Dodge Charger (L-body)
| Dodge Charger | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Dodge (Chrysler) |
| Also called | Plymouth Duster Plymouth Turismo |
| Production | 1983–1987 |
| Assembly | United States: Belvidere, Illinois (Belvidere Assembly) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Subcompact car |
| Body style | 3-door fastback/hatchback |
| Layout | Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive |
| Platform | L-body |
| Related |
Dodge Omni Dodge Rampage Plymouth Horizon Plymouth Scamp Shelby GLHS |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 1.6 L Peugeot 6J I4 1.7 L VW EA827 I4 2.2 L K I4 2.2 L Turbo I I4 2.2 L Turbo II I4 |
| Transmission | 5-speed manual 4-speed Volkswagen manual 3-speed A413 automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 96.5 in (2,451 mm) |
| Length | 174.8 in (4,440 mm) |
| Width | 66.1 in (1,679 mm) |
| Height | 50.7 in (1,288 mm) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Dodge O24 / Plymouth TC3 |
| Successor | Dodge Shadow / Plymouth Sundance |
The Dodge Charger (L-body) was a subcompact 3-door hatchback/fastback built by Dodge from 1983 to 1987, and was based on Chrysler's front-wheel drive L platform.
For 1979, Chrysler brought out sporty versions of the L-body Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon called the Dodge Omni 024 and the Plymouth Horizon TC3. The cars shared a 70 hp (52 kW) 1.7 L Volkswagen I4 as the only engine under the O24/TC3 name.
In 1981, the Charger nameplate returned as a performance package on the Omni 024. Called the Charger 2.2, it cost $399 extra and came with a hood scoop, quarter-window appliques, special gearing, rear spoiler, and "Charger 2.2" tape graphics, as well as the new 84 hp (63 kW) 2.2 L I4 engine that was designed and built by Chrysler. A total of 7,306 were built.
In 1982, the Dodge Charger returned for a second year as the performance option for the 024. Nothing was changed from 1981 except for a Pentastar emblem on its hood and the addition of a resonator to the exhaust, since the previous model had no muffler, utilizing the catalytic converter as the sole method of engine noise reduction.
In 1983, the Volkswagen engine went out of production, so a joint Chrysler/Peugeot 1.6 L engine was used instead. The Omni 024 was renamed the Charger. Carroll Shelby developed a sporty version of the car later during the year, the Dodge Shelby Charger.
The transformation continued in 1984, with quad headlights now differentiating the Charger from its Omni origins. The Plymouth Turismo would share the same front end. Apart from the badging, both cars were exactly the same.
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