Chrysler R platform

Chrysler R platform was the internal name of a car model of the American car manufacturer Chrysler, which was sold between 1979 and 1981 from the Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth in slightly different variants of each other. The Chrysler R models were vehicles of the so-called full-size class.

The background

The first oil crisis in 1973 led to significant sales losses of the previous American full-size models that were up to six feet long and sometimes had an empty weight of over 2.5 tonnes. General Motors and Ford responded with a designated as downsizing development that led to a considerable length and weight reduction their top class models and had a noticeable reduction in consumption to the object. In 1977, General Motors, for example, under the project 77 the considerably smaller B- Body a. The models based on his Buick Le Sabre and Electra, Cadillac DeVille, Chevrolet Caprice, Oldsmobile 88 and Pontiac Parisienne were 98 and 300 to 400 kg lighter and depending on the structure 250-360 mm shorter than their predecessors. Ford retired in 1978 after the based on the Panther platform LTD and the derived Mercury Marquis, which were 380 mm shorter and 350 pounds lighter than the previous models.

Chrysler, the smallest of the big three American automakers, the downsizing took place after a very delayed. 1978, when General Motors and Ford already been able to offer the reduced upper class models for all divisions, Chrysler had not yet developed a suitable competitor. The sale of the big Dodge Royal Monaco and Plymouth Gran Fury was already set. In the full-size segment Chrysler offered only to the designed in the early 1970s models Newport and New York, which could hardly be sold compared to the new models of General Motors and Ford. During 1978 alone, Chevrolet has sold over 600,000 copies of the new Caprice, Chrysler put just a little more than 83,000 vehicles from the old Newport and New Yorker series.

Chrysler's need for size-and weight-reduced upper class was obvious. Since the company was however in the 1970s in a heavy structure and financial crisis, it could afford only delayed and restricted the development work. The downsizing was not completed until early 1979, when Chrysler R- body and three based on it full-size models presented.

The technique of the R platform

The development of the R platform began in the spring of 1977 took place under time pressure. Therefore, above all, for cost reasons, could Chrysler - unlike General Motors and Ford - for the full-size models do not construct entirely new platform. The company management decided rather early for a review of in-house B platform, which at that time was already over 15 years old. She makes her debut in 1962 with the Dodge Polara and Plymouth Fury; In 1978, she was still the Dodge Monaco, the Plymouth Fury, the Chrysler Cordoba and Dodge Charger and the Dodge Magnum used. The enlargement had known platforms at Chrysler tradition: the M- platform ( Chysler LeBaron, Dodge Diplomat ) 1977 by extending the F- platform ( Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare ) was born.

The chassis

For the R platform the wheelbase of the B- Body was extended to 3010 mm. He was thus slightly longer than the competing models from General Motors and Ford The chassis and the structures of the B platform were adopted in many parts. The suspension was conventional here and there. Used on the front wheels continue to Chrysler torsion bar springs, which had already been introduced in its basic form, 1957; behind the model had a leaf-sprung live axle. The delay was carried forward by disc brakes, rear drum brakes by.

The body

The new full -size class was designed exclusively as a four-door sedan with fixed B-pillar (so-called Pillared Hardtop ); a two-door coupe and a large estate, who had heard the predecessors to the model range and had the competitors still on offer was not provided.

When designing the body, the designers had made ​​a point to give the impression of unchanged size. The trunk and the hood stayed long, while the passenger cell made ​​a stocky appearance. Overall, the proportions were not as balanced as the new full-size models from General Motors.

Chrysler plans before looked to have sell the R platform of the divisions of the Group with different names. In the interest of cost-effective production possible all variants used the same body; only at the front end design, and partly also of the rear end they present deviations (in the case of the top model, the Chrysler New Yorker, a Landau roof in the rear section was added, which was reserved for this model ).

