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'''Plymouth''' was a brand of [[automobile]] based in the United States, marketed by the [[Chrysler|Chrysler Corporation]] and [[DaimlerChrysler]] from 1928 to 2001.
'''Plymouth''' was a brand of [[automobile]] based in the United States, marketed by the [[Chrysler|Chrysler Corporation]] and [[DaimlerChrysler]] from 1928 to 2001.


For much of its life, Plymouth was one of the top selling American automobile brands, along with [[Chevrolet]] and [[Ford]] ("the low-priced three"). Plymouth even surpassed Ford for a time in the 1940s as the second most popular make of automobiles in the U.S. Through 1956, Plymouth vehicles were known for their durability, affordability and engineering. In 1957, Chrysler's ''Forward Look'' styling theme produced cars with much more advanced styling than [[Chevrolet|Chevrolet]] or Ford, although Plymouth's reputation would ulitmately suffer as the cars were prone to rust and sloppy assembly.  The marque also introduced its limited production Fury line in 1956, and it too benefited from the crisp Forward Look designs.
==History==
===Origins===


The Plymouth brand lost market share rapidly in the early 1960s. While Plymouth was a styling leader from 1957 to 1958, its 1959 through 1962 models were awkwardly styled cars that failed to strike a chord with the public. Plymouth also found itself in competition with its own corporate sister division [[Dodge]] when the lower-priced full-size [[Dodge Dart]] was introduced for 1960. [[Rambler]], and then [[Pontiac]] would assume the number three sales position for the remainder of the decade. Plymouth went into a decline from which it would never fully recover.
The Plymouth automobile was introduced on July 7, 1928.  It was the Chrysler Corporation's first entry in the low-priced field, which at the time was dominated by Chevrolet and Ford. Plymouths were actually priced a little higher than the competition, but they offered standard features such as [[hydraulic brakes]] that the competition did not provide.  Plymouths were originally sold exclusively through [[Chrysler]] dealerships. The logo featured a rear view of the Mayflower ship which landed at Plymouth Rock, hence the name "Plymouth" as the brand.


The marque regained market share following the introduction of the 1965 models, which returned Plymouth to full-size vehicles and more mainstream styling. Plymouth regained its traditional third place in the sales race in 1971 and 1974, primarily with its popular [[Plymouth Valiant|Valiant]] and [[Plymouth Duster|Duster]] compact models, but as a brand Plymouth was hardest hit by Chrysler's financial woes of the late 1970s. Marketing decisions ultimately reduced the Plymouth lineup to the point that it was no longer a full-line make (by the late 1990s, only four cars were sold under the Plamouth marque: the [[Plymouth Voyager|Voyager/Grand Voyager]] minivan, the [[Plymouth Breeze|Breeze]] mid-size sedan, the [[Plymouth Neon|Neon]] compact car, and the [[Plymouth Prowler|Prowler]] sports car). New models were increasingly given to the Dodge and Chrysler brands, and denied to Plymouth. By 1979, its lineup consisted of only the domestically produced Volare and Horizon models, and a number of rebadged [[Mitsubishi Motors Corporation|Mitsubishi]] imports.  
The origins of the first Plymouth can be traced back to the [[Maxwell automobile]].  When [[Walter Chrysler]] took over control of the trouble-ridden Maxwell-[[Chalmers|Chalmers]] car company in the early 1920s, he inherited the Maxwell as part of the package.  After he used the company's facilities to help create and launch the Chrysler car in 1924, he decided to create a lower-priced companion car. So for 1926 the Maxwell was reworked and re-badged as a low-end Chrysler model. Then at the end of the decade this model was once again reworked and re-badged, this time to create the Plymouth.


After discontinuing the [[Eagle]] brand in 1998, Chrysler was planning to expand the Plymouth line with a number of unique models before the corporation's merger with [[Daimler-Benz]] AG. The first model was the [[Plymouth Prowler]], a modern-day [[hot rod]]. The [[Chrysler PT Cruiser|PT Cruiser]] was to have been the second. Both models had a similar grille, showing that Chrysler was intending to take a retro styling route with the Plymouth brand. Other than the Prowler, at the time of the takeover Plymouth had no unique products that were not also available in the Dodge line. Furthermore, whereas all Plymouth dealers also sold the Chrysler line of cars, many Dodge dealers sold only Dodge; thus it would cause much more dealer disarray to discontinue Dodge than it would to discontinue Plymouth. Consequently, DaimlerChrysler decided to drop the make after a limited run of 2001 models. The PT Cruiser was ultimately launched as a Chrysler, and the Prowler line was absorbed into that make as well. The [[Plymouth Voyager]] was also briefly absorbed into the Chrysler line.
===Great Depression, 1940s, and 1950s===
 
While the original purpose of the Plymouth was simply to cover a lower-end marketing niche, during the Great Depression of the 1930s the car would help significantly in ensuring the survival of the Chrysler Corporation in a decade when many other car companies failed.  Beginning in 1930, Plymouths were sold by all three Chrysler divisions (Chrysler, [[DeSoto|DeSoto]], and [[Dodge]]).  Plymouth sales were a bright spot during this dismal automotive period, and by 1931 Plymouth rose to the number three spot among all cars.
 
In 1939 Plymouth produced 417,528 vehicles, of which 5,967 were roadsters, or two-door convertibles [http://www.joesherlock.com/39Ply_history.html]with [[rumble seat]]s. The 1939 Roadster was prominently featured at Chrysler's exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair, advertised as the first mass-production convertible with a power folding top. It featured a 201-cubic-inch, 82-horsepower version of the [[Chrysler Flathead engine|Chrysler Flathead Six engine]].
 
