How Dodge Works

Brothers John and Horace Dodge were traditionalists who believed in practicality and honest dollar value, so their cars never made any gesture toward sport. This continued under Chrysler, with nothing to suggest the high-performance Dodges to come.

An interesting '55 footnote was "La Femme," a Custom Royal Lancer hardtop coupe painted pink and white. As the name implied, it featured custom accoutrements for m'lady, including a folding umbrella and a fitted handbag in the backs of the front seats. La Femme returned for '56, but response was minimal and few of these cars were produced.

Most '55 Dodge Lancers wore tiny chrome rear-fender trim suggesting fins. For '56 Highland Park offered sharply uplifted fenders, and Dodge wore them as well as any. Two-speed PowerFlite, the firm's first fully automatic transmission, had arrived with lever control in '54. Now it had pushbuttons in a handy pod to the left of the wheel.

Besides revised frontal styling and new interiors, Dodge '56 also advertised a stroked "Super Red Ram" V-8 with 315 cid and 218 horsepower, versus 189 for the returning 270. The evergreen six now offered 131 horses. Available across the board was the first of the now-famous "D-500" options. For '56 this was just a four-barrel carb that provided 230 horsepower.

However, a Chrysler historical publication also lists a four-barrel 315 with higher compression (9.25:1 vs. 8.0 elsewhere), good for 260 horsepower. Other '56 developments involved a new Lancer four-door hardtop sedan in each series, and a "spring special" Golden Lancer, a D-500 Custom Royal hardtop coupe with Sapphire White/Gallant Gold exterior and harmonizing white/black/gray interior.

For more on the all-American Dodge, see:

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1956, 1957, 1958, 1959 Dodge Cars

Nineteen-fifty-six was a down year for all Detroit, and Dodge built 240,000 cars to again run eighth. But helped by torsion-bar suspension, all-new styling, and more power for '57, Dodge would climb to seventh on volume of nearly 288,000.

Carrying Exner's "second-generation" Forward Look, the '57 Dodges were longer, lower, wider, and more aggressive-looking, with a massive bumper/grille, lots of glass, and high-flying fins (ads called all of this "Swept-Wing" styling). Wheelbase stretched to 122 inches, where it would remain through 1961. The Hemi was again enlarged: bored this time to 325 cid. The result, depending on compression and carbs, was 245-310 bhp. The '57 D-500 option was a 354 from junior Chryslers, tuned for 340 bhp. The old six got another seven horses for its ultimate total of 138.

The D-500 package was Dodge's answer to the limited-edition supercars at sister divisions -- available for any model right down to the plain-Jane Coronet two-door. Shocks, springs, and the new-for-'57 front torsion bars were all suitably firmed up for what Motor Trend magazine called a "close liaison with the road" -- handling that put D-500s at the head of their class. V-8s delivered brisk-to-blistering go.

Even the relatively mild 245-bhp mill could scale 0-60 in about 9.5 seconds. For '58 the D-500 package replaced its complex Hemi with a less costly 361-cid wedgehead V-8. The wedgehead delivered 305 or 320 horsepower. Optional Bendix electronic fuel injection boosted power to 333, but it was unreliable and the few that were sold were probably replaced by carburetors.

A mild facelift with four headlamps and revised trim marked the '58 Dodges. The line was a rerun until February, when a spiffy Regal Lancer hardtop coupe was announced as one of the "spring specials" so long favored by Chrysler marketers. Some of its trim items were also available on lesser Dodges, including lancer-head grille medallion, blackout headlamp trim, and rather contrived bodyside/fin moldings.

Sensibly left alone were 1957's new Torsion-Aire Ride and optional three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission that had earned near-­universal praise -- and buyer approval. Both would persist at Dodge and throughout the corporate camp for many years.

Now in its final season, Dodge's 325 Hemi packed 252/265 bhp for '58. A 350 wedgehead offered 295 standard horsepower in Custom Royals and V-8 wagons. Although 1958 was disastrous for every Detroit make, Dodge fared worse than most. Model-year production plunged to 138,000 as the division barely finished ahead of Cadillac.

But Dodge shared in Detroit's modest 1959 recovery, building about 156,000 cars and rebounding from ninth to eighth in the volume stakes. Sales might have been better had it not been for a rather heavy-handed facelift marked by droopy hooded head-lamps and misshapen fins above suggestive thrusting taillamps. Revised interiors could be newly furnished with swivel front seats, semibuckets that pivoted outward upon opening a door.

The venerable flathead six was in its final year. V-8s, now wedgehead only, comprised a new 326 with 255 bhp for Coronets; a 305-bhp 361 for other models; and a big new 383 with 320/345 bhp. The last-named was that year's D-500 -- and not cheap. Both were thirsty, but it was the age of 30-cent-a-gallon gas and the market still craved performance (if not quite as much as before the '58 recession).

For more on the all-American Dodge, see:

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1960, 1961, 1962, 1963 Dodge Cars

The '60s would see Dodge strengthen its position in the high-performance field, push upward into price territory left vacant by DeSoto's cancellation after '61, and diversify with compacts and intermediates.

Volume rose rapidly after 1964 to an annual average of more than half a million units, and the division set a new record with 633,000 cars built for '66. But competitors were up too, so Dodge's standing in the industry production stakes varied between fifth or sixth in its best years and seventh to ninth in the troubled years 1961-63.

Taking note of the growing buyer interest in smaller cars prompted by the '58 recession, Dodge entered the '60s with a much broader lineup divided into "junior" and "senior" groups. The former was the new Dart: sixes and V-8s on a 118-inch wheelbase save wagons, which rode a 122. Series were tagged Seneca, Pioneer, and Phoenix in ascending order of price and plush.

Phoenix offered a convertible, hardtop coupe and sedan, and pillared four-door; lesser lines were limited to wagons, two- and four-door sedans, and a Pioneer two-door hardtop. The senior line comprised V-8 Matadors and Polaras on the 122-inch wheelbase.

Most 1960 Dodge models, such as this 1960 Dodge Polara four-door sedan, offered a lighter body with quality performance. See more pictures of Dodge cars.

All 1960 Dodges employed unit body/chassis construction, new at Chrysler Corporation that year, and wore more-sculptured lines announced by bright, blunt, and busy front ends. Fins were still in evidence, ending well ahead of podlike taillights on Matador/Polara, near the rear of more conventional fenders on Darts.

