| Rootes Group "Arrow" series | |
|---|---|
 |
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| Manufacturer | Rootes Group Chrysler Europe |
| Production | 1966-1979 (until 2005 in Iran) |
| Predecessor | Hillman Minx |
| Successor | none |
| Body style(s) | 4-door saloon 5-door estate 2-door coupé 2-door pick-up |
| Engine(s) | 1725 cc Straight-4 1500 cc Straight-4 |
| Transmission(s) | 4 speed manual 4-speed manual + J-type Laycock Overdrive Borg-Warner 35/65 automatic |
| Wheelbase | 98 in (2489 mm) (saloon) |
| Length | 171 in (4343 mm) (saloon) |
| Width | 63 in (1600 mm) (saloon) |
| Curb weight | 2100 lb (953 kg) (saloon) |
| Related | See article for list of Arrow marques Paykan |
| Designer | Rex Fleming (overall) Roy Axe (estate and coupé) |
Rootes Arrow was the manufacturer's name for a range of cars produced under several badge-engineered marques by the Rootes Group (later Chrysler Europe) from 1966 to 1979. The automotive industry is the industry involved in the design development manufacture marketing and sale of Motor vehicles In 2007 more than 73 million motor vehicles The Rootes Group was a British Automobile manufacturer which was based in the Midlands and south of England. In the 1960s Chrysler sought to become a world producer of Automobiles The company had never had much success outside North America contrasting with Ford 's worldwide The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman Marque by the Rootes Group between 1932 and 1970 Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. Some are still in production while others are of historical interest only A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estate In both road and rail Vehicles the wheelbase is the distance between the centers of the front and rear wheels Curb weight is the total Weight of a Vehicle with standard equipment all necessary operating Consumables (e The Paykan ( was an Automobile produced by the Iranian company Iran Khodro (formerly called "Iran National" Industrial Group Roy Axe is a British car designer. Career Axe started his career in 1959 with the Rootes Group where he progressed first to "Chief For a list of vehicles that have been badge engineered see List of badge engineered vehicles. A marque ( French for "brand" ˈmɑrk is a Brand name especially in the Automobile industry The Rootes Group was a British Automobile manufacturer which was based in the Midlands and south of England. In the 1960s Chrysler sought to become a world producer of Automobiles The company had never had much success outside North America contrasting with Ford 's worldwide It is considered by many to be the last set of true Rootes designs, since it was developed with no influence from Chrysler.
The models sold – not all concurrently – were, alphabetically by marque:
- Chrysler Hunter
- Dodge Husky
- Hillman Break de Chasse, Hillman Hunter and Hillman Minx
- Humber Sceptre
- Singer Gazelle and Singer Vogue
- Sunbeam Alpine and Sunbeam Rapier fastback coupés
- Sunbeam Arrow, Sunbeam Break de Chasse, Sunbeam Hunter, Sunbeam Minx, Sunbeam Sceptre, and Sunbeam Vogue
The most prolific model within the Arrow range, the Hillman Hunter, was the Coventry-based company's major competitor in the medium family car segment. The Hillman Minx was a series of middle-sized family cars produced under the Hillman Marque by the Rootes Group between 1932 and 1970 The Humber Sceptre name has been applied to two generations of motor cars from the British manufacturer the Rootes Group (now defunct using the The Singer Gazelle name has been applied to two generations of motor cars from the British manufacturer the Rootes Group, using the Singer marque The Singer Vogue name has been applied to two generations of motor cars from the British manufacturer the Rootes Group (now defunct using the Singer The Sunbeam Alpine was a sporty two seat open car or Coupé from Rootes 's Sunbeam car Marque. The Sunbeam Rapier was the first of the " Audax " range of light cars produced by the Rootes Group. Coventry ( is a city and Metropolitan borough in the County of West Midlands in England. A family car is a Car classification used in Europe to describe normally-sized cars In its 13-year production run, its UK market contemporaries included the Ford Cortina, Morris Marina and Vauxhall Victor, although model positioning within the range meant competition with some larger cars as well, including the BMC ADO17. The Ford Cortina is a mid sized family car built by Ford of Britain in various guises from 1962 to 1982 The Morris Marina was a car manufactured by the Morris division of British Leyland throughout the 1970s a period of great turbulence and difficulty for the British The Vauxhall Victor is a medium/large model of automobile produced by Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of General Motors from 1957 to 1976 Development It was developed at BMC as the large-car follow-up to the successful Mini and Austin 1100 under the ADO17 codename
The Arrow range extended to several body styles: saloon, estate, fastback coupé and a pick-up (sold mainly in South Africa as the Dodge Husky). A station wagon (or simply wagon) in American, Australian, Canadian and New Zealand usage and an estate car (or just estate A fastback is a Car body style whose roofline slopes continuously down at the back A pickup truck is a light Motor vehicle with an open-top rear cargo area which is almost always separated from the cab to allow for chassis flex when carrying or pulling The Republic of South Africa (also known by other official names) is a country located at the southern tip of the continent of Africa Depending on the model, they had two doors or four doors. Not all marques were represented in all body styles, with the coupés being reserved for Sunbeam.
