax horsepower or taxable horsepower was an early system by which taxation rates for automobiles were reckoned in some European countries, such as Britain, Belgium, Germany, France, and Italy; some US states like Illinois charged license plate purchase and renewal fees for passenger...
. At launch the car featured a 1,089 cc engine with a claimed output of 32 hp at 4,200 rpm. By the time it was replaced in 1951, the Simca 8 had acquired, in September 1949, the Fiat designed 1,221 cc engine which would also be employed its successor, the popular 7CV Simca 9 Aronde
Simca Aronde
The Simca Aronde was a family car manufactured by the French automaker Simca from 1951 to 1963. It was Simca's first original design , as well as the company's first unibody car...
.
The body
Although coupé, cabriolet and after 1948 station wagon versions were listed, these were all substantially more expensive than the berline(sedan): virtually all the cars sold were Simca 8 Berlines, which early in 1947 was priced at 330,000 francs against 420,000 francs for the cabriolet. (The slightly longer but slightly slower competitor from Peugeot, the 202Peugeot 202
The Peugeot 202 was an automobile from Peugeot. Production of the car ran between 1938 and 1942 and then, after a brief production run of 20 in early 1945, restarted in mid-1946...
was priced at 303,600 francs which included a sun roof at no extra cost.)
Over the course of a few years the Simca 8 underwent some grille changes, and other minor upgrades.
Commercial
The car was appreciated for its blend of lively performance and reasonable fuel consumption. For most of the time its principal competitor was the Peugeot 202Peugeot 202
The Peugeot 202 was an automobile from Peugeot. Production of the car ran between 1938 and 1942 and then, after a brief production run of 20 in early 1945, restarted in mid-1946...
, and after, Peugeot moved half a market segment up, at the end of 1948 replacing the Peugeot 202
Peugeot 202
The Peugeot 202 was an automobile from Peugeot. Production of the car ran between 1938 and 1942 and then, after a brief production run of 20 in early 1945, restarted in mid-1946...
with the larger 203
Peugeot 203
The Peugeot 203 is a medium sized car which was produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot between 1948 and 1960.The car was exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in 1947, but by then had already been under development for more than five years...
, sales of the Simca 8 held up impressively even though the Simca was itself by now clearly nearing the end of its production run. In 1948 the Simca 8 was Simca's top seller, with approximately 14,000 sold, almost all of them saloons/sedans. Two years later, in its penultimate year, the car was being produced at an even higher rate. The principal complication arose from the fact that the car was in most respects a badge engineered Fiat, which compromised its export potential at a time when government and the state of the economy ere demanding heroic export effort from France's leading auto-makers.
The French car market in the early 1950s was concentrated, with just
Renault 4CV
The Renault 4CV was an economy car produced by the French manufacturer Renault from August 1947-July 1961. The first French car to sell over a million units, the 4CV was ultimately superseded by the Renault Dauphine....
three
Peugeot 203
The Peugeot 203 is a medium sized car which was produced by the French manufacturer Peugeot between 1948 and 1960.The car was exhibited at the Paris Motor Show in 1947, but by then had already been under development for more than five years...
models
Citroën Traction Avant
The Citroën Traction Avant is an automobile which was produced by the French manufacturer Citroën from 1934 to 1957. About 760,000 units were produced.-Impact on the world:...
between them accounting for two thirds of domestic sales in 1950. Nevertheless, as the fourth best selling car of 1950 the Simca 8 with unit sales of 17,705 in that year achieved a respectable 10.2% market share.
Sources and further reading
- This entry incorporates information the French Wikipedia and Italian Wikipedia corresponding entries.
- This entry includes statistical information from the French Wikipedia entry concerning the French car market in 1950.