Chrysler/Talbot
Concepts and prototypes : Chrysler Diplomat
Keith Adams Diplomat: the Chrysler 180′s big-brother that wasn’t We’ve long admired the ability of Australia’s engineers to take a European product and make it fit for purpose for their home market. Cars such as the Austin Lancer/Morris Major, Morris Nomad, Austin Apache, and Austin Kimberley showed that with a little development, our Antipodean counterparts [...]
January 19, 2013
· 
Keith Adams · 
18 Comments
Concepts and prototypes : Heuliez Chrysler 180 Break
Keith Adams, Picture: Andrew Elphick The French coachbuilder, Heuliez, products has slipped its way into these pages before. Who could forget the inappropriately (for Anglophones) named Talbot Wind, a cut-price funky alternative to the Matra-Rancho? By the time this sketch of the 180 Break was penned in the early 1970s, the company was already in [...]
January 2, 2013
· Keith Adams · 13 Comments
Tested : Cortina vs Solara vs Cavalier
Rep race Back in 1980, if you wanted the ultimate business tool on wheels, you (or your company’s fleet manager) bought a Ford Cortina. Vauxhall and Talbot didn’t necessarily agree, offering the Cavalier and Solara as very capable rivals. But which was best then and now, the Ford Cortina 1.6L, Vauxhall Cavalier 1600GL or Talbot [...]
October 4, 2012
· Keith Adams · 60 Comments
Chrysler Alpine : Moskvich Aleko
Look closely at the Moskvich Aleko and you will see something of a passing resemblance between it and the Alpine… First shown in Europe at the 1988 Paris Salon, the Moskvich Aleko was seen as a huge advancement over its predecessor, and along with the Lada Samara, it heralded the Russia car industry’s arrival into [...]
October 8, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 23 Comments
The cars : Chrysler Horizon
It was Chrysler Europe’s first world car, and an effective interpretation of the Volkswagen Golf. It should have done so well… So, what went wrong? Less than the sum of its parts… The Horizon was simultaneously launched in Europe and the USA in December 1977. Chrysler had had ambitions that the Horizon would become its [...]
July 28, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 10 Comments
Concepts and prototypes : Chrysler Horizon
Designated the C2, engineered at Poissy and styled in Whitley, the five-door hatchback that emerged sported a clean and crisp style and contemporary layout. Concept drawing Clay models Saloon styling proposal
July 28, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · One Comment
Chrysler Horizon : American Horizons
The C2 was conceived right from the beginning to be a World Car. The American version was developed alongside the European version, but like most international efforts, plans went a little awry… Ready for the world As noted in the Horizon’s development story, the international launch of the Horizon took place on the 7th December [...]
July 27, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 6 Comments
Chrysler Horizon : Finnish Horizons
Would you believe Lada Samaras, Porsche Boxsters, Saab 96s, Talbot Horizons and Talbot 1501s all being built by the same company under the same roof? Believe it or not this is what has been happening at different times since 1969 in the Finnish Valmet Automotive plant complex situated in Uusikaupunki (pronounced oo-see-cow-punky) on the south-west [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 3 Comments
Talbot Horizon Group B
Shortly after the formation of Talbot in 1979, PSA decided to go out on all-out attack; setting aside Talbot as the company’s premier motorsports division. The Group B Horizon was the result of an aborted foray into rallying. Tilting at the quattro Following the creation of the Talbot marque out of the remanants Chrysler Europe [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 2 Comments
Talbot Horizon 1.9LD
Some trivia for you – which car was the first to be powered by the near immortal Peugeot-Citroen XUD engine? That’s right, the Talbot Horizon… Saving the best for last The almost-forgotten Talbot Horizon is one of those cars with a confused upbringing. It started out as a Chrysler UK styling scheme that ran on [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · No Comments
The cars : Chrysler Sunbeam
Just 19 months from conception to introduction, the Sunbeam was the result of a crash development programme for Chrysler in order to secure UK government funding. It worked, too… and emerged from Whitley as a fine little supermini. Of course, it truly came of age once a Lotus engine was installed… The sweet escape By [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 11 Comments
Concepts and prototypes : Chrysler Sunbeam
Project R429 RWD was given the green light in January 1976, and the challenge had been set; design a supermini set of clothes for the Avenger floorplan. Here are some of the Whitley styling team’s first thoughts on the subject. Conservatively chosen
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · No Comments
The cars : Chrysler 180/SIMCA 1610
The Chrysler 180 encapsulated the confusion, lack of direction and failure to invest in good products that ultimately brought the humiliation of the mighty Chrysler Corporation offloading its European operations to the family run firm Peugeot for a single dollar. It was a car that could have been a contender but instead it lost every [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 15 Comments
Concepts and prototypes : Chrysler C Car
The Chrysler 180 was a bitter-sweet story for Chrysler Europe, and although the original British style was pleasant enough, there was a degree of internal controversy about it. Soon after its launch, Whitley went about producing a restyle scheme; here are pictures of two coupe proposals and a saloon facelift. None of these saw the [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 3 Comments
Concepts and prototypes : Projet 929
After launching the ultra-successful SIMCA 1100, the French knuckled down to producing a new big car. It was christened Projet 929. Following Chrysler’s takeover of SIMCA, it was decided that either Projet 929 or Whitley’s C Car project would become Chrysler Europe’s definitive large car. In the end, Chrysler’s management decided that the British effort [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 7 Comments
Chrysler 180 : Chrysler Centura
The Chrysler 180 made it to the Antipodes… sadly, it was not a great success down under. Only this time, politics may have had a hand in its undoing… It also makes for an interesting comparison with the Australian Morris Marinas, which also boasted multi-cylinder engines. C Car down under The Chrysler 180 was imported [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · No Comments
Chrysler 180 : Barreiros
The Chrysler 180 was popular in Spain, and this is its story… C Car in Spain At the beginning of 1975 the assembly lines of the Chrysler 160, 180 and 2Litre were transferred from Poissy in France to the Barreiros factory at Villaverde in Spain. The plant belonged to Chrysler and had hitherto specialized in [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · No Comments
Chrysler 180 Gallery
The Chrysler 180 was quite a stylish car, and it remains a mystery why it failed so spectacularly in the UK… Pictures taken from the excellent French language Chrysler 180 site.
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 5 Comments
The cars : Chrysler Alpine
It was a genuine step forward for Chrysler – the Anglo-French Alpine was styled in the UK and powered by Simca running gear. Shame it wasn’t built to withstand rust. Hatching a new approach The Alpine was born through the desperate need for Chrysler to replace the ageing Simca 1500/1501 in France. As late as [...]
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · 17 Comments
In production : Chrysler Alpines at Ryton
The Anglicized version of the SIMCA 1307/1308 went into production at Ryton in 1976. This meant that Avenger production moved to Linwood in Scotland, and Hunter production went to Ireland. Engines for the Alpine were also produced in the UK, boosting local content to above 50 per cent. Photos kindly supplied by 1307-1308.org
July 25, 2011
· Matthew Hayward · No Comments