Despite appearances, most 1960 Dodges were relatively light and thus offered good performance with reasonable economy. That was even true of base-engine models, which carried the larger, 225-cid version of Chrysler Corporation's new "Slant Six." Initially rated at 145 bhp, this durable workhorse would carry on into the early '80s. ­Dart's V-8 was the solid, reliable 318 with 230/255 horsepower. Matadors used a 295-bhp Chrysler 361, optional on Dart Pioneer and Phoenix. Polaras had a standard 383 (available for Phoenix and Matador) with 325/330 horsepower. Helped greatly by the Dart, attractively priced in the $2,300-$3,000 range, Dodge scored impressively higher sales: up over 200,000 for the model year to nearly 368,000, good for sixth on the industry roster.

Per well-established Chrysler practice, the '61 line included a Dodge version of a Plymouth product: the 106.5-inch-wheelbase Valiant compact, new for 1960. Called Lancer, it shared the Valiant's "unibody" structure and basic styling but stood apart with a horizontal-bar grille and slightly better trim. Also like Valiant, there were two Lancer series, 170 and 770, each with two-door sedan, four-door sedan, and four-door wagon body styles. The 770 added a hardtop coupe that was also new to Valiant for '61, as was the pillared two-door. Power came from the smaller, 170-cid Slant Six with 101 bhp. The 225 Dart engine was optional.

The Dart itself was substantially face-lifted for '61, gaining a deeply concave full-width grille cradling quad headlamps, plus curious reverse-slant tailfins. The senior Matador was dropped and remaining Polaras were restyled to be virtual Dart dead ringers. Engines mostly reprised the 1960 choices. Among these was Dodge's customary D-500 option, now a 383 with twin four-barrel carburetors and ram-induction manifolding (new for '60), good for an outstanding 330 horsepower.

In a Dart, that translated to about 10 pounds for each horsepower, a super power-to-weight ratio that meant 120-mph flat out and acceleration to match. Torsion bar suspension and oversized Chrysler brakes made it as roadable as it was quick. It was even quicker when equipped with the Chrysler 413, a ram-induction wedge delivering 350 or 375 bhp as a new Dart option, though price was high and availability quite limited.

However, Dodge sales dropped by over 25 percent for '61, reflecting increased competition and an overall industry downtrend. Lancer didn't sell well, but it was a stopgap anyway. A successor was in the works, so the only notable changes for '62 were a busier grille and a smart bucket-seat GT hardtop (replacing the 770 model).

Meantime, a brand-new 116-inch-wheelbase Dart in base, 330, and 440 series arrived, measuring six inches shorter and 400 pounds lighter than corresponding '61s. Topping the line was a sporty bucket-seat Polara 500 group, offering hardtops with two and four doors, plus convertible. Chrysler design chief Virgil Exner thought that if Americans liked compacts, they'd go for downsized "standard" cars, too. But he was about 15 years ahead of his time, and these cars sold as poorly as the Lancer -- aggravated by frankly odd Lancer-like looks.

But performance fans roundly applauded the smaller, lighter Darts, mainly because the big-block 413 returned with more muscle: 365, 380, 410, and a rollicking 420-bhp. Shoehorned into the lightest base-trim two-doors, these cars began terrorizing the nation's drag strips, thus renewing Dodge's "hot car" reputation and setting the stage for even wilder doings. In fact, ­big-inch Dodge intermediates won the National Hot Rod Asso­ciation Championship in 1962 and would reign supreme for the next few years on literally every quarter-mile. They were also strong contenders at Daytona.

But performance alone doesn't necessarily sell cars, and Dodge's total volume for '62 was down to about 240,500, off some 30,000 in a year when most rivals scored higher sales. Things would have been worse had it not been for the true full-size cars that were reinstated at midyear as the Custom 880. Effectively taking over for the now-departed DeSoto, they looked like the finless '61 Polaras they were, with '62 Chrysler-style "plucked chicken" tails and standard 265-bhp 361 V-8.

For more on the all-American Dodge, see:

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Dodge Dart and Dodge Coronet

While Plymouth struggled on with its related downsized "standards," Dodge increased wheelbase to 119 inches for 1963 -- and pushed performance. What had been called Dart was now just "Dodge," comprising 330, 440, and Polara series. As before, the last included a swanky bucket-seat 500 convertible and hardtop coupe. Styling was cleaner and more conventional, though the "face" was still pretty odd.

Engines remained broadly the same, but a bore job took the 413 wedge to 426 cubes and 370/375 horsepower. But the big news was the "Ramcharger," a super-performance 426 with aluminum pistons and high-lift cam punching out 415/425 horsepower.

Dodge did field a Dart for '63, but it was a very different car: a mostly new compact to replace Lancer. (The name change was a last-minute decision.) It was basically that year's redesigned Valiant with more crisply styled exterior and five extra inches in wheelbase (111 except wagons, still at 106). Sedans and wagons made up the 170 and 270 series, with convertibles offered in 270 and bucket-seat GT guise; there was also a GT hardtop coupe.

At the other end of the scale, Custom 880s returned with new lower-priced 880 companions, all bearing grilles with fine vertical bars. With so much new, Dodge surged past Rambler to grab seventh in the industry on record volume of over 446,000 units.

The '64 lineup was much like '63's, with facelifts that continued Dodge's move back to more-orthodox looks. Darts became livelier, as Valiant's new 273-cid small-block V-8 was added to the options list, bringing 180 horsepower. That year's Ramcharger was Chrysler's fabled hemi-head V-8, returning to the performance wars in a new 426 version with 425 horsepower -- but only for racing. The top showroom power options remained wedgehead 426s, now with 365 standard horsepower or 415 with high-compression heads.

But Hemi-powered Dodge/Plymouth intermediates provided plenty of entertainment anyway, dominating the NASCAR season beginning with a 1-2-3 sweep at the Daytona 500. In the production race, Dodge swept back into sixth for the first time since 1960.

The 1966 Dodge Charger was introduced in the middle of the year.

For 1965, the Coronet name returned on a revamped midsize line with more square-cut styling and a 117-inch wheelbase for all models but wagons (116 inches). These were essentially the 1962-64 "standards" logically repositioned to battle popular intermediates like Ford Fairlane and Chevy Chevelle.

But there was also a much-altered 115-inch-wheelbase Coronet Hemi-Charger two-door sedan weighing just 3,165 pounds. Intended strictly for drag racing and base-priced at $3,165, it came with the reborn 426 Hemi, of course, plus heavy-duty springs and shocks, antiroll bar, four-on-the-floor manual transmission, and strong police brakes. Performance was more than ample: 0-60 mph in seven seconds or less. Buyers in less of a hurry flocked to a civilized new buckets-and-console Coronet 500 hardtop and convertible available with wedgehead V-8s up to 426 cubes and 365 horsepower.

