Simca (Société Industrielle de Mécanique et Carrosserie Automobile) was founded by Italian entrepreneur Enrico 'Henri' Pigozzi in November 1934 and became very successful assembling Fiat 508 Balillas for the French market, followed by other models from the Italian giant's range. In 1936, the Simca Cinq, which was a re-badged 'replica' of the Fiat 500, was launched in France. Pigozzi was an amazing automotive character and an ambitious chap. He developed his own range of cars, using Fiat mechanicals, with the most successful being the Simca 1000 of 1961, which would regularly sell 160,000 units per year, thus rivalling big-hitters such as Renault and competing head-on with the Dauphine in France. Pigozzi was good friends with Fiat owner Gianni Agnelli which opened many doors for him including those of the Fiat Development Department led by Dante Giacosa. Access was almost unheard of to outsiders, although Carlo Abarth was another of the few that were granted entry and with him Pigozzi devised the brilliant SIMCA-ABARTH 1300. Respected automotive journalist Steve Hole charts the fortunes of the Simca marque as it grew to develop a strong foothold in the French market.