The motorization

The engine consisted of six-and eight-cylinder engines:

• As the base engine on all models with the exception of the top model Chrysler New Yorker was a 3.7 liter ( 225 cubic inch ) straight six- cylinder with 110 hp. In California, the power output dropped to less than 90 hp. These usually delivered to authorities models were significantly underpowered; its top speed was only 140 km / h

• Upon request, a V8 engine with 5.2 liter displacement (318 cubic inches ) and 135 hp was available

• In both the two years of production also could be a 5.9 liter (360 cubic inch ) large eight-cylinder engine with 150 hp ( twin carburettor ) or 195 hp ( four -barrel carburetor ) can be ordered.

• In addition, there were special versions for California, where stricter emission regulations were. In this regard, the performance of the motors is reduced to varying degrees.

A three-speed automatic TorqueFlite counted in each stage engine as standard equipment.

The model family of R- platform

The new vehicles, the R platform were presented to the model year 1979. Initially there were two variants and a Chrysler Dodge version; a Plymouth model was not initially provided for in the plans. Due to ongoing requests from fleet operators who were interested in a high priced version of the vehicle, another offshoot of the Plymouth Division was nachgeschoben for model year 1980. To model family included:

• Chrysler Newport (1979 to 1981)

• Chrysler New Yorker (1979 to 1981). The New Yorker was the top model in the series with high quality interiors, an independent roof in the Landau style retractable headlights and a prestigious grille. The rear lights have also been designed independently.

• Dodge St. Regis (1979 to 1981). Priced he was slightly settled under the Chrysler Newport. He had an independent front end with a fold-down Plexiglas cover of the headlamps. The front bumper corresponded to the Chrysler New Yorker, the rear section of the Newport.

• Plymouth Gran Fury (1980 to 1981). The Gran Fury the cheapest model, apart from the grille identical to the Chrysler Newport, but less extensively equipped.

The recording on the market

The vehicles of the R platform were not a commercial success. In contrast to the size-reduced full-size models of General Motors and Ford, Chrysler was able to sell from the beginning, only small numbers. The most successful was the Chrysler Newport, of which about 78,000 copies were manufactured in his imagination. All other members of the family of models were in 1979 and in subsequent years clearly unsuccessful. In the last year of the R platform only low five-digit production numbers were achieved.

To explain the lack of success is usually pointed out that the car of the R platform too late - or " the wrong time " - came: The R- models appeared just at the time when the second oil crisis began and the market for large vehicles collapsed. Even GM and Ford sold in 1979 and especially in 1980 significantly fewer vehicles the full-size series as in previous years. Unlike Chrysler they had in 1977 and 1978 with their new models to the market first good use and their investment can pay for itself in any case partly.

The low success was reinforced on one hand by the image crisis of the Chrysler Group, which stood in 1979 at the brink of insolvency, and many problematic features of the cars themselves Thus the very large acting body requiring in time of austerity oil crisis as a symbol of a bygone era perceived; it gave the impression as if Chrysler overslept the signs of the times. Heavy yet weighed the considerable quality defects that were due to defective development and negligent manufacturing. An in-house study was believed that not a single vehicle left the assembly line free of defects; 100 vehicles produced in 1077 came defects, so that each vehicle was delivered with an average of eleven defects. Together with the pre-production for the new K- Car ( Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant ) led Chrysler under the leadership of Lee Iacocca 1979, a sustainable quality management through, which had a significant reduction in the error rate resulted. A study in 1980 concluded that the used by the police R -Cars 1980 model year were the best police car that Chrysler had delivered 1956-1980.

From 1980, sales of the R models largely came to a halt to private customers. The Chrysler Newport, Dodge St. Regis, and especially Plymouth Gran Fury were now supplied largely to fleet buyers such as rental car company or authorities.

End of 1981, Chrysler production of the R models a. Their successors Chrysler Fifth Avenue, Dodge Diplomat and Plymouth Gran Fury was based on the 1977 M presented platform.