Capping the '65 line was a completely redesigned group of 121-inch wheelbase Polaras and Custom 880s, plus a companion sports/luxury hardtop, the $3,355 Monaco. All shared chassis and body structure with that year's Chryslers and full-size Plymouth Furys. Their conservatively square basic shape was dictated by design chief Elwood Engel, who'd been recruited from Ford to replace Virgil Exner in 1962. The Dodges were distinguished by a "dumbbell" grille and delta taillamps.

After a modest '65 restyle, Darts squared up for '66, via new front sheet metal. Coronets returned in standard, Deluxe, 440, and 500 guise, also with blockier fronts as well as curvier rear fenders and wedgy taillights. Custom 880 was renamed Monaco, and the big bucket-seat hardtop became Monaco 500. Monacos and Polaras got wider taillights and crisper lower-body contours, plus Chrysler's new big-block 440 wedgehead with 350 horsepower as the top power option.

For more on the all-American Dodge, see:

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Dodge Dart Facelift and Dodge Charger

A midyear salvo in the division's 1966 "Dodge Rebellion" was Charger, essentially a fastback Coronet hardtop coupe with hidden-headlamp grille, full-width taillights, and a sporty four-seat interior with full-length center console and individual fold-down rear buckets. A mild 318 V-8 was standard, but you could order a mighty 425-bhp "Street Hemi," a new regular production option for all '66 Chrysler intermediates. Also on the Charger option sheet: manual transmission, "Rallye" suspension, and numerous luxury items.

In all, 1966 was a great year for Dodge. After easing to 489,000 units for '65, volume shot up to its aforementioned decade high, good for fifth in the industry. Dodge wouldn't rank as high again until '88.

For 1967, the Dart got an all-new unit structure on the existing wheelbase and lost its wagons. Styling was a bit curvier and more "important," though still pretty, if rather mainstream. Polara/Monaco also got a new structure: a full-size body/frame platform shared with that year's Chryslers and Plymouth Furys. Styling here was somewhat more contrived: lower and sleeker but with rear decks longer than hoods, plus a complex grille comprising a square vertical-bar section between openings split by horizontal bars. A belated facelift made Coronets look more like the Charger, which continued its '66 appearance but added two 383 V-8 options with 270 and 325 horsepower.

Continuing its performance push, Dodge issued a sportier Coronet for '67. Called R/T, for "Road/Track", it came as a convertible and hardtop coupe with a tuned 375-bhp 440 "Magnum" V-8, heavy-duty suspension, wide tires, and oversize brakes -- Dodge's entry in the burgeoning "muscle-car" market uncovered by the Pontiac GTO. A similar package was devised the following year for a new Charger R/T. The 426 Hemi remained optional for intermediates, still on a limited basis. Despite its appealing '67 line, Dodge fell back to seventh place on model-year volume of nearly 466,000 units.

Dart and full-size Dodges were face-lifted for '68, as it was time for Coronet and Charger to be fully revised. The result was the best-looking midsize Dodges yet: long and low, with rounded "fuselage" lines and pleasingly simple grilles. Charger again featured hidden headlamps, but was now a notchback hardtop with a semifastback "flying buttress" roofline.

Sporty models continued multiplying. Dart added a plush GTS hardtop and convertible with standard 340-cid V-8, an enlarged 273 with 275 horsepower. A big 300-bhp 383 was optional -- and bordered on overkill in a compact. Coronet offered the new budget-priced Super Bee, a no-frills two-door muscle coupe with special 335-bhp "Magnum" 383. These and the Coronet and Charger R/Ts made up what Dodge called the "Scat Pack." All wore "bumble-bee" tape stripes on their tails, and ranked among 1968's quickest and most-roadable performance machines.

Along with Chrysler and Plymouth Fury, the 1969 Polara/Monaco got "fuselage" styling of its own, but remained on a 122-inch wheelbase. Dart, Coronet, and Charger wore minor facelifts. Dart GTS was joined by a Swinger, a two-door hardtop with special trim, bright grille, and choice of 318 or 340 V-8s.

But the pride of Dodge's '69 fleet was unquestionably the Charger Daytona. Conceived for long-distance NASCAR races like the Daytona 500, it was an exercise in aerodynamics, marked by a unique bullet nose with hidden headlights and "bib" spoiler, plus a flush-window fastback roof and a huge trunk lid wing on towering twin stabilizers. All this made the Daytona about 20-percent more "slippery" than previous racing Chargers, which gave it an advantage of 500 yards per lap. Dodge built only 505 -- just enough to qualify as "production" under NASCAR rules.

The 1970 Dodge Challenger attracted buyers with its powerful Hemi option, but sales dropped quickly beore the end of the year.

Appearing with Plymouth's third-generation Barracuda for 1970 was a Dodge relative, the division's belated reply to the Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, and other ponycars. Fittingly named Challenger, it was offered with a Slant-Six as standard power, plus V-8 options of 318, 383, 440, and even the Hemi. Models comprised hardtop coupe and convertible in plain and sporty R/T trim. The hardtop could also be ordered as a Special Edition with padded vinyl roof and a smaller "formal" rear window. Priced attractively in the $3,000-$3,500 range and cataloging a broad list of options, Challenger sold very well its first year, but then tailed off rapidly. In 1970 sales, sixes outpaced V-8s, while hardtops outsold convertibles. Only about 10,000 SE coupes were built.

Specifications and dimensions for other 1970 Dodges were largely as for '69, but Coronets, Chargers, and Polara/Monaco received large "loop" bumper/grilles; Coronet's divided affair looked a bit swollen. More-massive rear bumpers also adorned the big cars, as well as Darts.

Charger offered a six for the first time, while the exotic Daytona, having proven its point, was dropped (leaving Plymouth to carry the colors with its similar Superbird). Ignition/steering-column locks, fiberglass-belted tires, dual-action wagon tailgates, and a long list of federally mandated safety equipment completed the 1970 story. As in 1969, Dodge remained seventh in industry output, though volume fell from 611,000 to 543,000 for the model year.

For more on the all-American Dodge, see:

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End of the Dodge Challenger, Birth of the Dart Sport

Dodge's path through the '70s was strewn with the same obstacles that made life difficult for all U.S. automakers in those years: a growing number of ever-stricter government regulations and a dramatically altered business climate stemming from the OPEC oil embargo of 1973-74. The division was ill-prepared for both, its early-decade lines heavy with cars ­motivated by thirsty V-8s and wallowing on too-soft suspensions. Worse, Chrysler's steadily declining fortunes allowed most of these dinosaurs to hang on too long.

