Ford Simca Vedette II

Production period:	1954 to 1966
Type :	Motor car
Class :	Luxury
Body versions :	Limousine , station wagon
Engines:	Gasoline : 2.4 liters (59-61 kW)
Length:	4495-4750 mm
Width:	1720 mm
Height:	1480 mm
Wheelbase :	2690 mm
Curb weight :	1130 kg
previous model	Ford Vedette I
successor	Simca Esplanada

The Simca Vedette is a six-seater sedan of the French car manufacturer Simca. The new Vedette was still marketed as Ford. 

History

After Simca had taken over in 1954 the French Ford subsidiary Ford Société Anonyme France ( Ford SAF ) with the car factory Poissy near Paris, the still developed by Ford successor of the Ford Vedette was built until 1961. 

The "Aquilon" eight-cylinder V-engine with a displacement of 2351 cc (bore 66.06 mm, stroke 85.72 mm) was essentially derived from its predecessor. It was a 1930s design with a triple-bearing crankshaft and upright valves operated by a central camshaft. The exhaust ports were passed through the engine block between the cylinders. This resulted in a high cooling load. The engine produced up to 84 hp (62 kW) at 4800 rpm, with maximum torque of 152 Nm at 2750 rpm. The mixture prepared a downdraft double carburetor. The power was transmitted via a partially synchronized three-speed gearbox and an undivided propshaft to the rear wheels. The rigid banjo axis was guided on leaf springs and had telescopic shock absorbers. The front wheels with roller steering were suspended individually on MacPherson struts with wishbones and stabilizer (Simca called "Stabimatic"). On all wheels there were hydraulically operated drum brakes, rear self-centering, front duplex brakes. The body was new, self-supporting and designed in the style of the time with tail fins.

Initially, the Simca Vedette was produced in the following equipment series:

• Trianon - simple equipment
• Versailles - medium equipment
• Régence - upscale amenities
• Marly - Combi estate

Often the Vedettes are called instead of the official name Simca Vedette Trianon , Simca Vedette Versailles, Simca Vedette Régence and Simca Vedette Marly only as Simca Trianon , Simca Versailles, Simca Régence and Simca Marly .

In 1957 the Vedette was revised. This received larger tail fins and further projecting headlamp borders, the engine power was increased slightly to 84 hp (62 kW). The car was also exported to the US and sold there as Chrysler .

There were now the equipment series, which in turn led to shortened designations:

• Beaulieu - medium equipment, successor of the Versailles
• Chambord - upscale equipment, successor to the Régence
• Présidence - luxury version with extended wheelbase
• Marly estate

The old body was further built with simple equipment and the 1.3-liter engine of the Aronde and sold as Simca Ariane . From October 1957 Ariane 8 was also available with the V-8 engine.

On February 9, 1961 left the last built in France Vedette the plant in Poissy.

In 1961 Simca shifted the production of Vedette to Belo Horizonte in Brazil . There were running until 1969 Vedettes with more powerful engines (most recently as Chrysler Esplanada with modernized bodies) off the line. In Australia , Chrysler built the Vedette between 1958 and 1962.

The Simca Vedette served as a model for the Chinese sedan Dongfeng CA71 . 

Over the seven years of production under Simca 166985 Vedettes were produced. For the individual years, the production is distributed as follows:

• 1955: 42,439
• 1956: 44,836
• 1957: 17,875
• 1958: 28,142
• 1959: 15,966
• 1960: 13,914
• 1961: 3,813