Among French car makers, I think Simca tends to get lost in the mix dominated by flamboyant and strange Citroën and classy but conservative Peugeot and otherworldly Panhard and innovative Renault. Simca made some really charming little rear-engined cars and also some much more mechanically conventional cars with tidy, understated Italian-like styling that are very appealing as well. They just get a bit overshadowed. But not today! Today I want to talk about a particular feature of the Simca 1300 or 1500 Break/Estate/Wagon/whatever you want to call it, and how that feature was later picked up by, of all cars, the Honda CR-V.
Look at this pairing of unfamiliar with very familiar! What feature could these two radically different cars, separated by over 40 years, have in common?
Read this last sentence:
Oh yeah. That’s right mothertrusters, we’re talking tables of the motherflapping picnic variety. Check this shit out:
The floor of the cargo area is formica (named because it was originally supposed to be an electrical insulator to replace mica, hence for-mica! Did you know that?) and forms the tabletop of the picnic table when removed! Sure looks familiar if you’ve ever seen this:
Man, I love this. Why isn’t this more common? It’d be really quite easy to do on so many cars. Why are we being denied the lift-out tables we know are possible? Does the government not want us snacking or playing Scrabble al fresco?
More cargo floor tables, carmakers. Get on it.
Also, in this 1968 Simca brochure pic, it’s worth asking how that dude thinks that stuff is going to stay on the roof. I don’t see any rope or bungie cords or anything. Also, damn, they’ve been cranking out some kids! There’s six kids in there! No, wait! Seven! There’s seven! That head peeking out of the back threw me for a second because, well, just look.
That’s little Chewie out back
I did know that about Formica! It was originally a Westinghouse development used in old electrical control panels, the kind with giant knife switches. One of those things you learn growing up a Pittsburgher. Or at least did in my day. 😉
I believe I’d prefer “Fast, Comfortable and Elegant” to
tall, tippy and a tailgate that blocks access from curbside.
*Children Not Included”
Simca gets forgotten for a few reasons.
* its brand was a mess. At various times it was known as Simca, Mantra Simca, Chrysler Simca, Talbot Simca, then maybe just Talbot, IIRC, then death.
* they didn’t have any hits other than the Simca 1000 (1960s IIRC) and the Rancho (1970s)
* they were absolute heaps. Reprehensible. They made 1980s Rovers look good.
https://youtu.be/pWdd6_ZxX8c?si=FzpVZdQKu1qo8QGi
Fact
We had one in the family bought new when I was born. It served duty as the only car in the household for 18 years, at which point it was downgraded to being my dad’s commuter car until it was retired for good five years later when an idiot ran a stop sign and T-boned it. It only ever required regular maintenance, never missed a beat
That’s amazing. What model?
A 1100, but it was sold in Spain (and maybe other markets, not sure) as 1200, which is a bit confusing but in line with the branding mess you mentioned. Ours came with Simca badging in the grille and tailgate but a Chrysler star on the steering wheel.