When Simca took over Ford's French factory, it scrubbed the Ford name from the new Vedette almost entirely — printing it just once, in tiny type, on the last page of the launch brochure.
Lead trim: Vedette 2,351 cc Aquilon sidevalve V8 (75 hp)
Simca Vedette1954–1957
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Simca Vedette 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.
FactWhen Simca took over Ford's French factory, it scrubbed the Ford name from the new Vedette almost entirely — printing it just once, in tiny type, on the last page of the launch brochure.
The Simca Vedette is an executive car manufactured from 1954 to 1961 by Simca at Poissy, France, competing in France's large car market with an American style finished off by the Italian designer Luigi Rapi. Simca acquired the Poissy factory from Ford France, with the model line, in July 1954 (formal hand-over on 1 December 1954), so the Vedette was at first still marketed as the Ford Vedette, and the range kept the Ford name in some markets, including the Netherlands and Germany, until 1956. The first generation was powered by an unusually small 2351 cc sidevalve V8 called Aquilon ("North wind"), derived from Ford's Flathead family, whose displacement put it in the 13 CV French tax class; with a two-barrel Zenith-Stromberg 32NX carburetor it produced 75 hp (55 kW) through a three-speed manual gearbox with column shift to the rear live axle, with independent front suspension (MacPherson struts) and drum brakes all round. Trim levels were marketed under baroque-period names: the basic Trianon, the mid-level Versailles and the top Régence, with a large sliding glass moonroof called Vistadome optional; for 1956 an estate, the Marly, joined and the range was revised, and in 1957 a Gravina automatic clutch option was added. Production was 42,439 in 1955, 44,836 in 1956 and 17,875 in 1957. Wheelbase 2,690 mm (105.9 in), length 4,520 mm (178.0 in), width 1,750 mm (68.9 in), height 1,480 mm (58.3 in), curb weight 1,150 kg (2,540 lb).
Collectors Spotted in the Simca Vedette Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Simca Vedette yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vedette 2,351 cc Aquilon sidevalve V8 (75 hp) | 1954–1957 | 2.4 L V8 | 75 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
This Vedette's flagship Présidence became a head-of-state car — coachbuilder Chapron built two custom four-door convertibles for French President Charles de Gaulle.
When Simca took over Ford's French factory, it scrubbed the Ford name from the new Vedette almost entirely — printing it just once, in tiny type, on the last page of the launch brochure.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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