Chrysler Europe
 |
|
| Subsidiary | |
| Industry | Automotive |
| Fate | Taken over |
| Predecessor |
Barreiros Rootes Group Simca |
| Founded | 1967 |
| Defunct | 1978 |
| Headquarters |
Whitley, Coventry, UK Poissy, France |
| Products | Automobiles |
| Parent | Chrysler Corporation |
| Subsidiaries | Chrysler (UK) Chrysler (France) |
Chrysler Europe was a division of the American Chrysler Corporation automotive company. It was formed from the merger of the French Simca, British Rootes and Spanish Barreiros companies. Chrysler Europe operated between 1967 and 1979, before it was divested to PSA Peugeot Citroën.
For the first half of the 1980s the company and its products became known publicly as Talbot, before PSA abandoned the brand for passenger cars in 1986.
Today, the two remaining Chrysler Europe assets still in existence are the former Simca factory in Poissy, which survives as a major Peugeot-Citroën assembly plant, and the Rootes Group research and development complex in Whitley, Coventry - which is now the headquarters of Jaguar Land Rover.
Chrysler Corporation had never had much success outside North America, contrasting with Ford's worldwide reach and General Motors' success with Opel, Vauxhall, Holden and Bedford. Chrysler first established an interest on the French-based Simca in 1958, buying 15% of the Simca stocks from Ford. In 1963 Chrysler increased their stake to a controlling 63% by purchasing further stock from Fiat.
Chrysler acquired a 35% share of the Spanish Barreiros in 1963, and became part of Chrysler Europe in 1969.
After failing to acquire an interest in the British-based Leyland Motors in 1962, Chrysler bought a 30% share in Rootes Group in 1964, Rootes was formally taken over by Chrysler following purchase of the remaining shares in 1967.
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Wikipedia