Simca Profissional
Encyclopedia
The Simca Profissional was a successor to the Simca Alvorada
, which was itself a stripped version of the entry level Simca Chambord. Simca do Brasil
had responded reluctantly to the demand by the Brazilian government of president Juscelino Kubitcheck that every car manufacturer must offer an affordable basic version within their range. The idea was to give as many Brazilians as possible the opportunity to own a car.
that would allow Brazilians to finance their vehicle over four years with a monthly interest rate of 1%. This obviously was to attract a new range of clients and Simca do Brasil
looked into how to make the Alvorada even cheaper in order to make it attractive for, for example for taxicab
drivers.
, the Simca Profissional had no distinct range of chassis numbers so that this version is mixed in with the production figures cited for the Simca Chambord.
Simca Alvorada
The Simca Alvorada was a stripped version of the Simca Chambord, the first model to be built by Simca do Brasil.The Chambord, which was a direct copy of the French built Simca Vedette, had first left the production line in March 1959 and featured an engine, 3 speed gearbox with the shifter located...
, which was itself a stripped version of the entry level Simca Chambord. Simca do Brasil
Simca do Brasil
Simca do Brasil was a subsidiary of the now defunct French automaker Simca and started out in the late 1950s assembling the Simca Vedette imported in kit form from France and selling it in three versions, the Chambord, Présidence and Rallye...
had responded reluctantly to the demand by the Brazilian government of president Juscelino Kubitcheck that every car manufacturer must offer an affordable basic version within their range. The idea was to give as many Brazilians as possible the opportunity to own a car.
New incentive, new version
In 1965, the Brazilian government created a new public financing tool through its publicly owned bank Caixa Econômica FederalCaixa Econômica Federal
Caixa Econômica Federal , also referred to as Caixa or CEF, is a Brazilian bank. It is the largest government-owned financial institution in Latin America. It is the largest bank in Brazil and in Latin America by assets....
that would allow Brazilians to finance their vehicle over four years with a monthly interest rate of 1%. This obviously was to attract a new range of clients and Simca do Brasil
Simca do Brasil
Simca do Brasil was a subsidiary of the now defunct French automaker Simca and started out in the late 1950s assembling the Simca Vedette imported in kit form from France and selling it in three versions, the Chambord, Présidence and Rallye...
looked into how to make the Alvorada even cheaper in order to make it attractive for, for example for taxicab
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
drivers.
Plastic replaces leather
The Simca Profissional appeared in 1965 with three colour options (yellow, green and cream white), no chrome (even the bumpers were painted in dark gray, no trimmings, the already very simple interior of the Alvorada was downscaled further with plastic seat covers and the door covers were dark and naked cardboard screwed onto the metal. But the Profissional was 30% cheaper than its far posher brother, the all chrome and leather Simca Chambord. The production numbers of this version apparently were never documented and, unlike the Simca AlvoradaSimca Alvorada
The Simca Alvorada was a stripped version of the Simca Chambord, the first model to be built by Simca do Brasil.The Chambord, which was a direct copy of the French built Simca Vedette, had first left the production line in March 1959 and featured an engine, 3 speed gearbox with the shifter located...
, the Simca Profissional had no distinct range of chassis numbers so that this version is mixed in with the production figures cited for the Simca Chambord.
Production figures
- 1965 - 1966 = number of units produced not documented by Simca do BrasilSimca do BrasilSimca do Brasil was a subsidiary of the now defunct French automaker Simca and started out in the late 1950s assembling the Simca Vedette imported in kit form from France and selling it in three versions, the Chambord, Présidence and Rallye...