Indifferent workmanship only further dampened sales, which culminated in the corporation's near-demise during 1980. But by that point, Dodge was through its trial by fire and building nothing remotely like its early-'70s dinosaurs, save the 118.5-inch-wheelbase St. Regis sedan and the Mirada personal-luxury coupe.

It didn't take much corporate contemplation to dispose of the poor Challenger: clumsy, poorly built, and never a serious sales threat to Camaro/Firebird or even Mustang II (if you call that one a pony car). The overweight latecomer was put out to pasture after 1974, when only about 16,000 were sold. Collectors noted the rarity and desirability of convertibles, R/Ts, and big-inch engines after '71, and have been bidding up prices at auctions.

With the dawn of the first energy crisis, the brontosaurus-like Polara/Monaco also seemed headed for the automotive tar pits, but Dodge tried hard to save them via discounts and cash rebates beginning in 1974, Polara vanished after '73. A blocky new Monaco arrived for '74, similar to that year's redesigned Chrysler but still on a 122-inch wheelbase. In 1977, it became the Royal Monaco -- selling in decent numbers only by dint of police and taxi orders -- while the Monaco name replaced Coronet on midsize cars.

Given such disappointments, it's no surprise that Dodge increasingly depended on Dart sales through mid-decade. Giving the compact line new appeal for '71 was the fastback Demon, a double to Plymouth's new-for-'70 Valiant Duster with the same 108-inch wheelbase and choice of Slant Six, 318 V-8, and optional 340 V-8. The last was reserved for a sporty Demon 340 decked out with bodyside tape stripes, matte-black hood with dual dummy scoops, and wide tires on special wheels as part of a specially beefed-up chassis.

With its trim size and 275 horsepower, the Demon 340 was nimble yet spirited -- really the Dart GTS idea remade for changing times. But the name bothered some people, so Demon was prosaically retitled Dart Sport for '73, when all Darts gained a latticework grille and modest center hood bulge. The Sport 340 became a 360 for 1974-75, Dodge enlarging its small-block V-8 in deference to easier emissions tuning.

A memorable Sport option was the "Convertriple," which actually meant two separate extras: fold-down rear seat and sliding-steel sunroof. Ordered together, they made for something vaguely like a "three-way" car. Also making Dart more than just basic transportation were the plush Special Edition sedans and coupes of 1974-76. These offered vinyl tops, special emblems, velour interiors, and other extras for about $3,800.

For more on the all-American Dodge, see:

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Dodge Dart Replacement: The Dodge Aspen

The ultra-reliable Dodge Dart remained a sales winner right to the end (mostly on the strength of workaday sedans), but its 1976 replacement called The Aspen was a letdown. In essence it was a slightly larger, roomier and heavier Dart, offering a wider range of luxury options -- much like the Granada was to Maverick at Ford.

The Dodge Omni (1979 model pictured here) touted practicality and affordability.

Unfortunately, Aspen soon earned the dubious distinction of being the most-recalled car in history (along with its Volare twin at Plymouth), due to poor workmanship in general and early body rust in particular. (GM's X-cars soon wrested that sorry title.) But performance was good with the extra-cost 360-cid V-8 listed through '79, and furnishings were nicer than on most Darts. Aspen also revived a compact Dodge wagon, something Dart had lacked since its '67 redesign. There were ­pseudo-muscle R/T coupes and even a "finish it yourself" 1979 kit-car racer.

Despite its problems, Aspen was important for Dodge sales in the late '70s. It also exemplified one of the few things Detroit began doing well: putting big-car comfort in smaller packages (here, 108.7-inch-wheelbase coupes, 112.7-inch sedans and wagons). Aspen was advertised as the "family car of the future," which was hyperbole worthy of P.T. Barnum, but it would lead to the genuine article.

An unusual Aspen (and Volare) feature was its front suspension, which had torsion bars per Chrysler tradition, but situated crosswise instead of lengthwise. Some critics sneered that this was contrived merely so Chrysler could still advertise front torsion bars -- and that it had no real advantage for ride or quietness; a few even claimed it actually hampered handling. Regardless, the transverse bars did allow for better suspension isolation, which made for smoother going than in the Dart. Aspen's mainstay engines, 225 Slant Six and 318 V-8, were by now hoary affairs, but proven. And the thrifty six (which could yield up to 25 mpg on the highway with manual shift) was about as bulletproof as Detroit engines ever got.

If Aspen didn't realize its sales potential, the larger Dodges fared even worse. The midsize Coronet/Monaco became more like the equivalent Plymouth Satellite/Fury with each passing year (all were built nose-to-tail at Chrysler's Lynch Road plant in Detroit) and was hardly a bargain at prices averaging $100 higher. It was also thirsty, and styling was forgettable. The Charger was simply watered down amidst name shuffles. For 1975 it became a twin to Chrysler's posh Cordoba, a car even the Dukes of Hazzard wouldn't have recognized.

This midsize generation began with fuselage-style '71 Charger coupes on a 115-inch wheelbase and 117-inch Coronet sedans and wagons. By 1978, they'd been heavily face-lifted once -- for '75 -- and trimmed to Charger SE and Magnum XE coupes, plus assorted Monacos and Monaco Broughams.

The reason for thinning those ranks was Diplomat. Launched for 1977, it was much like Chrysler's new LeBaron: a reskinned Aspen/Volare platform with coupes, sedans, and wagons on a 112.7-inch wheelbase. Diplomat sold well from the start, and its more sensible design made the old-style intermediates unnecessary. The Coronet-turned-Monaco was thus transformed after 1978 into the St. Regis, all but identical with Chrysler's "down-sized" R-body Newport/New Yorker sedan. The Cordoba-like Charger vanished at the same time; the related Magnum hung on through '79.

Then the smooth Mirada took over as the personal-luxury Dodge. Mounting the Diplomat platform, it was a close cousin of 1980's new second-generation Chrysler Cordoba. One of the few true hardtop coupes left by that time, it bore a striking front end recalling the "coffin nose" of the late-'30s Cord 810/812 -- and the previous Magnum. Good looks won Mirada a lot of good copy in "buff" magazines. And considering how things had changed since the muscle-car days, it was decent­ly quick -- if you ordered the optional 185-bhp 360-cid V-8, Dodge's hairiest engine that year. Unhappily, this was another one that was just a shade too late to be of any real value, and Mirada's annual production averaged less than 7500 units through swan-song 1983.

Capping Dodge's enforced product renewal in the '70s was the L-body Omni, a sensible, front-drive subcompact announced for 1978. It was cut from the trend-setting pattern of the Volkswagen Rabbit, and was even powered at first by a slightly larger version of VW's single-overhead-cam four (also mounted transversely). Omni wasn't quite as much fun to drive, but had the same boxy, four-door hatchback styling and high practicality. Along with Plymouth's near-identical Horizon, Omni was one versus 99.2). Called 024, it won an immediate following, even managing a few conquest sales among import buyers seeking a sporty and nimble 2+2 that was easy on the pocketbook.

