Ford Vedette

Ford Vedette Sedan 1950

Ford Vedette ABXC Chambord 1958

The Ford Vedette wis a lairge caur manufactured bi Ford France SA in thair factory in Poissy frae 1948 tae 1954. Introduced at the 1948 Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris, it wis designed entirely in Detroit (resemblin contemporary Mercury models), but featurt the Poissy-made 2158 cc Aquillon sidevalve V8 ingine o Ford's Flathead ingine faimily, the same as in pre-war Matford caurs. On the ither haund, the Vedette wis the first caur tae featur the new independent front suspension concept developt bi Earle S. MacPherson, kent the day as MacPherson struts.

Uneasy beginnings

Due tae the fact that the Poissy factory coud no resume complete automobile production immediately efter the war, mony vital components haed still tae be made bi various subcontractors, which reportedly haed an adverse effect on the quality o the caur an contributit tae its leemitit popularity. Ower the sax years in production, the Vedette wis available in several body styles, rangin frae the oreeginal 4-door fastback (wi rear "suicide doors") throu the later 4-door saloon, a Sunliner 4-door landaulet based on the saloon (wi a roll-doun roof ower the entire cabin), a 2-door Coupé an, based on it, the Cabriolet Décapotable (a 2-door convertible).

Enter Mr. Lehideux

Unner the direction o the new company preses, Mr. François Lehideux, Ford France refresht the caur for 1950, an again in 1952, when the caur finally received a ane-piece windscreen, new interior an bumpers, better brakes, lairger trunk - an a cigarette lichter. The 1952 Mondial de l'Automobile an' a' saw a luxury version o the Vedette, the Ford Vendôme, fittit wi the bigger 3923 cc Mistral V8 ingine, previously uised in Ford France trucks. An' a' debutin in 1952 wis the 5-door, 5-seat Abeille (French for "bee") estate wi a twa-piece tailgate, advertised as baith practical (wi a payload o 500 kg) an comfortable.

Enter Mr. Pigozzi

Facin unsatisfactory sales results, as weel as disruptive strikes at the Poissy plant at the turn o the decade, Ford haed been tryin tae dispose o the factory syne shortly efter the end o the war. An opportunity arose in 1954, when Henri-Theodore Pigozzi, the foonder o the increasingly successfu French automakker Simca, wis leukin for a new plant tae expand its operations. Ford France wis merged intae Simca wi baith the Poissy plant an the richts tae aw models manufactured thare - includin a newly-designed new Vedette. The new caur haed debuted awready in Fraunce unner the name o Simca Vedette, but wis sauld as the Ford Vedette in some mercats (includin Swaden, the Netherlands an Germany) at least till 1956.

Freemit airtins

• Club Vedette France (in French)
• Mademoiselle Ford @ Best Cars Web Site (in Portuguese)