Plymouth Caravelle

The Plymouth Caravelle was a 1984-1988 offered by the U.S. automakers Plymouth midsize sedan with front-wheel drive. To be distinguished from this model were rear-wheel drive vehicles of the same name, the Chrysler offered on the Canadian market.

Model for the U.S.

Offered as a vehicle Plymouth Caravelle in the U.S. was introduced in 1985 and remained until 1988 on the market. It was based on the Chrysler E platform, a delay of 76 mm version of the K- platform. He was thus cognate with the Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries; Sister models were the Dodge 600 and Chrysler New Yorker. It was offered in the U.S. only as a four-door sedan; a coupe version existed here - unlike in Canada - not.

The introduction of the Plymouth Caravelle was primarily due to marketing considerations and had its basis in the separate marketing of Chrysler - Plymouth and Dodge vehicles of models on the other. Their introduction was related to the cessation of production of the Chrysler E-Class. The E-Class had served since 1982 in the model range of the Chrysler division as a stopgap between the Chrysler LeBaron and Chrysler New Yorker. He had proved unsuccessful; for a vehicle of this positioning with Chrysler emblem there was no sufficient market. However, the Chrysler - Plymouth dealer respondent saw a need for a vehicle the size of the E-Class. Although there have been the Dodge 600, which was largely identical to the E-Class; Vehicles of the Dodge brand, however, were not sold by Chrysler - Plymouth dealers, but on a separate sales organization. To fill the gap in the model program of the Chrysler Plymouth Dealers, Chrysler positioned the previous E-Class at the beginning of the model year 1985 as Plymouth. With this shift to another brand the car could now be offered cheaper than it had been possible under the Chrysler emblem. The Plymouth Caravelle was largely identical to the E-Class, but had a simpler grille.

Was driven by either the Caravelle Chrysler's 2.2 - liter four- cylinder, a turbocharged version of this engine or that provided by Mitsubishi 2.6 - liter four- cylinder with balance shafts. In the first year, the Caravelle was only available in the upscale SE trim level, from model year 1986 there was also a simpler equipped base version. In the same year, the Caravelle also underwent a minor facelift with a modified grille and laid beside the headlights turn signals. At the same time the Mitsubishi engine was replaced by a 2.5 - liter version of the Chrysler four- cylinder. In this form the Caravelle remained until the end of the model year 1988 production.

Overall, Plymouth built by the Caravelle in four years 134,000 copies. The production figures broken down as follows on the model years:

Models for Canada

In the Canadian market, Chrysler offered in the 1980s under the name Caravelle three largely autonomous vehicles:

• The Canadian version of the Plymouth Gran Fury was called to 1982 Plymouth Caravelle, after which it was named Caravelle Saloon.

• The Canadian version of the American Dodge 600 sedan was sold in 1983 as Plymouth Caravelle.

• Finally, the coupe version of the American Dodge 400 was sold in Canada as Plymouth Caravelle.

Swell

• Flammang, James M / Kowalke, Ron. Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999. Krause Publication, Iola 1999. ISBN 0-87341-755-0