Hillman Avenger - 1979: Talbotization and The End

1979: Talbotization and The End

Towards the end of the 1970s, the Avenger was being increasingly outclassed by the new generation of modern front-wheel drive hatchbacks such as the Volkswagen Golf, Vauxhall Astra and Fiat Ritmo/Strada, although this was less of a problem following the launch of the Horizon hatchback in late 1977. In 1978, Chrysler Europe went bankrupt and was taken over by Peugeot, which rebranded Chrysler models as Talbots. The Avenger and Sunbeam survived, rebadged once again, although unlike newer Talbot models such as the Horizon, they retained the Chrysler "Pentastar" badge, instead of the Talbot logo featuring a letter "T" inside a circle. Production continued until 1981, when Peugeot closed the Linwood production plant and concentrated all British production at the Ryton plant, which was in use until the end of 2006, by which time it had been making Peugeot cars for 21 years.

Not all was bleak during this time; the Talbot Sunbeam Lotus enjoyed further development and won the World Rally Championship for Talbot in 1981.