It was developed and produced by Simca (subsequently rebranded as Talbot) in the late 1960s at the manufacturer's factory in Poissy, hence its name.

The engine was first designed in a 944 cc (57.6 cu in) form, but was reduced and stretched in order to be used in a variety of models and versions, by Simca, the Rootes Group (its partner company in Chrysler Europe), Simca's final incarnation Talbot and its last parent company Peugeot, who used it until 1991 in its midsize model, the 309.

The engine existed in displacements ranging from 0.8 to 1.6 L (777 to 1,592 cc), the biggest one on both sides of the Atlantic, powering the United States-market Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon.

The following year, the Type 315 was used for the first time in a two-door sports model, the Simca 1000 Coupé, in a tuned form, with 52 PS (38 kW; 51 hp).

The overhead valve engine Type 315 was a modern unit, with a water-cooled inline design with forged crankshaft, alloy cross-flow head and five main bearings.

An unusual feature on early models was the absence of a spin-on paper oil filter.

One of its major innovations was the use of a swirl vortex on the intake valve port which gave very good combustion, and thus both power and economy for this time.

This engine proved cheap to build, and several models of different sizes and market segments used this displacement, which survived until 1982, as the ever-present entry level for the Simca 1100.

In 1964, Simca developed an 844 cc (51.5 cu in) version for the Spanish market 1000, as cars over 0.9 L were in a higher tax bracket.

A double-barrel carburetor was then used in the Simca 1200 S, a coupé designed by Bertone, and the CG sports car, and could reach 85 PS (63 kW; 84 hp).

The 1.3 L; 79.0 cu in (1,294 cc) variant debuted in 1972, and although it wasn't very popular in the 1000, it continued to be used in various Simca and Talbot models.

Later the engine code was changed to 1F1 (for single carburettor versions), and after PSA's takeover it was briefly installed in Spanish market 205s where it was called the F1.

After PSA began to closer combine their operations with those of the erstwhile Simca corporation, the engine code was changed yet again, to G1A, for use in the 309 and late Horizons.