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Models and market positions
In line with Rootes's fondness for badge-engineered derivatives, and keeping alive the names and reputations of the companies it had purchased, the car was simultaneously aimed at several slightly different market segments.
Hillman
The fist models were given the Hillman Hunter name with the respected name Hillman Minx (for the cheapest model), following slightly later. Hillman would remain one of the group's most prolific marques, as over time some of the lesser brands faded away. The Hunter model name was not in fact entirely new for a Rootes-related car, having been used for one year's production of the Singer SM1500. The Singer SM1500 was the first car produced by the Singer Motor Company after World War II
Sports models included the Hillman GT, which was based on the Minx trim, but was a model in its own right (not a "Hillman Minx GT" nor "Hillman Hunter GT"). Later came the Hillman Hunter GLS with a specially-tuned twin-carburettor engine (by Holbay) shared with the Sunbeam Rapier H120 model. A carburetor (North American spelling or carburettor ( Commonwealth spelling) is a device that blends air and Fuel for an Internal
The Hunter supported the image of the whole range when one driven by Andrew Cowan won the 1968 London-Sydney Marathon rally. Andrew Cowan (born December 13 1936) is a Scottish former Rally driver, and the founder and senior director of Mitsubishi Ralliart The London-Sydney Marathon is a Rally racing event from the United Kingdom to Australia.
The range was soon simplified with trim levels: the Hillman Hunter "DeLuxe" or "DL" replaced the Minx, and above that was the Hunter "Super". The "Hillman Hunter GT" eventually replaced the Hillman GT, and the "GLS" was positioned at the top of the range.
A Hillman Break de Chasse was marketed in French-speaking markets, based on the Minx specification. French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people (Also offered was a similar Sunbeam Break de Chasse; "break" being a French term for an estate, and the phrase "break de chasse" translating roughly as shooting-brake. Shooting-brake is a Car body style originally used to describe Bespoke versions of 2-door luxury estate cars built for use by hunters as well as golfers )
Singer
The Singer Gazelle and Singer Vogue were positioned slightly upmarket of the Hillmans. These were short-lived models and were retired in 1970, along with the entire Singer marque.
Sunbeam
The single-carburettor Sunbeam Alpine and twin-carburettor Sunbeam Rapier were only sold as fastback coupés, and were marketed with a strong sporting image — although it was eventually the Hillman Hunter which was used extensively in long-distance rallying. The Sunbeam Alpine was a sporty two seat open car or Coupé from Rootes 's Sunbeam car Marque. The Sunbeam Rapier was the first of the " Audax " range of light cars produced by the Rootes Group. The sportiest Sunbeam was the Rapier H120 model, though this shared it's specially-tuned Holbay engine with the Hillman Hunter GLS.
Sunbeam Arrow, Sunbeam Break de Chasse, Sunbeam Hunter, Sunbeam Minx, Sunbeam Sceptre, and Sunbeam Vogue were used for export markets where the Sunbeam name was more familiar or deemed more likely to succeed. The Sunbeam Arrow name was used in North America and Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics. Sunbeam Break de Chasse, Hunter and Minx were offered in some French-speaking markets (where "break" is a term for an estate). French ( français,) is a Romance language spoken around the world by 118 million people as a native language and by about 180 to 260 million people A Sunbeam Sceptre appeared in some German-speaking markets (at least), and carried the Humber Sceptre level of specification — see below. The German language (de ''Deutsch'') is a West Germanic language and one of the world's major languages.
The Sunbeam Vogue was available in the home (British) market for a short period after the Singer marque was retired in 1970.
Humber
The Humber Sceptre upheld Humber's tradition of building luxury cars and was the best-appointed version, with the exception of the similar Sunbeam-branded Sunbeam Sceptre sold in some markets.
The manual gearbox model featured J-type Laycock overdrive. Overdrive can refer to two different things An overdrive is a device which was commonly used in Automobiles to allow the choice of an extra-high overall Gear ratio As with all Arrows, an automatic gearbox was an option.
