Chrysler UK

Chrysler UK was the British division of the American car-maker Chrysler. It was founded in 1970 when the Chrysler-owned Rootes Group was renamed to reflect its ownership.

Models

The initial British Chrysler range consisted of Rootes-developed Hillman, Sunbeam and Humber vehicles. The first British Chrysler to wear a Chrysler badge was the 1975 Alpine, and a year later the remaining Hillman range was rebadged as Chryslers, while Chrysler's French range retained the Simca badge. The French version of the Chrysler Alpine was the Simca 1307/1308.

Chrysler UK's next major launch was the 1977 Sunbeam, a three-door entry-level hatchback which effectively replaced the Hillman Imp and made use of the Avenger's rear-wheel drive chassis. 1978 saw the launch of the mid-range Horizon, a five-door hatchback marketed as a more modern alternative to the Ford Escort, Vauxhall Viva and Austin Allegro. Sales of the British Chrysler range were reasonably strong throughout the 1980s.

Plants

Chrysler UK had several plants in Coventry, including the Ryton assembly plant, the Stoke engine plant, the design, engineering and development site at Whitley and Hills Precision, the plastics factory in Canterbury Street, as well as the vehicle manufacturing plant at Linwood in Scotland.

Sale to Peugeot

By 1979, Chrysler was deep in financial trouble and in order to stay afloat it sold its European operations to French carmaker Peugeot S.A. who sold the range as Talbots in both Britain and France before phasing the name out on passenger vehicles by 1987.