Duralinox and the Panhard Dyna Z: why the light body matters
On the Dyna Z, the light body is not brochure decoration. It shapes the character of the model, its efficiency and part of the marque’s economic difficulty.
The Les Caramagnols Blog
Find the articles published around our classic car pages, walks, villages, heritage and local life. Each article extends a main page on the site and explores one precise subject in more depth.
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Henri Pigozzi, Fiat and the birth of Simca in France
Simca did not begin from a blank page. The marque was built around Henri Pigozzi to manufacture in France Fiat cars that had become too expensive to import.
How to recognise a Simca P60: what the front end and line change in 1959
The P60 does not begin from a wholly new shell, yet its nose, roofline and interior are enough to push the Aronde into another era of style.
Why BMC created the Mini in 1959
The Mini answered a practical brief: four usable seats, low fuel use and as much space as possible in a very short car.
Louis Renault, Rue Lepic and the Type A: proving the marque on the road
The rue Lepic episode is more than folklore. It already sums up the Renault method in 1898: prove a mechanical solution on the road before turning it into a commercial argument.
The Aronde 1300 Flash engine: what it changed for Simca
In 1956, the Flash engine gives the Aronde 1300 extra presence more than absolute transformation. That well-placed gain helps Simca prolong the model’s success.
How to recognise a Simca 9: stepped grille, monocoque and consistency
The Simca 9 is first identified by its front end and overall coherence. To avoid confusing it with later Arondes, one should read a set of simple but matching clues.
Austin, from Longbridge to the Mini: the full story of the marque
From Longbridge in 1905 to the fading of the badge in the 1980s, Austin reflects a large part of Britain’s popular motoring history.