Development
The Arrow range was conceived in 1962. Following the Hillman Imp, consideration was given to developing a larger rear-engined car, but this concept was dismissed, and the engineering settled on for the new car was more conventional and closer to the layout of the previous Audax series (which included the previous Hillman Minx). The Hillman Imp is a compact rear-engined saloon car that was manufactured under the Hillman Marque by the Rootes Group (later Chrysler In Automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one which places both the engine and drive wheels at the rear
With cash-strapped Rootes struggling amid continuing problems with the radical Imp (which was being produced in a new factory), the cautious Arrow broke little new engineering ground, largely being based on components from the corporate parts bin, using a new but strong 5-bearing version of the well proven 1725 cc overhead valve petrol engine as a starting point which varied in output from 66 hp (49 kW) to 95 hp (71 kW) (in the Humber Sceptre). A Petrol engine or Gasoline engine is an Internal combustion engine with spark-ignition designed to run on petrol ( Gasoline) and similar volatile The engine was inclined by a modest 15 degrees, to allow for a lower bonnet line. This engine was further uprated by specialists Holbay, employing two Weber 40DCOE carburettors to produce 107 hp (80 kW) for the Sunbeam Rapier H120 and Hillman Hunter GLS. Weber is an a Italian company producing Carburetors currently owned by Magneti Marelli Powertrain S A smaller 1500 cc engine was the standard for manual versions of the Hillman Minx and the Singer Gazelle, and the Hillman Hunter DeLuxe model which succeeded the Minx. Automatic models were all powered by the 1725 cc engine.
For the first time in a Rootes car MacPherson strut suspension featured at the front, with a conventional live axle mounted on leaf springs at the rear. The MacPherson strut is a type of car suspension system widely used in modern vehicles named after Earl S A live axle is a type of Beam axle suspension system that uses the Driveshafts that transmit power to the wheels to connect the wheels laterally so that Originally called laminated or carriage spring, a leaf spring is a simple form of spring, commonly used for the suspension in
Other firsts for Rootes in the new car were curved side glass and flow-through ventilation.
Manual transmissions were available in 4-speed form with an optional overdrive, or Borg-Warner automatic transmission, again as an option. Overdrive can refer to two different things An overdrive is a device which was commonly used in Automobiles to allow the choice of an extra-high overall Gear ratio Initially, the Borg warner Type 35 3 speed automatic was offered, then the Type 45 4 speed automatic became available in 1973.
The handbrake was situated between the driver's seat and door (i. e. on the driver's right-hand side for a right-hand drive car) rather than between the front seats. Right-hand traffic and left-hand traffic mean regulations requiring all traffic to keep either to the left or the right side of the Road.
A mild facelift in 1970 gave new grilles to the various Hunter trim levels, and some derivatives gained a (then) more fashionable dashboard, exchanging wood for plastic, but the car remained fundamentally the same throughout its life.
Following the 1967 acquisition of Rootes by Chrysler, the Arrow derivatives were rationalised until only the Hillman Hunter version was left by 1976, at which time it was re-badged as a Chrysler, which it was to be for the remaining 3 years of its life. Chrysler LLC is an American Automobile manufacturer that has been producing Automobiles since 1925 Hunter production was switched in 1969 to Rootes' troubled Imp plant in Linwood, from its original home of Ryton. Ryton-on-Dunsmore is a Village and Civil parish in the Rugby district of Warwickshire, and is south-east of Coventry, England Following the Hillman Avenger's move to Linwood in 1976, the very last European Hunters were assembled in Ireland until production ended in 1979 – but no evidence exists to suggest that the Talbot badge was applied to any production Hunter following Chrysler Europe's 1978 takeover by Peugeot, and the application of that badge to other Chrysler models. The Hillman Avenger was a rear-wheel drive Small family car originally manufactured under the Hillman marque by the Rootes Group between 1970 and 1976 Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world For the article about the bicycle manufacturer see Cycles Peugeot.
The final Chrysler Hunter was built in September 1979 in Porirua, New Zealand, and was donated to the Southward Museum. History The name "Porirua" is of Māori origin It is possibly a variant of "Pari-rua" ("two tides" a reference to the two arms of the Porirua New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island In 2000 the Museum sold the car to a private collector.
