Aronde P60
Simca Aronde is available in 3 versions. The most popular is the Aronde P60, the model produced between 1958 and 1964 – technically based on its predecessors with the internal designations 9 and 90A. "P" stands for personalization - because of the customers' options, including the choice of two-colour variations. "60" stands for the 1960s. The model was launched in 1959 for the coming decade.
Was a big seller
The Simca Aronde P60 gave a lot of car for the money. The entry-level model with a 40-horsepower 1100 engine did not cost much more than a Renault Dauphine at the same time. No offense to Renault, but the Simca looked much bigger – namely 18 cm longer than the Dauphine and 4 cm wider. Both Renault Dauphine and Simca Aronde were at the top of the sales charts in the 60s in France.
Intendante - pickup
The pickup variant Intendant was produced between 1958 to 1963, and followed the Simca Aronde P60 model. For some reason, the first models got the front of their predecessor Simca 9 Aronde, but the car pictured has the front of it Aronde P60.
Model history
The Aronde P60 was produced from 1959 to 1963 in several variants, including a 4-door sedan, a 3-door station wagon and a 2-seater van. More exciting variants were also made, including a 2-door without center pillar called "Coach". Perhaps more rare are variants with bodies from Facel – Aronde Coupé and Cabriolet. Facel built as known Facel Vega.
About the pictures
The two-tone blue car in the main picture was photographed on the occasion of the Fête de l'auto 2024 in the French village of Palau del Vidre in Roussillon. The gray pickup variant was also in the same location. The two-tone blue car with white sidewalls is photographed at a monthly car rally in Perpignan, France. The other 2 white cars (plain and with a red roof) are pictured at the same car meetings.
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