"The Aronde was the first model to be made that was not Fiat based and quickly became a big hit for Simca. Many versions of the Aronde were made but the Plein Ciel was one of the sportier models. The Plein Ciel meaning ‘open air’ due to its airy cockpit which was made for a fashion-conscious market; designed to be stylish, yet affordable, around the town cars. So stylish, in fact, that apparently Bridget Bardot, the French actress and model, owned one. Both cars had bodywork redesigned by Facel Vega, many of your will have probably noticed the similarities with the HK500, who had been building bodies for Simca since the 8 Sport in 1951.
This 1957 Facel Vega bodied Simca Plein Ciel was supplied by Aronde Division, 7 Rue Louis-David, Paris. It was delivered new to a Monsieur Miguel Guzman who, according to the original documents, lived on the world-famous Champs-Élysées. Due to work commitments he emigrated to Mexico in 1961 and took the car with him. This unusual and rare Simca was subsequently sold and imported to the UK by our vendor and although it was a sound example it was due to undergo a full restoration. Our vendor however has too many projects and has opted instead for the auction route and we are pleased he has. Supplied to auction with a V5C registration document, 166 XVP is an opportunity to purchase a very rare piece of automotive history.
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