The Australian range
Starting in 1967, Chrysler Australia Ltd assembled the Hillman Hunter from imported "complete knock down" (CKD) packs at their Port Melbourne factory, which they inherited as part of Chrysler's acquisition of Rootes. Chrysler Australia is a trading name for DaimlerChrysler Australia/Pacific Pty Ltd For other uses of the abbreviation see CKD Complete knock down (CKD, is a complete kit needed to assemble a vehicle
Production commenced in 1967 with 2 models, designated as the HB series: the Arrow (with a trim level corresponding with the home market (United Kingdom) Minx, but with a front bench seat), and the Hunter. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located
These were replaced by the "HC" series in 1969. The major changes were adoption of the UK facelifted Hunter radiator grille and rectangular headlights, and the renaming of the Arrow as the Hunter, retaining the Arrow's trim specification and bench seat. At the same time came the introduction of the Safari estate (known in Australia as a station wagon. ) The "Safari" name was also used to identify the Australian Chrysler Valiant estate model. The Chrysler Valiant was a passenger car introduced by Chrysler Australia in 1962 with production ceasing in 1981 There was also the addition of two, new, more upmarket saloon variants: the Hunter Royal (corresponding in trim level with the UK Singer Vogue, but retaining the Hunter plastic moulded dashboard, with simulated wood trim), and the Hunter GT, which corresponded with the UK Humber Sceptre in trim level, but with the standard Hunter grille. These cars featured trim parts from various UK models, including UK Humber Sceptre bonnet ornaments.
The Safari station wagon was a popular seller — particularly as the competing Holden Torana was not available as an estate. The Holden Torana was a car produced by General Motors - Holden (GM-H the Australian subsidiary of General Motors.
In 1971, the Australian version of the Hunter was facelifted again, with the introduction of the "HE" series. Marketing of the car, plus its rear badges, referred to it as the "Hunter", rather than a "Hillman".
The facelift involved a change to the radiator grille, with new and smaller rectangular headlights. Also, the appearance of the rear of the car was changed with a flush trim panel under the boot lid and new twin-lens tail lights. Depending on the model, this panel was painted in the body colour or a matte grey — this facelift was unique to Australia.
Inside, the HE models received a new collapsible steering column, with the Valiant's steering wheel.
The model range was later modified again: a new cut price performance version called the Hustler was introduced. This was similar in concept and execution to the UK Hillman GT — a sparsely trimmed car with high performance.
The Hunter GT was renamed the Hunter Royal 660. Outside, this car gained Rostyle wheels. Inside, the car was trimmed in the same "buffalo grain" textured vinyl which also was to be found in the VG series luxury Valiant, the Regal 770.
These cars sold steadily, but they became overshadowed when Chrysler Australia commenced assembly of the Mitsubishi Galant in 1972. The Mitsubishi Galant is an Automobile manufactured by Mitsubishi Motors since 1969 At this time, Japanese cars were being increasingly accepted in the Australian market. By this time, the Mitsubishi was a conspicuously more modern car, and by 1973, the Hunter was phased out, and became the last Rootes car to have been marketed in Australia. Chrysler Australia then closed the former Rootes factory, focussing Australian production at their Tonsley Park plant in Adelaide. Adelaide is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of South Australia, and is the fifth largest city in Australia with a
The Iranian Paykan
In 1966, Iran Khodro of Iran began to manufacture Hillman Hunters from complete knock down (CKD) kits. IKCO or Iran Khodro Company (or Iran Khodro Industrial Group) is the largest autoproducer of Iran For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. For other uses of the abbreviation see CKD Complete knock down (CKD, is a complete kit needed to assemble a vehicle The resulting Paykan (Persian for arrow) saloon, pick-up and taxi models became known as Iran's national car. The Paykan ( was an Automobile produced by the Iranian company Iran Khodro (formerly called "Iran National" Industrial Group
Full local production began in 1985, after the original British production lines were closed. The new owner in Britain, Peugeot, established a new contract whereby Iran Khodro would manufacture the Paykan with the same body panels but Peugeot 504 engines and suspension, for six more years. The Peugeot 504 is a Large family car produced by French automaker Peugeot between 1968 and 1983 in Europe.
In 1991, Iran Khodro began manufacturing its own parts for the Paykan. In its ultimate incarnation, the Paykan was constructed from 98% locally-made parts.
The Paykan saloon ceased production in May 2005, to be replaced by the Samand, based on the Peugeot 405 platform. Samand is Iran 's national car manufactured by Iran Khodro (IKCO using local manufacturers for its parts The pick-up version of the Paykan is still in production but will be replaced in the near future by the Bardo. This is an article on a Buddhist concept For other meanings of the word Bardo, see Bardo (disambiguation The Tibetan word Bardo
Shared components
- The Aston Martin DBS used tail lights shared with the Rootes Arrow saloons, manufactured by Lucas. Aston Martin Lagonda Limited is a British manufacturer of luxury performance cars, whose headquarters are at Gaydon, England.
- The vertical rear lights used on the Arrow estates were also blended into the styling of the fastback coupés, to which they were also fitted.
References
- Rootes-Chrysler site
- French car brochure collection (the existence of some export brandings is inferred from this evidence)
- Australian Sunbeam site and particularly its Sunbeam Vogue page
External links
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