For more on the all-American Dodge, see:

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Dodge Aries-K

After a quiet 1980, Dodge followed Chrysler-Plymouth's lead by beginning another divisional overhaul, replacing old rear-drive models with smaller, more-efficient front-drive designs, most every one derived from the versatile 100.1-inch wheelbase K-car compact of 1981.

Aided by a steadily expanding lineup marketed with a renewed emphasis on sporty performance, Dodge reaped the rewards with higher sales. Division volume rose from 309,000 for 1980 to nearly 341,000 for '81. By 1985, Dodge had achieved its goal of a half-million annual sales.

In the early 1980s, the Dodges Aries-K inspired Chrysler's renaissance.

One model that wouldn't disappear was Diplomat, which got a crisp restyling for 1980, then took over for St. Regis as the traditional full-size Dodge through 1989. Though reduced after 1981 to just a single four-door sedan in two trim levels, Diplo­mat enjoyed steady, if modest, sales (again mainly to police and taxi fleets). Its standard Slant Six was discontinued after '83, leaving only the veteran 318 V-8.

Aries-K was the foundation of Dodge's 1980 line. Replacing Aspen, it was a well-engineered new-wave compact, though no more original than Omni. Design hallmarks included the choice of two transverse-mounted single-overhead-cam fours -- Chrysler 2.2 liter (135 cid) or optional Mitsubishi 2.6 (156 cid) -- plus rack-and-pinion steering, front-disc/rear-drum brakes, and all-coil suspension with front MacPherson struts and a twist-type rear beam axle doubling as an antiroll bar.

Most Aries were sold with optional TorqueFlite. The standard transaxle was a four-speed floorshift manual; a five-speed option arrived for 1982, then replaced the four-speed for '86, when a 2.5-liter version of the Chrysler "Trans-4" was added. Coupe, sedan, and a neat little five-door wagon were variously available in base, Custom, SE, and LE trim at competitive prices identical with those of Plymouth's twin Reliant. A smooth 1985 facelift made all Ks look more grown-up; and coupes could be ordered with sporty options like 14-inch cast-aluminum wheels, front bucket seats, and a center console.

Though Aries consistently lagged behind Reliant in sales, it sold consistently well: nearly 181,000 for debut '81, between 125,000 and 150,000 a year thereafter. Progressively improved workmanship, longer warranties (up to 7 years/70,000 miles on drivetrain components by 1987), and sensible product upgrades helped keep it competitive through 1989, when the line was trimmed to make room for the new A-body Spirit. By that time, critics had long chided Chrysler for not building anything truly new since 1981, but many buyers didn't seem to care much. The K sparked Chrysler's renaissance and no little innovation. Few cars can claim as much, let alone one so humble.

Dodge's first K-car derivatives appeared the year after Aries' launch. These were a personal-luxury twosome dubbed 400, a coupe and sedan with a front end like that of the Mirada. A 400 convertible arrived at mid-1982, the first open Dodge since the 1971 Challenger and a deft marketing move by Chrysler chairman Lee Iacocca. Like the LeBaron convertible, the 400 was built at first by an outside contractor, but proved so popular that Chrysler took over production itself. Mechanicals and dimensions for all 400s were nearly identical with Aries'.

Arriving for 1983 was a stretched 400 sedan called 600, using the new K-based 103.1-inch-wheelbase corporate E-body. A 400-like front differentiated it from Chrysler's E-Class and New Yorker. A sporty ES version bid for the burgeoning "Eurosedan" market with black exterior trim, handling package, and five-speed. It didn't win many buyers from Saab, BMW, or Mercedes, but was surprisingly capable, all things considered.

Shifting gears for 1984, Dodge dropped the 400 sedan and put 600 badges on the coupe and convertible. The latter was also newly available in ES trim, tied to the turbo 2.2. It was the raciest Dodge in years, but few were ordered. Still, the new approach helped series sales, which rose from 1983's combined 59,500 to over 72,000 for '84. The following year brought a more prosaic E-body SE sedan, and its strong initial sales pointed the way. After an Aries-like 1986 facelift, the 600 coupe and convertible were canceled, leaving the SE and a detrimmed base four-door to sell just as well all by themselves through 1988.

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Dodge Daytona

Dodge dealers bemoaned losing the 600 convertible, but at least their Daytona sports coupe had no more in-house competition from Chrysler's Laser after 1986. Both models had arrived for '84 on a much-modified 97-inch K-car chassis topped by slick, "fast hatch" styling.

Corporate finances at the time dictated they be virtually identical, but the Daytona outsold Laser from the start, probably because it was geared more to Dodge's typical clientèle. Daytona also had an edge with three models to Laser's two: initially base, Turbo, and the racy Turbo Z, the last distinguished by ground-hugging lower-body extensions, discreet hatch lid spoiler, and big wheels and tires.

With the sort of evolutionary improvements found in all Chrysler products in this decade, the Daytona rocked along at around 50,000 units a year through 1986. By that point it was available with a stroked and fuel-injected 2.5-liter four as base power, plus a T-top option (shared with Laser) and a "C/S" handling package named for Carroll Shelby, the old friend Iacocca had persuaded to "heat up" certain Dodges, as Shelby had done with Mustangs when both worked at Ford back in the '60s.

To compensate for the lost convertible, Dodge dealers got a restyled '87 Daytona. It boasted a smooth, hidden-headlamp "droop-snoot," and was offered in base, luxury Pacifica, and hot-rod Shelby Z models. Pacifica carried the familiar 146-bhp turbo 2.2, the Z a hot 174-bhp "Turbo II" engine; even the base model could be ordered with the 146-bhp unit as part of a C/S performance package.

For 1989, Pacifica was replaced by ES and ES Turbo, the latter powered by a new 150-bhp turbo­charged 2.5, and the Z was retitled Daytona Shelby. There were several styling and equipment adjustments, including standard four-wheel disc brakes across the board. Of interest to weekend racers was the C/S Competition Package for the base Daytona -- basically the Shelby model with special exterior, 2.2-liter "Turbo II" power, and "maximum performance suspension" but few creature comforts so as to realize a 200-pound weight savings.

All Daytonas sported a more-ergonomic dashboard and standard driver-side air bag for 1990, when the blown 2.2 received a new Variable Nozzle Technology (VNT) turbo­charger that provided no more horsepower but did make driving much smoother.

