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88-464: Before 1975, the top line models in Plymouth's Fury series were known as the "Fury Gran Coupe" and "Fury Gran Sedan". The Fury Gran Coupe model was introduced in 1970 as a highly trimmed pillared coupe. It moved to the two-door hardtop body for 1971, when a "Fury Gran Coupe" hardtop sedan was also available, renamed "Fury Gran Sedan" for 1972. The Gran Coupe and Gran Sedan models continued in 1973. In 1975,

176-438: A 318 cu in (5.2 L), as well as a 383 cu in (6.3 L) with a two-barrel carburetor and single exhaust and with a four-barrel carburetor and dual exhaust producing 330 hp (246 kW) SAE gross. The Cuda had the 383ci 335 hp (250 kW) SAE gross (same as Dodge's 383 Magnum) as the standard engine. Optional were the 440 cu in (7.2 L) with four-barrel carburetor "Super Commando" or

264-460: A column shifter seating arrangement favored by many Americans. The Reliant was powered by a then-new 2.2 L I4 SOHC engine, with a Mitsubishi "Silent Shaft" 2.6 L as an option (curiously this engine also featured hemispherical combustion chambers, and all 1981 models equipped with it featured "HEMI" badges on the front fenders). Initial sales were brisk, with both Reliant and Aries each selling over 150,000 units in 1981. As rebadged variants ,

352-519: A given model year shared the same chassis , with only styling differences between the Dodge and Plymouth models. The cars were otherwise mechanically identical. Similarly, the 1988-1992 Premier and Monaco models differed only by styling and shared the same front-wheel drive B-body platform. The Plymouth B-body series ultimately comprised four cars with nearly identical outward appearances (differing only in trim package, drive train and accessories). These were

440-562: A reputation for attractive styling, durability, economy, and value. Although the Valiant hardtop was discontinued for 1967, it was reintroduced as a virtual clone of the Dodge Dart Swinger for 1971 under the model name "Valiant Scamp". The Scamp was produced along with the Valiant, Dodge Dart, and Swinger until 1976, when it was replaced with the Volaré. Featuring transverse-mounted torsion bars and

528-454: A result of the quality control problems and excesses of the Exner-styled models in the early 1960s, people bought enough of the cars to keep the division profitable. Starting in 1961, the Valiant compact became a Plymouth, further boosting sales. Under the impression that Chevrolet was about to "downsize" its 1962 models, Chrysler introduced a significantly smaller standard Plymouth for 1962. As

616-772: A selector lever on the instrument panel. In 1956, Plymouth introduced the Fury , a "halo" model in the Belvedere series that featured a high-performance 240-hp 303 cu in (5.0 L) V8, and gold-anodized trim on a body available in Eggshell White only and limited to the two-door hardtop. The Fury continued to be a special, high-end car until 1959, when it replaced the Belvedere as the de luxe series, available in hardtop, convertible, and sedan body styles. The 1957 and 1958 Furys were painted in Buckskin Beige, replacing Eggshell White as

704-512: A slightly larger body, the Volaré (and its Dodge twin, the Aspen) was an instant sales success. Available as coupe, sedan, or station wagon, the Volaré offered a smoother ride and better handling than the Dart/Valiant, but suffered quality control problems and by 1980, was selling poorly. Realizing that front-wheel drive, four-cylinder engines, and rack-and-pinion steering would become the standards for

792-445: A standard three-speed transmission, marketed as "PowerFlite". It improved upon the "Hy-Drive" semiautomatic transmission which had been introduced the previous year. On March 25, 1954, Chrysler officially introduced to the public its first attempt at a turbine-powered car . Chrysler installed an experimental turbine, developed specifically for road vehicles, in a Plymouth. The car used was a standard 1954 Belvedere two-door hardtop. This

880-731: A vinyl-covered roof, higher-grade interior cloth, split-bench seat, chrome body-side trim, and deluxe wheel covers. Like its sibling, the Dodge St. Regis , the R-Body Gran Fury was very popular with fleet customers, especially police departments (by ordering the A38 Police Package coupled with a 195 bhp E58 360 cu in engine); both the Michigan State Police and the Ohio State Highway Patrol ordered substantial numbers of

968-414: Is known, Chevrolet's big cars were not downsized, catching Plymouth in a sales slump in a market where "bigger was better". The 1963 Fury, Belvedere, and Savoy were slightly larger, featuring a totally new body style, highlighted by prominent outboard front parking lights. For 1964, Plymouth got another major restyle, featuring a new "slantback" roofline for hardtop coupes that would prove popular. For 1965,

