Chrysler entered the European market in the mid-1960s with the acquisition of Simca in France. As the successor to the 1100, the Simca Horizon can rightly be called a world car, because it was sold under different brand names over several continents. This copy is the only Simca on the AutoWeek used car finder and is immediately a copy to pass through a ring.
The Simca Horizon was internally designated ‘C2’. The model was the successor to the Simca 1100, which in 1966 still had remarkable features such as an independent wheel suspension all round, front-wheel drive and a transversely mounted engine. The C2 also got those things with it. Simca initially also planned a sedan version and a three-door hatchback, but those fell on the drawing board. In the end, only the five-door hatchback remained. The American management also saw something in the small Simca. Ultimately, the compact car came on the market in four guises: The Simca Horizon, Chrysler Horizon, Plymouth Horizon and Dodge Omni. When Chrysler Europe was sold to Peugeot (PSA) in 1979, the Horizon was sold as Talbot from 1980 onwards.
Simca Horizon
We are dealing here with the Simca Horizon, which was intended for continental Europe. This copy contains quite a few changes to Chrysler. For example, the Chrysler logo is visible in the grille and the brand name is written on the hood and mud flaps, while ‘Simca’ can be read on the boot lid. Under the hood is a four-cylinder 1,118 cc, good for around 60 hp. The LS was the basic model at the time, those who wanted more luxury or more powerful engines could go to the GL, GLS or SX.
Simca’s have become quite rare in the meantime. According to the seller, this copy belonged to a collector, who bought it from the second owner in 2008. The father of the second owner had bought the Simca new and handed it over to his son upon his death. That will partly explain why this Simca still looks so spotless. In its 43-year existence, the Horizon traveled an average of only around 900 kilometers per year, so that the odometer now reads a mere 40,000 kilometers.
Simca Horizon
That counter only has five compartments, but given the condition of the car it seems very logical that he has actually driven that mileage. Nowhere is a speck of rust or even a scratch, the engine compartment still looks immaculate and the interior also looks as if it has just left the showroom. A nice detail are all the original stickers on the rear window, including those of the dealer. A true collector’s item, which, given its condition and history, is actually relatively cheap at €5,950. He does not yet have a Dutch registration, but because the Horizon is known as a classic, it is not too expensive either. Or you leave it on the original French plates and put it away somewhere in a garage. Secretly, that is an existence that this driving time capsule deserves.
Would you rather look for an enthusiast car or youngtimer yourself? Then take a look at the classic pages of the AutoWeek used car finder!
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl