Chrysler Europe

[Põdravorst]

Hello,

Did Chrysler Europe actually exist in 1960s and 1970s? It is claimed that it was a business, division, subsidiary or something after merging Rootes, Barreiros and Simca. I cannot find any information about it. None of the sales literature from the period mentions Chrysler Europe. I know that Rootes was renamed to Chrysler United Kingdom Ltd, Simca to Chrysler France SA, Barreiros to Chrysler Espana SA, all somewhere around 1970. But Chrysler Europe Limited did not exist and nor did Chrysler Europe SA. Well the last one did or does but that is from the 1997 plus. Chrysler sold its European operations to Peugeot in 1978. I believe that Chrysler Europe should refer to Chrysler's European operations not to a division, subsidiary or whatever. I would like to learn more about this subject.

 

Edit:
The closest thing that resembles to Chrysler Europe I can find is Chrysler International SA that was located in Geneva. Dodge Brothers (Britain) Limited belonged under it. But Rootes, Simca etc? Another question I have is that what happened with Dodge Britain after 1967 when Kew plant was closed? Was it merged with Rootes?

 

Another edit:
The FCA US LLC heritage page also mentions nothing about Chrysler Europe as a business or whatever. It only mentions that in 1978 Chrysler’s European operations were sold.
1960s: http://www.fcanorthamerica.com/company/Heritage/Pages/Chrysler-Heritage-1960.aspx
1970s: http://www.fcanorthamerica.com/company/Heritage/Pages/Chrysler-Heritage-1970.aspx

 

Update:

I managed to make somebody in Wikipedia to edit the Chrysler Europe article. Now the article in Wikipedia seems to be correct to me.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chrysler_Europe

Edited March 30, 2018 by Põdravorst

[Lurch]

The Sunbeam was the most significant thing that came from the whole operation. The Sunbeam Lotus was a fairly cool car for that period.

[Põdravorst]

Well I started taking interest in Dodge European trucks recently and stumbled across Chrysler Europe that is claimed to be some kind of business entity. I believe that it is wrong and misleading and would like to get some clarification.

 

 

 

Edit: Apparently they made 500 series up until the 1974 but I cannot find any brochures about it. And Dodge Bantam, rebadged Karrier, is missing. It was sold in the Netherlands at least in 1968, probably ended in 1974 when Karrier ended.

Edited March 30, 2018 by Põdravorst

[Cudwieser]

Well I started taking interest in Dodge European trucks recently and stumbled across Chrysler Europe that is claimed to be some kind of business entity. I believe that it is wrong and misleading and would like to get some clarification.

 

 

Podravost has pretty much nailled the links.

 

Start With Renault, go back to PSA Peugeot, Talbot and keep going back. I'll be back later with some more detail, but follow the truck lines of PSA Peugoet, Commer, Karrier and others. The car lines reflect the truck line. BMC and Leyland are another line to trace.

Edited March 30, 2018 by Cudwieser

[Põdravorst]

Do you mean this?

 

 

Edited March 30, 2018 by Põdravorst

[Cudwieser]

Do you mean this?

 

 

More or less yes. To give an abridged time line I'm using the illustrated book of trucks by peter j davies.

 

Much of Cryslers presence in Euroupe derives fom Dodge. Crysler owned dodge from 1928 (dodge was founded in 1910 by the dodge bros). Dodge were and a largely perveyors of light trucks. Dodge had already reached Britain in 1922 so when Chrysler took over they already had a foot hold near Europe. Crysler started into Europe in ernest around the time they took over the Rootes operations in the UK. One big purchase was Barrieros in Spain and another being the Rootes group that comprised Commer and Karrier marques (founded 1926 and 1920 respectively). Dodge was a common marque in Europe since WW2 and sales were pretty decent until the late 70's. By then the likes of Fiat, Renault, Volvo, Mercedes and Daf (owned now by the Paccar group) started to establish themselves. They were local trucks and were generally better suited to the respective markets than Dodge. Eventually the rootes group was split between Renault and British Leyland (trucks to renault and cars to BLMC). Barrieros went to Renault, Simca (trucks) went to Iveco (fiat) while their cars went to PSA Peugoet. Oddly the only marque from the crysler era to still exist as a marque is Maserati (now fiat owned). Chrysler (now fiat owned) still has dodge markets in Turkey and India as well as America.

[Põdravorst]

I think there is a difference between a Dodge, a Dodge and a Dodge. One is an American designed Dodge (and Chrysler in general) that was imported into Europe like Spain. Many countries also assembled and built these, some were rebadged as Barreiros (in Spain). It seems that even the Dodge LCF truck was sold at least in Spain. Another Dodge was British Dodge, it was like European Ford - own engines, chassis and cabs, although the cabs were often from other British manufacturers. British Dodge vehicles ended in 1967 when the plant closed. Vehicles were commonly known as Kew Dodge or Dodge Kew (and Fargo/De Soto). Main export seems to be Australia. Third Dodge: European vehicles rebranded as Dodge vehicles, mainly British ones like Commer. Dodge Commando and 300 (Barreiros) were apparently that good that Renault kept building these into the late 1980s. Main markets (I guess) were UK and Netherlands. Spain had its 300 and Commando i think.