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1056-566: The Belvedere , Satellite , GTX and Road Runner . The 1970 Superbird was a Road Runner with an extended nose cone and front fenders borrowed from the Dodge Coronet, a revised rear window, and a high-mounted rear wing. The Superbird's unique styling was a result of homologation requirements for using the same aerodynamic nose and rear wing when racing the car in the NASCAR series of the time. While

1144-807: The Chrysler LeBaron and Dodge Diplomat had used the M-body since 1977. 1982-1989 Plymouth Gran Furys shared the Dodge Diplomat's front and rear fascias. They were virtually identical with the exception of badging. Once again, the third generation Gran Fury was available in base and higher-end "Salon" trim. As in previous years, the higher-volume Gran Fury base model catered more towards fleet customers while Gran Fury Salons were geared more towards private customers and offered options such as full vinyl roofs, velour upholstery, turbine-spoke wheels, power windows, and power locks. Although available to private retail customers,

1232-816: The Plymouth name, until the brand's demise twenty years later. In 1982, Plymouth downsized the Gran Fury again, this time sharing the mid-size M platform with the Chrysler Fifth Avenue (called Chrysler New Yorker / New Yorker Fifth Avenue for 1982 and 1983) and the Dodge Diplomat . In addition to the R-body Gran Fury, the M-body Gran Fury replaced the M-body Chrysler LeBaron , which had moved to

1320-613: The Plymouth Fury models were built on the new C-body platform. The Savoy line was discontinued and the Belvedere was classified as an intermediate, retaining the B-body platform used starting 1962. The low-end series was Fury I, the mid-level model was Fury II, and the higher-end models were Fury IIIs. The Sport Fury, which featured bucket seats and a console shifter, was a mix of luxury and sport. Ford and Chevrolet had introduced luxury editions of their big cars for 1965 and Plymouth responded with

1408-431: The compact K platform that year. Now considered a mid-sized car, this generation Gran Fury was close to the exterior size of what was once the compact Valiant and Volaré but offered more interior room. The M-body was in fact heavily based on the Volaré's F platform . Like its predecessor, the 1982 Gran Fury was introduced later than its Chrysler and Dodge siblings; the Chrysler LeBaron and Dodge Diplomat had used

1496-456: The tagline "Suddenly, it's 1960", produced cars with advanced styling compared to Chevrolet or Ford. The 1957 total production soared to 726,009, about 200,000 more than 1956, and the largest output yet for Plymouth. However, the 1957–1958 Forward Look models suffered from poor materials, spotty build quality, and inadequate corrosion protection; they were rust-prone and greatly damaged Chrysler's reputation. Although Plymouth sales suffered as

1584-546: The 'Rapid Transit System', which was similar to Dodge's 'Scat Pack' concept. During this time, the brand also competed in professional automobile racing. Examples include Richard Petty 's career with Plymouth in NASCAR; Dan Gurney , who raced a 'Cuda as part of the All American Racers in numerous Trans Am events; and Sox and Martin, one of the most well-known drag-racing teams of the period, only raced Plymouths after 1964. By

1672-464: The 1933 Model PC stayed in the Plymouth until the 1959 models. In 1939, Plymouth produced 417,528 vehicles, of which 5,967 were two-door convertible coupes with rumble seats . The 1939 convertible coupe was prominently featured at Chrysler's exhibit at the 1939 New York World's Fair , advertised as the first mass-production convertible with a power-folding top. It featured a 201 cu in (3.3 L), 82 hp (61 kW; 83 PS) version of

1760-577: The 1966 Sport Fury with a 383 cu in (6.3 L) V8 and the VIP was introduced as a more luxurious version of the Fury. Furys, Belvederes, and Valiants continued to sell well during the late-1960s and early-1970s. While Fury I and Fury II were only available in the U.S. as sedans, Fury II was available as a two-door hardtop in addition to the pillared sedans in Canada. The performance car market segment expanded during

1848-460: The 1969 option. The E-body's engine bay was larger than that of the previous A-body, facilitating the release of Chrysler's 426 cu in (7.0 L) Hemi for the regular retail market. For 1970 and 1971, the Barracuda and Barracuda Gran Coupe had two six-cylinder engines available — a new 198 cu in (3.2 L) version of the slant-6, and the 225 — as well as three different V8s:

