Plymouth Reliant
| Dodge Aries Plymouth Reliant |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Chrysler Corporation |
| Production | 1981–1989 |
| Assembly |
Newark, Delaware (Newark Assembly), United States Detroit, Michigan (Jefferson Avenue Assembly), United States Toluca, Mexico (Toluca Car Assembly) |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Mid-size |
| Body style | 4-door wagon (1981-88) 4-door sedan (1981-89) 2-door coupe (1981-89) |
| Layout | Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive |
| Platform | K-body |
| Related |
Chrysler LeBaron Chrysler Town & Country Dodge 400 |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine |
|
| Transmission | 4-speed A460 manual 5-speed A465 manual 5-speed A520 manual 5-speed A525 manual 3-speed A413 automatic 3-speed A470 automatic |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 100.3 in (2,548 mm) Wagon: 100.4 in (2,550 mm) |
| Length | 178.6 in (4,536 mm) Wagon: 178.5 in (4,534 mm) |
| Width | 68.0 in (1,727 mm) |
| Height | Sedan: 52.9 in (1,344 mm) Coupe: 52.5 in (1,334 mm) Wagon: 53.2 in (1,351 mm) |
| Curb weight | 2,300 lb (1,043 kg) |
| Chronology | |
| Predecessor | Dodge Aspen / Plymouth Volaré |
| Successor | Dodge Spirit / Plymouth Acclaim |
The Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries were introduced for model year 1981 as the first "K-cars" manufactured and marketed by the Chrysler Corporation. As rebadged variants, the Reliant and Aries were manufactured in Newark, Delaware, Detroit, Michigan, and Toluca, Mexico — in a single generation.
The Reliant replaced the Plymouth Volaré/Road Runner. The Aries replaced the Dodge Aspen. Though similar in exterior size to a compact car, the Reliant's interior volume and six-passenger seating gave it a mid-size designation from the EPA. The Aries was sold as the Dart in Mexico.
The Reliant and Aries were selected together as Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1981 — and sold almost a million Aries and 1.1 million Reliant units over the nine-year run.
The Aries and Reliant debuted in October 1980 as 1981 models, with Chrysler adding a "K" emblem to the rear of each shortly after their introduction. 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 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 the both Reliant and Aries each selling over 150,000 units in 1981.
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Wikipedia