The Ariane wasn't a new car underneath: Simca kept the previous Vedette's three-year-old body and simply dropped in the Aronde's smaller 1.3-litre four-cylinder in place of the V8.
Lead trim: Ariane 8 2,351 cc Aquillon V8
Simca Ariane / Miramas1957–1963
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Simca Ariane / Miramas yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactThe Ariane wasn't a new car underneath: Simca kept the previous Vedette's three-year-old body and simply dropped in the Aronde's smaller 1.3-litre four-cylinder in place of the V8.
The Simca Ariane is a large saloon launched in April 1957 and built at Poissy until 1963, the answer to the tax and fuel pressures of the Suez Crisis (although Simca's project for "une grande voiture à petit moteur" had existed for several years): the body of the former first-generation Vedette fitted with a 1290 cc (7 CV) Flash four-cylinder engine from the Aronde, focused on economy rather than acceleration and filling the gap between Aronde and Vedette. In October 1957 the Ariane 8 was presented, powered by the Vedette's Aquillon 2351 cc (13CV) V8, effectively replacing the bottom-of-the-range Trianon (the infobox dates the V8 to 1958–1961); it was discontinued with the other V8 models in 1961. For 1959 an Ariane Super Luxe added chrome trim, vanity mirrors and a windscreen washer and all Arianes got restyled tail light clusters like the Vedette's; for 1961 interior trim was upgraded and fold-flat bench seats offered, and for the final two years it was branded the Simca Miramas. 166,363 were produced (33,733 in 1961, 14,284 in 1962), the most direct replacement being the Simca 1300/1500 of 1963. Wheelbase 2,690 mm (105.9 in), length 4,500 mm (177.2 in), width 1,750 mm (68.9 in), height 1,480 mm (58.3 in); 4-speed manual with synchromesh on the top 3 ratios.
Collectors Spotted in the Simca Ariane Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Simca Ariane yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ariane 1,290 cc Flash four | 1957–1963 | 1.3 L Inline-4 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Ariane 8 2,351 cc Aquillon V8 | 1957–1961 | 2.4 L V8 | 84 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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