The Simca 180 and Centura

by Wilf

Webmaster note: The Simca 180 was the predecessor of the Chrysler Centura sent to Australia in the 1970s.  Also see: history of SIMCA, 160/180/2 Litre, 1100/1204, 1308, Horizon, and Matra Rancho

Simca 180 - an orphan of the road - and Chrysler Centura

The Simca 180 was an automotive orphan. It was to be built in Britain to replace the big Humbers of the 1960s, but Rootes UK was having too many problems; the Imp was proving unreliable, although the new Avenger was a reasonable sales success and the Hunter/Minx and other "Arrow" cars of 1966 to 1979 sold steadily.

By the mid-1970s Chrysler UK was in financial crisis and received government cash (as British Leyland did some months previously). This enabled them to release the subcompact Sunbeam (spun off the Avenger chassis) and build the Horizon (which the Omni/Horizon is based on) and Alpine.

In 1978 Peugeot bought the European arm of Chrysler (Chrysler UK and Simca) and by 1981 had stopped building Avengers and Sunbeams (from 1976 built at the old Imp plant in Scotland). The Alpine (and sedan Solara) and Horizon lasted until 1985, along with the Samba (a rebadged Peugeot 104) before the name died.

As the British didn't want it, the 180 was passed to France which also didn't want it, so it ended up in Spain (if you ever visit Spain you will lots of them, whereas I haven't seen one in the UK for a couple years).

The car was released in 1970 and was technically advanced for the time - 1.6, 1.8 and 2-litre overhead-cam engines (the UK never saw the 1.6, and the 2-litre was always with 3-speed auto), disc brakes all round, and swoopy styling that aped Chrysler's US designs with a lack of glass. The Australian Centura had two rectangular headlights as opposed to four round ones but was otherwise identical.

The car was produced for a full 10 years until 1980, although demand was never high. It's interesting to note the comments about bodies sitting in compounds in Oz for years and rusting; all Chrysler UK cars of the time were notorious for this, especially the Avenger (because it used electrolyzed paint on the chassis instead of underseal to save weight), Horizon, and Alpine.

The 180 (1.8) was released first in the UK, with the 2-Litre (that is how it was badged) released two years later. Nice, comfortable cars with soft seats in the French tradition, most with the 3-speed auto, vinyl roof. But the UK masses bought cars like the Rover 2000 and Ford Granada instead. Oh well. We also had for a short time (early-to-mid 1970s) the Australian Charger and Valiant.

Ken Westmoreland pointed out that Carrocerias PV did station wagon conversions on the Chrysler 180 in Spain - click here for details (not at allpar).

The Simca 180 (courtesy afyanez)

The Simca N9TE engine

Andrew Minney wrote:

The 91.7 x 81.6 mm, 2156 cc engine found in the Peugeot 505 Turbo dates back to the 160/180 2 litre designed by Simca in 1967.

The Citroen BX P, M, Rally, 4TC Serie 200 and 4TC Evo cars used this engine (prepared by ROC in the case of the BX P). This was used also in the Matra Le Mans sportscars, Matra Murena, and also some of the Matra F2 cars. Because of its strengths, it was used until 1986. In the Matra Murena, with a turbocharger, it would in its original form produce 155bhp @ 5200rpm.

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Click here for links to Simca clubs and organizations.

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Click here for an overview of Chrysler Europe and related links. 

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