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1936-505: The 1970s, emissions and safety regulations, along with soaring gasoline prices and an economic downturn, meant demand dropped for all muscle-type models. As with other American vehicles of the time, there was a progressive decrease in the Barracuda's performance. To meet increasingly stringent safety and exhaust emission regulations, big-block engine options were discontinued. The remaining engines were detuned year by year to reduce exhaust emissions, which also reduced their power output. There

2024-478: The 1976 Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspen —eventually contributed to the model's demise in early 1989. That year, a driver-side airbag became standard; this would be the last RWD Plymouth until the introduction of the Prowler . While Dodge offered the 1990 Monaco , and later the 1993 Intrepid , Chrysler never replaced the Gran Fury with any other large car in the remainder of Plymouth's lineup on through to its demise in

2112-523: The 1980s, Chrysler introduced a new compact car for 1978, the Plymouth Horizon/Dodge Omni twins, based on a Simca platform. Horizon sold well, but suffered from a scathing report by Consumer Reports , which found its handling dangerous in certain situations. Plymouth continued to sell the Horizon until 1987, when a variety of front-wheel drive compact cars made up the line. Big Plymouths, including

2200-567: The 1981 model year as the first " K-cars " manufactured and marketed by the Chrysler Corporation . The Reliant was available as a 2-door coupe , 4-door sedan , or as a 4-door station wagon , in three different trim lines: base, Custom, and SE ("Special Edition"). Station wagons came only in Custom or SE trim. Unlike many small cars, the K-cars retained the traditional 6-passenger 2-bench seat with

2288-639: The 2001 model year. In 1984, Chrysler marketed the rebadged Plymouth variant of its new minivan as the Voyager, using the Chrysler's S platform, derived from the K-platform ( Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries ). The Voyager shared components with the K-cars including portions of the interior, e.g., the Reliant's instrument cluster and dashboard controls, along with the K-platform front-wheel drive layout and low floor, giving

2376-453: The Acclaim was initially available in mid-range LE and high-end LX trim. The LE and LX models came equipped with features such as premium cloth seating, power windows/door locks, premium sound systems, bodyside cladding, additional exterior brightwork, and on the latter 15-inch lace-spoke aluminum wheels. In spite of this, the base model accounted for nearly 85 percent of Acclaim sales. Unlike

2464-471: The Canadian Caravelle was offered in 2-door coupe and 4-door station wagon form through 1982. An interesting note is that for 1979, all M-body coupes were offered with 2 different roof treatments. The upscale trim model, called Caravelle “Salon”, had a more formal rear side window treatment with a tall, narrow rectangular shape, rather than the “triangle” shape of the standard model. This more formal coupe

2552-615: The Chrysler-Plymouth Model Q, although print advertisements called it Plymouth and did not mention engine size or model designation. The "Chrysler" portion of the nameplate was dropped with the introduction of the Plymouth Model U in 1929. While the original purpose of the Plymouth was to serve the lower end of a booming automobile market, during the Great Depression of the 1930s the division helped significantly in ensuring

2640-483: The Diplomat always outsold it, usually by several thousand units each year. The Chrysler Fifth Avenue's total sales were always more than that of the Gran Fury and Diplomat by far, even though it generally cost about $ 6,000 more. This was the last car to carry the Gran Fury nameplate, but it remained largely unchanged for its 7-year run. Declining sales, a lack of promotion, and technical obsolescence—the platform dated back to

2728-532: The Dodge Diplomat's front and rear fascias. They were virtually identical with the exception of badging. Once again, the third generation Gran Fury was available in base and higher-end "Salon" trim. As in previous years, the higher-volume Gran Fury base model catered more towards fleet customers while Gran Fury Salons were geared more towards private customers and offered options such as full vinyl roofs, velour upholstery, turbine-spoke wheels, power windows, and power locks. Although available to retail buyers, Gran Fury

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2816-634: The Fury and Gran Fury, were sold until the early 1980s, but mostly as fleet vehicles. While attempting to compete with Ford and Chevrolet for big-car sales, Plymouth was hurt by Chrysler's financial woes in the late 1970s, when both its competitors downsized their full-size models. Most Plymouth models, especially those offered from the 1970s onward, such as the Valiant , Volaré , and the Acclaim , were badge-engineered versions of Dodge or Mitsubishi models. The Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries were introduced for

2904-443: The Gran Fury and Diplomat by far, even though it generally cost about $ 6,000 USD more. This last car to carry the Gran Fury nameplate remained largely unchanged for its 7-year run. Declining sales, a lack of promotion, and technical obsolescence—the platform dated back to the 1976 Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspen —eventually contributed to the model's demise in early 1989. That year, a driver-side airbag became standard; this would be