That year's base and ES models also offered Daytona's first V-6: the 3.0-liter (181-cid) 141-bhp Mitsubishi unit fast-spreading throughout the corporate camp. was replaced by ES and ES Turbo, the latter powered by a new 150-bhp turbo­charged 2.5, and the Z was retitled Daytona Shelby. There were several styling and equipment adjustments, including standard four-wheel disc brakes across the board. Of interest to weekend racers was the C/S Competition Package for the base Daytona -- basically the

Though Daytona generated only about a third as many sales as Mustang or Camaro, it symbolized Dodge's return to performance better than anything else in the line. And its sportiest models gave away little in acceleration or handling to those heavier, more-powerful rear-drive pony cars -- proof that Chrysler engineering was still to be reckoned with.

Bowing alongside Daytona was a very different '84 Dodge: America's first "garageable" van. Aptly named Caravan, it was essentially a tall K-wagon on a special 112-inch wheelbase. Caravan had a very roomy interior that offered seating options for up to eight. Quick-release anchors made for easy removal of the second and third bench seats for cargo carrying.

Front drive and astute packaging conferred a lower ride height than any rear-drive van, which eased entry/exit and contributed to a carlike driving position. In fact, aside from sitting a little higher and farther forward, driving a Caravan was much like driving an Aries wagon.

This as much as attractive pricing made the Caravan (and Plymouth's twin Voyager) an instant hit, generating upward of 200,000 annual sales. A fair number were windowless Ram Van commercials, but most were passenger models -- initially base, SE, and woody-look LE.

Extending Caravan's appeal -- literally -- was the 1988 addition of 14-inch-longer "Grand" models on a 119.1-inch wheelbase. At the same time, the 3.0 Mitsubishi V-6 joined the options list, bringing 144 horsepower and a welcome gain in towing capacity over the four-cylinders.

The main 1989 developments were optional availability of Chrysler's new 150-bhp turbo­charged 2.5 four on standard-length SE and LE Caravans -- somewhat surprising for this sort of rig -- and "Ultradrive," a new electronically controlled four-speed automatic option for V-6 LEs and all Grand Caravans.

But Ultradrive had a shaky start, garnering some bad press that it was flawed. Chrysler stonewalled publicly while working quickly and quietly to amend the problems. The next year, Caravans offered a new 3.3-liter overhead-valve V-6 option: the first all-Chrysler engine since the 2.2-liter K-car four and the first in a family of corporate power plants for the '90s.

Unquestionably, Caravan (and Voyager) was Chrysler's biggest coup of the '80s. For once, Detroit's perennial number-three outfit had delivered the right product at the right time.

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Dodge Shadow, Dodge Omni and Dodge Charger

Though Dodge canceled the 600 ES sport sedan after 1984, it didn't abandon the idea; it just substituted something better: the H-body Lancer (reviving the early-'60s compact name). This was another new Dodge similar to a new Chrysler, in this case the LeBaron GTS, but Lancer stood apart with the cross-bar grille then being adopted throughout the division (which must have confused Chrysler 300 enthusiasts) and by being offered in a more-overtly sporting ES rendition.

All that may be said of the GTS applies equally to Lancer -- except sales, which ran about a third less. One suspects the Chrysler name and its luxury aura did more for GTS than the Dodge name did for Lancer despite similar pricing. Perhaps recognizing this, the division issued a bespoilered Lancer Shelby for 1988 with the 174-bhp "Turbo II" 2.2 and racy body addenda similar to those of the earlier Pacifica and Shelby Lancer limited editions. The '89 ES was sportier, too, gaining the new 150-bhp turbo 2.5 as standard equipment. But the H-body would prove something of a short-timer and would not return for 1990.

More successful was the P-body Shadow, intended to replace the aging Omni but introduced for 1987 as an additional, more-ambitious small sedan. Dodge wanted you to think of it as a ­junior BMW, but it was really more junior Lancer, with the same rounded "aerosedan" styling in three- and five-door notchback body styles on the Daytona wheelbase.

K-car heritage was again evident in the Shadow chassis and drivetrains. The latter initially comprised the usual turbo and "atmospheric" 2.2-liter fours teamed with manual five-speed and automatic TorqueFlite transaxles. Unlike Plymouth with its similar Sundance, Dodge fielded enthusiast-oriented ES models with uprated suspension and a few "Euro" touches. For 1989, the corporate 2.5-liter "balancer-shaft" four was a new option for base models, and the 150-bhp turbo version was standard for ES (replacing the blown 2.2). The latter was also included in a new Daytona-style competition package for three-doors, along with handling suspension, bigger wheels and tires, "aero" body skirting, rear spoiler, and bucket seats. A minor facelift and reworked dashboards arrived for all 1990 Shadows; ES was treated to standard all-disc brakes, and its now-optional Turbo II engine was updated with a VNT blower.

Yet for all the emphasis on sport, it was the workaday Shadows that carried the sales load. And that load was considerable: over 76,000 for the first model year. Plymouth moved a like number of its Sundances.

The reason Omni didn't fade into the Shadow is that it was too good to lose. Despite relatively few changes after 1981, it averaged a remarkable 100,000 sales each year through 1983 and 58,500 or more thereafter.

The turning point was 1981, when the K-car's 2.2-liter "Trans-4" became optional for both Omni and the 024 coupe, improving acceleration and quietness with little or no loss in mileage. A smaller Peugeot-built 1.6-liter (replacing the VW 1.7 for '83) was technically standard through 1986, but almost nobody bought it. Likewise the stripped 1981 "Miser" models, which disappeared after the following year.

Sustaining the L-body line through its 1990 swan-song were an increasingly better-equipped Omni and ever-sportier coupes. The coupes began at mid-1982 with an overdecorated 2.2-liter model reviving the famous Charger name, signaling Dodge's return to interesting cars. The base 024 became a Charger for '83, and the 2.2 was joined at midyear by a dashing Shelby Charger with tuned 107-bhp engine, very stiff suspension, racy body add-ons, silver paint, and big blue stripes evocative of Carroll Shelby's late-'60s Mustang GTs. A wider choice of colors was offered for '84, and other Chargers acquired a nose job and the Shelby's cleaner rear-roof styling. The next year, the Shelby took on the blown, 146-bhp 2.2 to become the Turbo Charger.

Dodge revived the popular Charger name with models such as this 1982 Dodge Charger.

But by 1987, a profusion of sporty Daytonas and Shadows were crowding all Chargers out of the market, so production ceased that March. The Shelby Chargers were fairly rare: about 30,000 for the five model years.

