Simca Horizon 1.3 GLS
The Horizon wrapped familiar Simca front-drive engineering in a roomier, squarer five-door body and gave the GLS an unexpectedly fancy dashboard for a family hatchback.
Simca Chrysler Horizon GLS 1979.jpg · Pfoy · CC BY-SA 3.0
Research pending
A matching completed auction sale has not been verified for this exact year, body, trim, engine, transmission and market.
Joyride shows this gap instead of substituting an asking price, unsold bid or mismatched special vehicle.
More than a set of wheels.
Chrysler Europe developed the Horizon as a successor to the Simca 1100 and a transatlantic 'world car.' It was revealed in 1977, but period model records and Simca club history place French sales in January 1978. The top launch GLS used the 1,294 cc engine and added velour trim, tinted glass, a digital clock and extra instruments. It later won the 1979 European Car of the Year award, just before the European brand changed from Chrysler-Simca to Talbot.
Look a little closer.
The same basic car wore three family names in a short time: Chrysler-Simca at launch, then Talbot in Europe, while related Omni and Horizon cars were built in North America.
Photos show an example of the model or generation. The pictured vehicle’s year, equipment, or modifications can differ from the specification described here.
A 1977 reveal is not a 1977 French sale
The Horizon belongs to the 1977 story because Chrysler Europe revealed it that year, but the best launch records place its appearance in French showrooms in January 1978. The encyclopedia should therefore use 1978 for the saleable GLS profile and explain the 1977 preview rather than backdating a production-market car.
Source: Simca Club UK · Talbot Horizon history ↗The GLS made instruments part of the fun
GLS equipment went beyond softer seats and carpet: period descriptions list a digital clock, voltmeter and oil-pressure gauge among its cabin details. Those extra readouts gave a practical hatchback some of the visual theater usually associated with larger or sportier cars, even though its 1.3-liter engine was deliberately mild.
Source: Simca Club UK · Talbot Horizon history ↗Where these facts come from
- Simca Club UK · Talbot Horizon history
- Period Talbot Horizon brochure scan · engine specifications
- Automobile-Catalog · 1978 Chrysler-Simca Horizon 1.3 GLS
- European Car of the Year · 1979 winner
Selected facts checked for this edition. Some source pages link to broader model families. Last reviewed October 1, 2026.