2992-421: The Gran Fury was followed by the discontinuation of the mid-size Fury after the 1978 model year. This huge gap in Plymouth's lineup left the compact Volaré as Plymouth's largest car for 1979. A redesigned downsized Gran Fury would return in 1980. When the downsized "R-body" cars were introduced for 1979, a Plymouth version was not included, as the low-end Chrysler Newport was intended to fill this gap. Although

3080-427: The M-body Chrysler LeBaron , which had moved to the compact K platform that year. Now considered a mid-sized car, this generation Gran Fury was close to the exterior size of what was once the compact Valiant and Volaré but offered more interior room. The M-body was in fact heavily based on the Volaré's F platform . Like its predecessor, the 1982 Gran Fury was introduced later than its Chrysler and Dodge siblings;

3168-411: The M-body Gran Fury was far more popular with police departments and other fleet customers, primarily since the car was reasonably priced and had a conventional drivetrain with proven components that could withstand a good deal of abuse. This generation of the Gran Fury sold in respectable numbers. However, despite having the same base prices as the Gran Fury (just under $ 12,000 USD for their final year),

3256-486: The M-body since 1977. For 1979, all M-body coupes were offered with 2 different roof treatments. The Chrysler LeBaron, Dodge Diplomat, Plymouth Gran Fury (in the U.S.) and Caravelle Salon (in Canada), had a more formal rear side window treatment with a tall, narrow rectangular shape, rather than the “triangle” shape of the standard trim model. This more formal coupe was only sold for one year. 1982-1989 Plymouth Gran Fury shared

3344-483: The Maxwell as part of the package. After he used the company's facilities to help create and launch the six-cylinder Chrysler automobile in 1924, he decided to create a lower-priced companion car, using lessons learned when he was running Buick under William C. Durant at GM . So for 1926, the Maxwell was reworked and rebadged as the low-end four-cylinder Chrysler Model 52. In 1928, the 52 was once again redesigned to create

3432-497: The Newport achieved this, and 1979 sales were fairly strong, there was still heavy demand for a full-sized Plymouth model. So finally in 1980 the Gran Fury returned after a two-model-year absence. This downsized Gran Fury was available only as a "pillared hardtop" 4-door sedan, this time based on the heavily restyled, but not re-engineered R platform , introduced in 1979 in response to redesigned Chevrolet and Ford models. The "new" R-body

3520-548: The Plymouth Gran Fury was no exception. This is because 1973 introduction of the redesigned 1974 model year C-bodies coincided with the 1973 oil crisis . As gas prices skyrocketed, demand for gas-guzzling full-sized cars took a nosedive. C-body offerings decreased throughout the 1974-1978 design cycle. Imperials were the first to go after 1975. Plymouth and Dodge C-bodies were dropped after the 1977 model year. Chrysler C-bodies were discontinued after 1978. The discontinuation of

3608-538: The Prowler not also offered in a similar version by Dodge. From a peak production of 973,000 for the 1973 model year, Plymouth rarely exceeded 200,000 cars per year after 1990. Even the Voyager sales were usually less than 50% of that of the Dodge Caravan. In Canada, the Plymouth name was defunct at the end of the 1999 model year. Consequently, DaimlerChrysler decided to drop the make after a limited run of 2001 models. This

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3696-604: The Reliant and Aries were manufactured in Newark, Delaware , Detroit, Michigan , and Toluca, Mexico — in a single generation. After their introduction, the Reliant and Aries were marketed as the "Reliant K" and "Aries K". The Reliant replaced the Plymouth Volaré / Road Runner . The Aries replaced the Dodge Aspen . The Reliant and Aries were classified by the EPA as mid-size and were

3784-608: The Spirit, the Acclaim did not receive any sport-oriented models. The Acclaim has also been characterized as the replacement for the smaller Reliant , though the Sundance launched in 1987 is closer than the Acclaim in most dimensions to the Reliant. By the 1990s, Plymouth had lost much of its identity, as its models continued to overlap in features and prices with its sister brands, Dodge and Eagle. Chrysler attempted to remedy this by repositioning Plymouth to its traditional target market as