Omni, meantime, kept getting better, picking up a more-­modern dashboard for '84 and additional standard features most every year. Workmanship improved too. The aging 1978 design should have been an increasing liability in the marketplace, but Chrysler took advantage of tooling costs long since amortized to keep prices down and sales up.

The company went even further for 1987 by replacing all Omnis with just one fully equipped "America" model, appealingly priced at $5799. Options were limited to reduce overhead and insure higher, more-consistent assembly quality -- another cue taken from Europe and Japan. Value-minded shoppers rushed to buy, taking more than 152,000 -- more sales than the entire Omni/Charger line had ever generated in a single year. Chrysler paid heed and put Aries/Reliant on the "America plan" before closing out the original K-cars after 1989. With that, Omni sales fast declined after '87, but the L-body hung on into model-year 1990, when the America badge was dropped and a driver-side air bag added.

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Dodge Dynasty

A short-lived exception to such crushing sensibility was Dodge's GLH, basically the wolfish Shelby Charger in sheepish Omni dress. The initials, attributed to Ol' Shel, meant "Goes Like Hell." It did. The debut '85 was sprightly enough with its 110-bhp engine, but the turbocharged 146-bhp GLH-S of 1986 was a genuine terror, though it suffered terrible torque-steer; one tester observed the accelerator functioned like a "lane-change switch."

Still, like the Shelby Chargers, this Omni was great fun -- crude but invigorating in the best muscle-car tradition. And as only a few thousand were built for 1984-86, the GLH/GLH-S bid fair as future collectibles.

Arriving for 1988 was Dynasty, a sort of latter-day Diplomat on the front-drive C-body platform of that year's new Chrysler New Yorker. The only body style was a square-lined unibody four-door on a 104.3-inch wheelbase, available in standard and uplevel LE trim levels.

Unlike the Chrysler, though, Dynasty's standard engine was the corporate 2.5-liter four with 96 horsepower, a bit weak for the 3000-pound curb weight.

Fortunately, the Daytona's 3.0-liter Mitsubishi V-6 was optional. Changes for '89 were confined to a slightly more-powerful, 150-bhp V-6 option teaming with Chrysler's new Ultradrive automatic, plus optional security system, two-position driver-seat "memory" feature, and all-disc antilock brakes (the last phased in during '88). The 150-bhp Japanese option was ousted by Chrysler's own 3.3 V-6 for 1990, when all Dynastys gained standard driv­er-side airbags.

Billed as a "contemporary family sedan," Dynasty made no gesture toward sport, but it didn't have to. With base prices of $11,500-$12,500, it offered fine value in a roomy, traditional-style car of the sort that still appealed mightily to many people. And numerous they were.

Despite its unpretentious nature, Dynasty became Chrysler Corporation's most-popular car line. Model-year '89 production, for example, was close to 138,000 -- many for rent-a-car companies but a fine showing all the same.

Though Aries was down to two- and four-door Americas for 1989, their heir apparent bowed as the family Dodge for the early '90s. Called Spirit, this notchback sedan was built on the same 103.3-inch-wheelbase A-body platform as Plymouth's new Acclaim, and thus spelled the end for the like-length four-door 600.

The now-expected trio of base, luxury LE, and sporty ES models was offered, the last with a standard 2.5-liter turbo four, the others with the nonturbo version of that engine. Dynasty's 3.0-liter V-6 was optional only for ES, again teamed with Ultradrive.

Spirit styling echoed Aries', but was smoother and more "grown-up." ES was identified by body-color front- and rear-end caps and rocker extensions, plus integral fog lamps. Spirit returned for 1990 with standard driver-side air bag (Chrysler was now pushing hard with this laudable safety feature), no-cost all-disc brakes for ES, and numerous detail improvements.

Considering where it began, Dodge fared remarkably well in the '80s, resuming its traditional performance role within Chrysler Corporation while remaining the firm's only "full-line" nameplate and thus its best-selling one. In another return to tradition, Dodge finished the decade a solid sixth in the industry, compared to a lackluster eighth in 1982.

Dodge then retreated to seventh in volume through 1994, passed by Mercury amid new woes for Chrysler Corporation and a timely shift to more salable new products. Still, sales declined only as far as some 260,000 in 1992 and were back above 342,000 two years later. By 1996, Dodge had replaced every car in its lineup -- and many of its trucks, too.

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Dodge Viper

Signaling the start of this product revolution was that stunning 1989 showmobile, the two-seat Viper RT/10 roadster. A stark but potent creature, it was freely created in the image of Carroll Shelby's legendary Cobra. But the real movers behind it were Chrysler president Bob Lutz and chief engineer Francois Castaing, who wanted to show their company was capable of far more than K-cars and minivans.

To no one's surprise, showgoers pleaded for Dodge to make a Viper they could buy. In May 1990, Chrysler said it would oblige them. But more than just an exciting image-booster for Dodge, this low-volume sports car would be the first test for the streamlined "team approach" to vehicle development that Lutz and Castaing wanted to implement companywide. Though the concept car had to be entirely reengineered for production on just $50 million, the showroom Viper was on time and on budget. Sales began in May 1992, just 36 months after project approval, a new record development time for a production MoPar.

The 1992 Dodge Viper -- especially in red -- was a very popular model for Dodge.

If not exactly cheap at $50,000, the Viper cost far less than other contemporary "exotics" -- or a genuine Cobra. Raw power and colossal acceleration were its reasons for being. Though based on a forthcoming truck engine, Viper's unusual new all-aluminum V-10 (hence RT/10) was engineered with assistance from Italy's Lamborghini (then owned by Chrysler). It wasn't a sophisticated mill, what with pushrods working two valves per cylinder, but it was huge: no less than 8.0 liters, a massive 488 cid. The result was a mighty 400 horsepower and 450 pound-feet of torque. With mandatory six-speed manual transmission and standard limited-slip differential, the Viper could rocket from 0 to 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds and rip through the standing quarter-mile in 13.1 seconds at 108 mph.

Unlike other recent Dodges, Viper had conventional rear-wheel drive and classic all-independent double-wishbone suspension. This was, after all, a "pure sport car," as Shelby called such machines, which also meant few concessions to civility. For example, brakes and steering were powered, but nothing else. There were no exterior door handles -- and no windows, either; just clip-in side-curtains. The top was a rudimentary canvas toupee that didn't ward off rain too well. It did, however, trap much of the V-10's prodigious heat, which was noticed even at speed with the top off and the takeout rear window removed. Trunk space? Barely enough for a gym bag. Yet des­pite its stark furnishings and lightweight body panels made of plasticlike materials, the Viper ended up a bit heavier than planned at around 3400 pounds, though that partly reflected a very stiff, separate tubular-steel chassis.

