GM J platform

J-body
A 1987 Vauxhall Cavalier II, the Vauxhall version of the GM J-body.
Overview
Manufacturer	General Motors
Production	1981–2005
Body and chassis
Class	Compact (North America) Mid-size (Global)
Layout	FF layout
Body style(s)	2-door convertible 2-door coupe 2-door notchback sedan 3-door hatchback 4-door sedan 5-door station wagon 5-door hatchback
Chronology
Predecessor	GM H platform (RWD) (North America)
Successor	GM2900 platform (Europe) GM Delta (North America)

The General Motors J platform, or J-body, is an automobile platform that was used by General Motors from 1981 to 2005. Marking the transition to front-wheel drive in the compact-car segment in North America, the J platform was the successor to the H platform, making it the third generation of compact cars designed by the company. Outside North America, the J platform was adopted by GM-controlled subsidiaries making the same transition to front-wheel drive, though as a mid-size car.

By 1990, General Motors began to change its usage of the J platform. To clear room for the 1990 Saturn S-Series, Buick and Oldsmobile ended their use of the J platform (and their presence in the compact segment). Outside of North America, the J platform was phased out in favor of the GM2900 platform (cars based upon the Opel Vectra). The best-selling variants of the J-platform (the Chevrolet Cavalier and its various Pontiac equivalents) would remain in production into the early 2000s, following several redesigns.

Replaced by the GM Delta platform, the J-platform vehicle would end production in June 2005; the final vehicle produced was a Pontiac Sunfire.

The design of the J-body dated back to the mid-1970s. At that time, GM-controlled divisions in different parts of the world manufactured totally different rear-wheel drive C-segment cars – the Chevrolet Vega in America, the Vauxhall Cavalier/Opel Ascona in Europe, the Holden Torana in Australia and the Isuzu Aska in Japan. Due to the exterior dimensions, and the engines offered being in compliance with Japanese regulations, the platform was classed in the favorable "compact" designation, and competed with other Japanese made products sold in the domestic market at the time. Isuzu also supplied kits for Holden's J-car version, the Camira.