3872-565: The Voyager a car-like ease of entry. The Voyager was on Car and Driver magazine's Ten Best list for 1985. For 1987, the Voyager received minor cosmetic updates as well as the May 1987 introduction of the Grand Voyager, which was built on a longer wheelbase adding more cargo room. It was available only with SE or LE trim. First-generation Voyager minivans were offered in three trim levels: an unnamed base model, mid-grade SE , and high-end LE ,

3960-561: The Voyager, along with the Dodge Caravan , are considered to be the first mass-produced vehicles to have dedicated built-in cup holders . Original commercials for the 1984 Voyager featured magician Doug Henning as a spokesperson to promote the Voyager "Magic Wagon's" versatility, cargo space, low step-in height, passenger volume, and maneuverability. Later commercials in 1989 featured rock singer Tina Turner . Canadian commercials in 1990 featured pop singer Celine Dion . For 1987, which

4048-447: The Year for 1981 and sold almost a million Aries and 1.1 million Reliant units over the nine-year run. In 1982, Plymouth downsized the Gran Fury again, this time sharing the mid-size M platform with the Chrysler Fifth Avenue (called Chrysler New Yorker / New Yorker Fifth Avenue for 1982 and 1983) and the Dodge Diplomat . In addition to the R-body Gran Fury, the M-body Gran Fury replaced

4136-453: The aerodynamic concept used to create the Superbird was identical to that of the 1969 Dodge Charger Daytona, they shared no common body components. The Superbird was produced only during the 1970 model year. In NASCAR competition, the Superbird was successful with Pete Hamilton driving for Petty Enterprises winning the 1970 Daytona 500 using a Superbird. However, NASCAR effectively hobbled

4224-487: The automaker's entry-level brand. This included giving Plymouth its own new sailboat logo and advertisements that focused solely on value. However, this only further narrowed Plymouth's product offerings and buyer appeal, and sales continued to fall. Chrysler considered giving Plymouth a variant of the highly successful new-for-1993 full-size LH platform , which would have been called the Accolade, but decided against it. By

4312-520: The base model split into two distinct models: entry-level America and mid-level Highline, in addition to the high-end RS. The stripped-down America had previously been offered for the Plymouth Horizon's final year in 1990. The AA-body cars were badge-engineered triplets, as were most Chrysler products of this time. The Acclaim differed from its siblings primarily in wheel choices, bodyside molding, and fascias where it sported its unique taillights and

4400-561: The car sold poorly. By April 1933, the Dodge division's Model DP chassis, with a 112-inch (284.5 cm) wheelbase, was put under the PC body with DP front fenders, hood, and radiator shell. The model designation was advanced to 'PD'. The PC was redesigned to look similar to the PD and became the 'Standard Six' (PCXX). It had been the 'Plymouth Six' at the introduction and was sold through to the end of 1933, but in much lower numbers. In 1937, Plymouth (along with

4488-425: The cars. In light of this, the 1980 Gran Fury achieved the highest sales (18,750) of any R-body that year. The second Generation Plymouth Gran Fury was short-lived, being discontinued midway through the 1981 model year along with the other R-body models due to slow sales. This can be mainly attributed to poor fuel economy, as well as its outdated platform. The 1981 Gran Fury was also the last true full-size car to bear

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4576-462: The competition, but offered standard features such as internal expanding hydraulic brakes that Ford and Chevrolet did not provide. Plymouths were originally sold exclusively through Chrysler dealerships, offering a low-cost alternative to the upscale Chrysler-brand cars, listing the 4-door 5-passenger Touring Sedan at US$ 695. The logo featured a prow view of the ship Mayflower which landed at Plymouth Rock in Plymouth, Massachusetts . However,

4664-558: The corporate Plymouth eggcrate-grille. Like the K-body and E-body vehicles they replaced, the Acclaim and Dodge Spirit were both marketed as mainstream variants, while the Chrysler LeBaron was marketed as the luxury variant. Despite this, there was substantial overlap in trims and equipment among each car. For example, a fully loaded Acclaim was almost similar to a base LeBaron in features and price. In addition to its entry-level base model,

4752-455: The day after it had begun. The redesign for the 1970 Barracuda removed all its previous commonality with the Valiant. The original fastback design was deleted from the line and the Barracuda now consisted of coupe and convertible models. The all-new model, styled by John E. Herlitz , was built on a shorter, wider version of Chrysler's existing B platform , called the E-body . Sharing this platform

4840-521: The drag races, 1968 had a stripped-down Belvedere coupe, the Road Runner, which featured a bench seat and minimal interior and exterior trim, but was available with Chrysler's big-block engines and a floor-mounted four-speed manual transmission. The Barracuda, originally a "compact sporty car", became available with the 426 Hemi and 440 big-block engines in 1968. The GTX, Barracuda, Road Runner, Sport Fury GT, and Valiant Duster 340, were marketed by Plymouth as

