Chrysler (France)

As Ford and GM gained ground in Europe, Chrysler responded by acquiring Simca in France and the Rootes Group in the UK during the 1960s. Both divisions had been working on a new mid-size car, and Chrysler eventually chose the British design, moving production to France. The result was the launch of the Chrysler 160 and 180 in 1970, with the more powerful 2 Litres version added in 1973. Depending on the engine, the cars were marketed as Chrysler 160/180/2 Litres, and from 1977 as Chrysler-Simca 1609/1610/2 Litres. After PSA’s takeover of Chrysler Europe in 1978, the model was rebranded as Talbot 1610/2 Litres. Despite Chrysler’s hopes, the large, American-influenced design never caught on with European buyers. Its successor was eventually released as the Talbot Tagora, which fared even worse in the market.