Simca 1000
(1961 - 1968)
Car articles about Simca 1000 by year
Heinz Kranz from the magazine "hobby" had high expectations when he traveled to Monthléry to test the new Simca 1000. And he was bitterly disappointed. Not in terms of the engine or the equipment, but in terms of the handling and the space, which did not quite fit in with a grown-up vehicle. This report reproduces the original wording of the test at the time and is supplemented with the pictures published at the time, as well as archive pictures and a sales brochure from the time.
With the Simca 1000, the French manufacturer presented a vehicle that had four doors despite the dimensions of a small car. Special requests and special versions were not on offer and were not Simca's aim. Rather, the one-liter rear-engined car was to be inexpensive so that anyone could afford it and have simple technology so that it remained affordable to maintain. This (historical) report lists the strengths and weaknesses of the Simca 1000, illustrated with numerous historical pictures and sales brochures.
A good sixty years ago, the French car manufacturer Simca claimed the title "Car for Europe" for its latest model, the '1000'. A considerable number of vehicles were sold in most countries, but in Germany of all places, the sales apparatus stuttered. The angular compact car provided some good arguments, especially in view of its moderate base price of DM 4995. However, a few peculiarities took some getting used to... This article reproduces the original road test from 1962 and shows the mid-range car in historical photos.
The predominant car on the roads of Germany, Austria and Switzerland in the early 1960s was the Volkswagen Beetle. Over the years, the Wolfsburg-based company had perfected it and made it better and more reliable step by step. However, a circle of competitors formed around Wolfsburg that were superior to the Beetle in terms of comfort, space, driving performance and economy ... and still lost out in the local market. This report characterizes the generation of thousands using the examples of the Austin Mini Cooper, DKW F12, Fiat 850, Ford Anglia, Morris 1100, Opel Kadett, Panhard PL17, Renault R8 and Simca 1000. The article is illustrated with over 120 archive photos and over a dozen original sales brochures.
The headline is mean. But the Simca 1000 simply couldn't get rid of its pronounced tendency to oversteer. Together with the high crosswind sensitivity, this resulted in somewhat unrelaxed driving when not going straight ahead in a vacuum. On the other hand, the equipment, engine and brakes in this historic test report were very pleasing.
If the manufacturer advertises its product as a "collector's item", this usually means nothing good. This is often intended to excuse obvious shortcomings. Not so with the Simca 1000 Coupé: the French rear-engined car in Italian guise not only impressed with its captivating lines, but also with its good equipment and sporty driving characteristics.
Is 40 hp enough for a sports car? Rather no. The people in charge at Simca realized this around 55 years ago and doubled the power of the coupé based on the Simca 1000, which was fitted by Bertone, in one fell swoop. There was no longer a lack of power, especially as the coupé remained affordable with a four-digit purchase price. This vehicle report tells the story of the elegant Simca Coupé and shows the two generations in historical and current images as well as in the sales literature.
Current market prices for Simca 1000
Coupe, 39 PS, 944 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 39 PS, 944 cm3
4-Door Sedan, 54 PS, 1118 cm3
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Auctioned vehicles of Simca 1000
| Brand | Model | Year | Status | Auction name | Details |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simca 1000 1962 Not Sold Henry's Mutterstadt Auktion (August 28, 2015) |
1000 | 1962 | Not Sold | Henry's Mutterstadt Auktion (August 28, 2015) | |
| Simca 1000 Coupe 1967 Sold Bonhams Scottsdale (January 17, 2019) |
1000 Coupe | 1967 | Sold | Bonhams Scottsdale (January 17, 2019) | |
| Simca 1000 Coupé 1967 Sold Bonhams Grand Palais Sale (February 6, 2014) |
1000 Coupé | 1967 | Sold | Bonhams Grand Palais Sale (February 6, 2014) | |
| Simca 1000 Coupé 1967 Sold Bonhams Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais (February 9, 2017) |
1000 Coupé | 1967 | Sold | Bonhams Les Grandes Marques du Monde au Grand Palais (February 9, 2017) | |
| Simca 1000 Coupé Bertone 1963 Sold Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Swiss Classic World Luzern (June 1, 2024) |
1000 Coupé Bertone | 1963 | Sold | Oldtimer Galerie Toffen Swiss Classic World Luzern (June 1, 2024) |
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