4928-433: The economy of a four." In 1933, Chrysler decided to catch up with Ford , Chevrolet , and Pontiac in engine cylinder count. The 190 cu in (3.1 L) version of Chrysler's flathead-six engine was equipped with a downdraft carburetor and installed in the new 1933 Plymouth PC, introduced on November 17, 1932. However, Chrysler had reduced the PC's wheelbase from 112 to 107 in (284.5 to 271.8 cm), and

5016-462: The flathead six engine. For much of its life, Plymouth was one of the top-selling American automobile brands; it, together with Chevrolet and Ford , was commonly referred to as the "low-priced three" marques in the American market. Plymouth almost surpassed Ford in 1940 and 1941 as the second-most popular make of automobiles in the U.S. In 1954, Plymouth offered an optional torque converter mated to

5104-538: The inspiration for the Plymouth brand name came from Plymouth binder twine, produced by the Plymouth Cordage Company , also of Plymouth. The name was chosen by Joe Frazer due to the popularity of the twine among farmers. The origins of Plymouth can be traced back to the Maxwell automobile . When Walter P. Chrysler took over control of the troubled Maxwell- Chalmers car company in the early 1920s, he inherited

5192-498: The last RWD Plymouth until the introduction of the Prowler . While Dodge offered the 1990 Monaco , and later the 1993 Intrepid , Chrysler never replaced the Gran Fury with any other large car in the remainder of the Plymouth brand's existence until its demise in the 2001 model year. The car that later became the M-body Gran Fury was also sold in Canada from 1978 to 1989 as the Plymouth Caravelle , badged "Caravelle Salon" after

5280-605: The late 1960s and early 1970s. The 1964 Barracuda fastback is considered the first of Plymouth's sporty cars. Based on the Valiant, it was available with the Slant Six , or 273 cu in (4.5 L) small block V8. For 1967, Plymouth introduced the Belvedere GTX, a bucket-seat high-style hardtop coupe and convertible that could be ordered with either the "Super Commando" 440 cu in (7.2 L) or Hemi 426 cu in (7.0 L) V8 engines. Looking for an advantage at

5368-692: The late 1990s, only four vehicles were sold under the Plymouth name: the Voyager/Grand Voyager minivans, the Breeze mid-size sedan, the Neon compact car, and the Prowler sports car, which was to be the last model unique to Plymouth, though the Chrysler PT Cruiser was conceived as a concept unique to Plymouth before production commenced as a Chrysler model. After discontinuing the Eagle brand in 1998, Chrysler

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5456-543: The late 1990s. Plymouth cars were marketed primarily in the United States. The brand was withdrawn from the marketplace in 2001. The Plymouth models that were produced up until then were either discontinued or rebranded as Chrysler or Dodge . The Plymouth automobile was introduced at Madison Square Garden on July 7, 1928. It was Chrysler Corporation's first entry in the low-priced field previously dominated by Chevrolet and Ford. Plymouths were initially priced higher than

5544-486: The latter bearing simulated woodgrain paneling. A sportier LX model was added in 1989, sharing much of its components with the Caravan ES. Safety features included 3-point seat belts for the front two passengers and lap belts for the rear passengers. Standard on all Voyagers were legally mandated side-impact reinforcements for all seating front and rear outboard positions, but airbags or ABS were not available. Notably,

5632-580: The low production winged cars after 1970 with strict regulations that limited the size of engines that could power them. This rendered them uncompetitive. There was more diversity in the outward appearance of the Dodge B-body series. The Dodge models based on the B-body were the Coronet , Super Bee and the Charger . The 1969 Charger Daytona was a Charger with an extended nose and high-mounted rear wing, offered for

5720-507: The mid-size B-body Plymouth Satellite was restyled and renamed Plymouth Fury . As a result, the previous full-sized C-body Fury became known as the Gran Fury. Because the C-body Fury had been redesigned for 1974, the 1975 Gran Fury received few changes besides its new name. Top-of-the-line Gran Fury Brougham models were treated to a new grille and new single-unit headlight design; all Gran Furys would receive this for 1976. This generation

