Simca Esplanada

The basic platform of the Esplanada can be traced back through the French-built Simca Vedette to the Ford Vedette. The Emi-Sul engine was derived from the Ford Motor Company flathead V8 of 1932, thanks to the use of Zora Arkus-Duntov's "Ardun" hemispherical cylinder heads. This iteration was the last version of that design to be built for a production car. Though the Chambord's engine and central section were retained, the Esplanada featured radically restyled front and rear ends. The interior featured reclinable leather seats and fine Jacarandá wood trimmings on dashboard and doors. The 140 hp (104 kW; 142 PS) engine now was fed by an electric fuel pump and featured a 34-Ampère alternator. The 6M trim featured an overdrive that operated on all three gears of the standard transmission, and was marketed as a six-speed.