But why sweat the details? The Viper was all about fast fun on sunny days -- not to mention looking great, as the voluptuous show-car styling survived completely intact. That included a nonstructural "sport bar" behind the cockpit and exposed functional side exhaust pipes that were wonderfully "retro" but could fry errant legs and sounded quite odd. Huge disc brakes provided terrific stopping power within handsome tri-spoke 17-inch aluminum wheels. Ultra-wide Z-rated tires helped provide super-sticky cornering, though power-sliding oversteer was ever available with a well-timed slam on the hammer. Yet unlike the scary Cobra, the Viper was easy to drive fast and well.

Viper roared into 1993 with only two changes: black as a second color choice and available dealer-installed air conditioning. Though some 3000 cars were planned that model year, unexpected molding troubles with the big one-piece front end held actual volume to about 1000. But the problems were soon fixed, and '94 production nearly tripled to 2892. Full factory air became optional that year, the transmission got an electric reverse-gear lockout, and color choices expanded to yellow and Emerald Green. The '95 was unchanged except for price, which Chrysler reluctantly raised by a relatively modest $1500.

A Viper paced the 1991 Indy 500, with Carroll Shelby himself driving the prerace parade lap. Though sales were still a year off, Dodge's new hot rod hardly needed this publicity, as "buff" magazines were breathlessly reporting every facet of its show car-to-showroom progress. And in fact, Viper wasn't the first choice. Dodge had bought pace-car privileges to promote its new '91 Stealth, an upscale V-6 sports coupe available with all-wheel drive and up to 300 turbocharged horses. But aside from styling, the Stealth was a Mitsubishi design built in Japan, and a Japanese pace car just wasn't "politically correct" for the premier American race. Dodge relented, prepared a Viper prototype to fill in, and relegated Stealths to the background.

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1991, 1992, 1994 Dodge Cars

Among other new '91 Dodges was an unexpected high-power edition of the workaday Spirit. Also branded R/T, it was strictly a showroom lure, as only some 1400 were built through 1992. Base price was $17,871, a weighty $4000 above the costliest standard Spirit. Under the hood sat a maxed-out 2.2-liter "Trans-4" with a new twin cam cylinder head and other modifications that yielded an amazing (and very peaky) 224 horsepower. Manual five-speed was the only transmission, and Dodge threw in necessary chassis upgrades, including the rear disc brakes newly optional for lesser '91 Spirits. You also got a dechromed exterior in red, white, or black, adorned with a ­subtle deck lid spoiler. Though it looked another torque-steer terror, the Spirit R/T handled with fair finesse, if no less noise than an Omni GLH. And it was undeniably quick, with 0-60 times of well under seven seconds.

There was nothing odd about the new '91 Shadow convertible, which carried on from the ragtop 600. This time, though, Dodge left construction chores to American Sunroof Corpor­ation. Cost concerns dictated a manual top, and the conversion slimmed back-seat space, but the regular "Highline" model started at $12,995, and a sporty ES edition sold for very little more. At the other end of the line, Dodge revived the "America" ploy for three- and five-door Shadows priced from just $7699. Power steering was one of their few standard "luxuries," and the only engine offered was the lowly 93-bhp version of the tried and true 2.2.

Like Chrysler's other '91 minivans, Caravan got a timely and very adept update marked by smoother sheet metal, a new dash (complete with glove box), and optional all-wheel-drive for 3.3-liter V-6 models. Even more laudable was first-time availability of antilock brakes, initially limited to the upper SE and LE trim levels. Also bolstering Caravan's appeal were a standard driver-side airbag as a '91 running change, followed by America's first integrated child safety seat as a 1992 option. A passenger airbag and side-guard door beams arrived for '94, when LE and ES Grand models could be ordered with a torquier 3.8 V-6 making 162 horsepower. All this did nothing but help sales, which improved from about a quarter-million for 1991 to over 300,000 by '94 -- and that was just Caravan. Even after 10 years, America still preferred Highland Park's minivans above all others.

The now 10-year old Caravan was in bad need of an upgrade in 1991. This model is from 1984.

There was little left to do for the Daytona, short of a total redesign. With its humble K-car origins and disco-era looks, it was just too old by the early '90s to stand comparison with a host of newer-design rivals for refinement or quality. Still, Dodge tried to inject some of the Viper's venom, starting with a "High-Torque Turbo I" engine for 1991. Standard for the Shelby and optional in lesser Daytonas, it made only two more horses but a useful 30 extra pound-feet of torque over the previous 2.5 turbo. The raucous VNT 2.2 vanished, but wasn't greatly missed.

A slightly smoother look with exposed headlamps arrived for 1992 Daytonas, as did optional rear disc brakes. Dodge now sponsored the International Race of Champions, so the world's best drivers vied for "top gun" honors in Daytonas instead of Chevy Camaros.

A new top-line IROC model was thus no surprise, though its mild 3.0-liter Mitsubishi V-6 arguably was. More interesting was the IROC R/T, a midyear '92 replacement for the Daytona Shelby packing the 224-bhp "Turbo III" engine from the Spirit R/T. Aside from that and deliberately limited production -- only some 800 or so -- this R/T was much like the regular IROC. But none of this racy stuff could stop Daytona sales from freefalling, and the model was belatedly retired after measly '93 model-year volume of 9677 units.

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Dodge Intrepid and Neon Replace Dodge Dynasty and Shadow

By this point, Dodge was ready to join C-P Division in introducing a succession of new models to rejuvenate its lineup for the late '90s and beyond. The changeover would be orderly but quite rapid, reflecting the efficient work of the "cross-functional platform teams" recently established in the image of Team Viper. As a result, Spirit, Shadow, and Dynasty were left to fade away with no further changes of note after 1992.

The Dodge Intrepid, including this 1993 model, was the most affordable of the LH trio, costing the same price Dodge Dynasty, which it replaced.

All these cars had served Dodge well, but the new stuff was far better. First up was Intrepid, one of the much-discussed 1993 "LH" sedans. Though ostensibly a midsize, it was close to full-size, offering bountiful interior space thanks to a lengthy 113-inch wheelbase and radical "cab forward" styling. The related Chrysler Concorde and Eagle Vision had this too, but they targeted different ­buyers with their own visual cues and model/equipment mixes.

Intrepid was the most affordable of the LH trio, but also the most-aggressively styled, with a Viper-inspired face, sharper roofline, and a bolder rear end with "Intrepid" writ large on a wide central backup lamp. The base model used the corporate pushrod 3.3 V-6, tuned for 153 horsepower. The sportier ES substituted a new overhead-cam 3.5-liter unit with 24 valves and 214 horses.