5808-467: The midsize front-drive Plymouth Caravelle was released in Canada for 1983. Although the Diplomat and LeBaron appeared on the market in mid-1977, the Caravelle was introduced in the fall of 1977 as a 1978 model. It was sold only by Canadian Plymouth dealers and was not available in the U.S., though the midsize front-drive car was offered in the U.S. market starting in 1985. In addition to the sedan body style,

5896-420: The only available exterior color. Optional equipment included air conditioning, automatic transmission, power steering, and brakes. In 1959, a special Sport Fury was available as the "special" sporty Plymouth. The PowerFlite automatic was now controlled by reliable mechanical push buttons on a pod on the left side of the dash. In 1957, Virgil Exner's new Forward Look design theme, advertised by Plymouth with

5984-553: The other Chrysler makes) added safety features such as flat dashboards with recessed controls and the back of the front seat padded for the rear seat occupants. The PC was shipped overseas to Sweden, Denmark, and the UK, as well as Australia. In the UK, it was sold as a ' Chrysler Kew ', the town of Kew being the location of the Chrysler factory in a district in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames . The flathead six which started with

6072-472: The same reasons as the Superbird. The Charger Daytona was produced only during the 1969 model year. Cars using the rear-wheel-drive B platform include: Five different wheelbases were available: From 1988 to 1992, the B-body name was used again for the midsize front-wheel-drive Eagle Premier sedan, which was originally designed by and was slated to be built by American Motors with Renault until Chrysler's buyout of that company in March 1987. The Premier

6160-445: The six-barrel "Super Commando Six Pak" as well as the 426 cu in (7.0 L) Hemi. The 440- and Hemi-equipped cars received upgraded suspension components and structural reinforcements to help transfer the power to the road. In 1970, the power plant options offered to the customer were: Other Barracuda options included decal sets, hood modifications, and unusual "high impact" colors. The compact Valiant sold well and built

6248-403: The smallest cars to have 6-passenger seating with a 3-seat per row setup, similar to larger rear-wheel drive cars such as the Dodge Dart and other front-wheel drive cars such as the Chevrolet Celebrity . Chrysler marketed the car as being able to seat "six Americans." The Aries was sold as the Dart in Mexico . The Reliant and Aries were selected together as Motor Trend magazine's Car of

6336-502: The sport model 'Cuda (BS). Beginning mid-year 1970, and ending with the 1971 model, there also was the Barracuda Coupe (A93), a low-end model that included the 198 cu in (3.2 L) Slant Six as a base engine, lower-grade interior, and (like other Coupe series Chrysler Corp. offered that year) had fixed quarter glass instead of roll-down rear passenger windows. The high-performance models were marketed as 'Cuda deriving from

6424-551: The survival of the Chrysler Corporation when many other car companies failed. Beginning in 1930, Plymouths were sold by all three Chrysler divisions ( Chrysler , DeSoto , and Dodge ). Plymouth sales were a bright spot during this dismal automotive period, and by 1931 Plymouth rose to number three in sales among all cars. In 1931 with the Model PA, the company introduced floating power and boasted, "The smoothness of an eight –

6512-499: Was a 165 hp (123 kW) iteration of the 318 ci V8, capable of an 18.16 second quartermile in period testing - slower than the 90-hp Volkswagen Rabbit GTi . This generation of the Gran Fury sold in respectable numbers. However, despite having the same base prices as the Gran Fury (just under $ 12,000 USD for their final year), the Diplomat always outsold it, usually by several thousand units each year. The Chrysler Fifth Avenue's total sales were always more than that of

6600-458: Was also an increase in weight as bumpers became larger and, starting in 1970, E-body doors were equipped with heavy steel side-impact protection beams. Higher fuel prices and performance-car insurance surcharges deterred many buyers as the interest in high-performance cars waned. Sales of pony cars were on the decline. Sales had dropped dramatically after 1970, and while 1973 showed a sales uptick, Barracuda production ended April 1, 1974, ten years to

6688-563: Was announced on November 3, 1999. The last new model sold under the Plymouth marque was the second-generation Neon for 2000. The PT Cruiser was ultimately launched as a Chrysler, and the Prowler and Voyager were absorbed into that make, as well. Following the 2001 model year, the Neon was sold only as a Dodge in the US, though it remained available as a Chrysler in Canadian and other markets. The Plymouth Breeze

6776-466: Was available as a 2-door coupe, 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, 4-door hardtop, and 4-door station wagon. All models with the exception of the wagons rode on the 121.5 in (3,086 mm) wheelbase shared with the Dodge Monaco . Gran Fury Suburban wagons rode on a longer 124 in (3,150 mm) wheelbase that was also used by Monaco wagons and all full-sized Chryslers and Imperials. The 1975 Gran Fury

