Editing Simca (section)

== Simca-Fiat ==
[[File:1973 Simca 1000 GL.JPG|thumb|[[Simca 1000|Simca 1000 GL]] (1974)]]
The SIMCA (''Société Industrielle de Mécanique et de Carrosserie Automobile'') company was founded in 1935 by [[Fiat S.p.A.]], when it bought the former [[Donnet]] factory in the French town of [[Nanterre]].<ref name=Beaulieu/>

The first cars produced were [[Fiat 508]] Balillas and [[Fiat 518]] Arditas, but with Simca-Fiat 6CV and 11CV badges. They were followed during 1936 by the 3CV [[Simca 5]], a version of the [[Fiat 500 "Topolino"|Fiat Topolino]] announced in the Spring, but only available for sale from October 1936. Its name references the first digit of the car's 570&nbsp;cc displacement.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.caapy.net/voitures-simca/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20221209200959/https://www.caapy.net/voitures-simca/ | archive-date = 2022-12-09 | title = Les voitures Simca | trans-title = The vehicles of Simca | language = fr | work = L’Aventure Automobile à Poissy – CAAPY | publisher = L'Aventure Peugeot Citroën DS }}</ref> The [[Simca 8|Huit]], a 6CV version of the [[Fiat 508C]]-1100, appeared in late 1937 for the 1938 model year - hence its name.<ref name=GazHuit>{{cite magazine | url = https://www.gazoline.net/essais/simca-8-1100-cabriolet-grand-luxe/ | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20240719141643/https://www.gazoline.net/essais/simca-8-1100-cabriolet-grand-luxe/ | archive-date = 2024-07-19 | magazine = Gazoline | title = Simca 8 1100 Cabriolet Grand Luxe | date = 2017-06-08 | first = Hugues | last = Chaussin | language = fr | issue = 245 | publisher = Editions Larivière }}</ref> Production of the 6CV and 11CV stopped in 1937, leaving the 5 and the 8 in production until the outbreak of World War II. The firm nevertheless remained closely connected with Fiat, and it was not until 1938 that the shortened name "Simca" replaced "Simca-Fiat".<ref name=Automobilia1936>{{cite journal| title =Automobilia| journal = Toutes les voitures françaises 1936 (salon [Paris, October] 1935)| volume = 1| pages =80–81|year = 1996|publisher=Histoire & collections|location=Paris }}</ref>

Of the businesses that emerged as France's big four auto-makers after the war, Simca was unique in not suffering serious bomb damage to its plant.<ref name=Automobilia1940-46>{{cite journal| title =Automobilia| journal = Toutes les voitures françaises 1940-46 (les années sans salon )| volume = 26| pages =76–77|year = 2003|publisher=Histoire & collections|location=Paris }}</ref> There were persistent suggestions that [[Henri Pigozzi]]'s close personal relationship with the [[Giovanni Agnelli|Agnelli]] family (which owned [[Fiat]]) and Fiat's powerful political influence with the [[Benito Mussolini|Mussolini]] government in Italy secured relatively favourable treatment for Simca during the years when France fell under the control of Italy's powerful ally, [[Germany]].<ref name=Automobilia1940-46/> Despite France being occupied, Simca cars continued to be produced in small numbers throughout the war.<ref name=Automobilia1940-46/>

Following the [[Liberation of Paris|1944 liberation]], the company's close association with Italy became an obvious liability in the feverish atmosphere of recrimination and new beginnings that swept France following four years of [[Nazi Germany|German]] [[German military administration in occupied France during World War II|occupation]]. Nevertheless, shortly after the liberation the Nanterre plant's financial sustainability received a boost when Simca won a contract from the American army to repair large numbers of [[Jeep]] engines.<ref name=Automobilia1947/>