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I think, notice I said “I”, that as MoPar lovers, and keepers of the Flagship of the Corporation as a whole, it is important to note that the actual platform of the K car plays an important role in the mere fact that Chrysler is even still around today. It may not be the Chrysler we all grew up with, but more likely, it is the American extension of Daimler-Benz. That, however, is another discussion for another day.
Chrysler did not respond well to the changing face of the automotive consuming public as a whole in the late ‘70’s. I would have to say from ’76 forward to the complete model year of 1980 Chrysler was off mark by a wide margin and paid most dearly, almost with its life to be frank, save a few models like the Omni & Cordoba.
The Dart/Valiant, Satellite, and even Monaco’s of the early ‘70’s were good selling, solid cars that had a following, and reputation the American car buyer could buy with confidence. The larger models were good fleet cars at worst for Police, Hwy Patrol, etc… and solid large cars for the families of the day that preferred a large car, or Chrysler product through previous buying histories.
I feel in ’76 with the dropping of the Dart/Valiant and full switch to the Aspen/Volare, which at the time I was 15 and it made me mad. In retrospect, I am glad those new cars did not carry the Dart/Valiant name because they were not nearly as good a car, as is evidenced by their rapid reputation for rusting, low power, and chintziness. Interesting to note that Chrysler also used that platform for some more upscale models over the years and rebuilt its fleet sales with the rear drive Fury, Diplomat and finally the Chrysler Fifth Avenue through 1987. Rear drive, V-8 optioned cars. Back to the 70’s. Chrysler was known for, and continued to build big cars during the gas crises of the late ‘70’s with disastrous effects. By the time Lee Iacocca got fired from Ford, and came to Chrysler in 1979, Chrysler was in the fence of bankruptcy. Although a hero in the 80’s as the savior of Chrysler, which is true, he did drag it back down a bit in the late 80’s. That was just due to his insistence upon out of date auto trim, such as chrome accents, padded vinyl tops, tufted plush interiors, etc…
When Lee arrived, he did what needed to be done and slashed management more than half upon arrival. Although credited with the K-Car, it was in fact already in planning stages. Lee did use his influence to secure the much debated ‘Federal Bailout” loans in ’80, and as the K-Car was being brought to market, Mr. Iacocca did indeed fight off the classification of the K-Car as a “Sub-Compact” by the Feds. Something to do with, like one inch of length on the car made the Feds want to call it a “sub” rather than a “Compact”. America, especially Mid-America still bought American cars, and large ones too by the droves. The sub classification would be disastrous for the model at that time. Many people bought the car just to help Chrysler out, and the "K” became synonymous with the car itself. Before introduction, it was just marketing using the “K” in its communications, but it stuck. Chrysler dropped the “K” from the cars in about 1983-’84, but was pretty much forced to put it back on the car as its badge in ’86-’87 as that is what America really called it. The “K” car, Reliant & Plymouth version, but not the Chrysler Lebaron, was secondary names in the mind of the public.
As Lee had secured the bailout, and the K-Car did come to fruition on the American car market, it did in fact keep Chrysler if not rolling in dough; it was treading water during the early 80’s. I want to interject here that Ma MoPar did have some good cars in the late 70’s. The Cordoba was stellar in my own opinion, and sold well against the GM Cutlass, Monte Carlo, Grand Prix, Regal models, and Fords Granada/Monarch. Although at the time, 1976, it took initial flack by using round single headlamps on the Cordoba, which I personally love, and hate the ’78 restyle with flat taillights, and double rectangle headlamps, which I feel ruined the initial beauty of the car. The Omni/Horizon was a good seller against the sub-compact models, and one of a few VW Rabbit clone cars. Without these cars, Chrysler probably would have died, but it survived, and the K-Car merely kept it afloat until the 1984 Mini-Van introduction, which is really, what saved Chrysler. The Chrysler Mini-van is still the leader in sales today among all the competition as it created, built, and maintained its reputation and following.
That all stated, the K platform was stretched to its limits and became a “parts bin” car to boot. Same parts were used on all models saving a bundle on engineering, and a wide spectrum of different components for different model lines.
In 1988 with the drop of the basic Aspen/Volare platform car that was finally only used on the Fifth Avenue, and maybe, not sure, but the Fury for Police fleet sales, and important to note was the platform for the ’81-’83 Imperial, Chrysler was stretching the K platform to thin, and paid again in sales against the competition.
Not until 1994 with the “Cab-Forward” cars did sales really pick up again, and the rest you can fill in yourselves as it is recent history.
I did buy in 1992 a ’87 Lebaron Coupe, which had every option except overhead console, and as a coupe, obviously the drop top. When Lee took the K car in ’82 and had the top chopped off and started the convertible up again, it was on a platform not specifically designed for a convertible model. The ’87 convertibles were designed to be convertibles, and were much improved over the earlier versions. My own coupe was Burgundy over Dusk Rose two tone, Burgundy leather interior and all the bells, whistles, and electronic nightmares inherent in those components. As a car, that was up against the same competition of years earlier, Cutlass, et al, and Thunderbird/Cougar the K platform was like driving a go-cart. The car was low, rode like a go-cart, and much smaller than its direct competition. It did in fact sell fairly well anyway, even the stretched versions like the New Yorker, and finally the Imperial of the ‘90’s. I really liked that car, and it was equipped with the 2.2 Turbo, which I was sure to keep the oil changed every three months regardless of mileage. Many of those cars equipped with turbo power did not remain kept up correctly, which let to them dying early deaths. Not nearly as bad as the ill-fated Ford Turbos' of the early 80’s. They were, and are good cars. I kept mine in pristine shape, and when I sold it got top dollar for it because the turbo worked as it was meant to, with not whine, or other issues. Something the buyer said he had looked at 10 Lebarons, all turbo models, all with something weird about he turbo. The turbo had its drawback though, such as you could not tow with any turbo-equipped car.
In summation, the K car did not actually “save” Chrysler, but was in fact a band-aid in ’81-’84 until the Mini-Van actually saved the day. The K-car did allow Chrysler to repay it’s Federal bailout back much earlier than required in ’84 as the Mini-van came out so should be credited with that influence along with Mr. Iacocca brutal, but necessary management slashing and cost reductions.
If any of this recounting is off mark by someone in the know please feel free to correct me. This is just how I saw the progression through the years, and what I read during those times and what has been said in print in retrospect.
Have a great day everyone!
Wm. R. Ulman Seattle, WA '66 Crown Convertible Coupe - Doris Day ’95 Buick Roadmaster – Rock Hudson
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