6864-503: Was available in four trim levels: base (sedan and coupe only), "Custom" (all models), "Brougham" (coupe and hardtop only), and "Sport Suburban" (wagon only). Changes for 1976 were minimal. The 4-door hardtop body style was eliminated, leaving only coupes, sedans, and wagons. With this, sedans were now available in deluxe Brougham trim. Offerings were trimmed for the C-body Gran Fury's final model year, 1977. The mid-range Custom trim level

6952-471: Was dropped after 2000, before Chrysler introduced their redesigned 2001 Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring sedan . Plymouth built various trucks and vans over the years, mainly rebadged Dodge or Chrysler vehicles. Early pickups, delivery trucks, and other commercial trucks were available, and later an SUV, full-sized vans, and minivans. Plymouth had supplied components to the Fargo vehicles, another member of

7040-455: Was dropped, leaving only base and high-end Brougham coupes and sedans. 1977 Gran Fury wagons were available in either base Suburban or high-end Sport Suburban models. All full-sized C-body Plymouths were discontinued at the end of the 1977 model year, leaving the mid-size B-body Fury to soldier on as Plymouth's large car for 1978. Sales of all of the Chrysler Corporation's C-body models for the 1974-1978 model years were considerably disappointing;

7128-418: Was far more popular with police departments and other fleet buyers, primarily since the car was reasonably priced and had a conventional drivetrain with proven components that could withstand a good deal of abuse. The Gran Fury, however, was much less powerful than both its Big Three competitors as well as the Chrysler Corporation's earlier police offerings. The most powerful engine available to police departments

7216-467: Was heavily based on Chrysler's old mid-size B-body platform, introduced in 1962 and updated several times thereafter. Nearly identical to the concurrent Chrysler Newport, it was intended to satisfy dealer requests for a lower-priced full-size model but more importantly to fulfill fleet orders, primarily for police and taxi use. The 1980 Plymouth Gran Fury was available in two versions, Base and Salon. Gran Fury Salon offered more standard features, including

7304-411: Was later joined by the similar Dodge Monaco for 1990. Plymouth (automobile) Plymouth was a brand of automobiles produced by Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler . The brand was launched in 1928 to compete in what was then described as the "low-priced" market segment that was dominated by Chevrolet and Ford . It became a high-volume seller for the automaker until

7392-517: Was only sold for one year. Chrysler B platform The B platform or B-body was the name of two of Chrysler 's midsize passenger car platforms – at first rear-wheel drive , from 1962 through 1979; and the later, unrelated front-wheel drive platform, used by the Eagle Premier / Dodge Monaco , from 1988 through 1992. The 1962-1979 platform underwent significant changes through its production life, but each Chrysler B-platform car in

7480-502: Was planning to expand the Plymouth line with a number of unique models before the corporation's merger with Daimler-Benz AG. The first model was the Plymouth Prowler , a hot rod -styled sports car. The PT Cruiser was to have been the second. Both models had similar front-end styling, suggesting Chrysler intended a retro styling theme for the Plymouth brand. At the time of Daimler's takeover of Chrysler, Plymouth had no models besides

7568-485: Was the Sundance's first year, it was available in a single base model. For 1988, a higher-end RS model was available. The RS model, which stood for Rally Sport, came with standard features that included two-tone paint, fog lights, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. It was also available with a turbocharged 2.2 L I4 engine, and other amenities like an Infinity sound system, tinted window glass, and dual power mirrors. For 1991,

7656-471: Was the beginning of a decades-long but unsuccessful attempt to develop and market a viable car powered by a turbine engine. 1955 saw Plymouth's dramatic redesign by Chrysler stylist Virgil Exner. Longer, lower, wider, it was a sensation and sales zoomed up 52% over 1954. In addition to the "Forward Look" styling, the new car got its first modern, overhead-valve V8 displacing 241 cu in (3.9 L). The optional PowerFlite fully automatic transmission had

7744-478: Was the newly launched Dodge Challenger ; however, no exterior sheet metal interchanged between the two cars, and the Challenger, at 110 inches (2,794 mm), had a wheelbase that was 2 inches (51 mm) longer than the Barracuda. The E-body Barracuda was now "able to shake the stigma of 'economy car'." Three versions were offered for 1970 and 1971: the base Barracuda (BH), the luxury oriented Gran Coupe (BP), and

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