For much of its life, Plymouth was one of the top selling American automobile brands, along with [[Chevrolet]] and [[Ford Motor|Ford]] ("the low-priced three"). Plymouth even surpassed Ford for a time in the 1940s as the second most popular make of automobiles in the U.S.
Through 1956, Plymouth vehicles were known for their durability, affordability and engineering. In 1957, Chrysler's ''[[Forward Look]]'' styling theme produced cars with much more advanced styling than Chevrolet or Ford, although Plymouth's reputation would ultimately suffer as the cars were prone to rust and sloppy assembly. Because of its new "Forward Look" styling, however, 1957 total production soared to 726,009, about 200,000 more than 1956, and the largest output yet for Plymouth. The marque also introduced its limited production Fury line in 1956, and it too benefited from the crisp Forward Look designs.
 
===Financial/marketing struggles===
 
The Plymouth brand lost market share rapidly in the early 1960s. While Plymouth was a styling leader from 1957 to 1958, its 1959 through 1962 models were awkwardly styled cars that failed to strike a chord with the public. Plymouth also found itself in competition with its own corporate sister division Dodge when the lower-priced, full-size [[Dodge Dart]] was introduced for 1960. [[Rambler|Rambler]], and then [[Pontiac]] would assume the number three sales position for the remainder of the decade. Plymouth went into a decline from which it would never fully recover.
 
The marque regained market share following the introduction of the 1965 models, which returned Plymouth to full-size vehicles and more mainstream styling. Plymouth regained its traditional third place in the sales race in 1971 and 1974, primarily with its popular [[Plymouth Valiant|Valiant]] and [[Plymouth Duster|Duster]] compact models, but as a brand Plymouth was hardest hit by Chrysler's financial woes of the late 1970s. Marketing decisions progressively thinned Plymouth lineup while giving new models to the Dodge and Chrysler brands; by 1979, the Plymouth range consisted of only the domestically produced Volare and Horizon models, and some rebadged [[Mitsubishi Motors|Mitsubishi]] imports. Despite the introduction of popular models like the 1981 [[Plymouth Reliant|Reliant]] and 1984 [[Plymouth Voyager|Voyager]], Plymouth sales and production numbers continued to decline. Such was the extent of the [[badge engineering]] that substantially identical Dodges and Plymouths were being sold at substantially identical prices, eroding the last of Plymouth's market distinction and quashing any significant reasons for buying one over the other.
 
===Final years===
Most Plymouth models offered from the late 1980s onward, such as the [[Plymouth Acclaim|Acclaim]], [[Plymouth Laser|Laser]], [[Plymouth Neon|Neon]], and [[Plymouth Breeze|Breeze]], were badge-engineered versions of Chrysler, Dodge, or Mitsubishi models.  Chrysler considered giving Plymouth a variant, to be called the Accolade, of the new-for-1993 full-size [[Chrysler LH platform|LH platform]]<ref>[http://www.allpar.com/model/intrepid.html Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision, Chrysler 300M, New Yorker, and LHS - the LH cars, with reviews<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref>, but decided against it. By the late 1990s, only four vehicles were sold under the Plymouth name: the [[Plymouth Voyager|Voyager/Grand Voyager]] minivans, the [[Plymouth Breeze|Breeze]] mid-size sedan, the [[Plymouth Neon|Neon]] compact car, and the [[Plymouth Prowler|Prowler]] sports car, which was to be the last model unique to Plymouth.
 
 
After discontinuing the [[Eagle (automobile)|Eagle]] brand in 1998, Chrysler was planning to expand the Plymouth line with a number of unique models before the corporation's merger with [[Daimler-Benz]] AG. The first model was the [[Plymouth Prowler]], a modern-day [[hot rod]]. The [[Chrysler PT Cruiser|PT Cruiser]] was to have been the second. Both models had similar front-end styling, suggesting Chrysler intended a retro styling theme for the Plymouth brand. At the time of Daimler's takeover of Chrysler, Plymouth had no unique models besides the Prowler not also available in the Dodge or Chrysler lines. Further, while all Plymouth dealers also sold the Chrysler line of cars, many Dodge dealers sold only Dodge; it would have caused much greater disturbance to the dealer network to discontinue Dodge than Plymouth. Consequently, DaimlerChrysler decided to drop the make after a limited run of 2001 models. This was announced on November 3, 1999.
 
The last new model sold under the Plymouth marque was the second generation Neon for 2000-2001. The PT Cruiser was ultimately launched as a Chrysler, and the Prowler and Voyager were absorbed into that make as well. Following the 2001 model year, the Neon was sold only as a Dodge in the US, though it remained available as a Chrysler in Canadian and other markets. The [[Plymouth Breeze]] was dropped after 2000, before Chrysler introduced their redesigned 2001 [[Dodge Stratus]] and [[Chrysler Sebring]] [[sedan]].
 
==Events leading to the demise of Plymouth==
*1960: Dodge introduces the smaller, lower-priced "Dart" series that competes directly with Plymouth's offerings.
*1961 and 1962:[[ Rambler]] and then Pontiac assumes third place in industry sales for the remainder of the 1960s.
*1962: Sales drop dramatically with the introduction of a line of unpopularly-styled, downsized full-size models.
*1971: Unable to afford to develop its own subcompact, the British [[Hillman Avenger]] is imported as the [[Plymouth Cricket]], which is discontinued in mid-1973 due to quality concerns.
*1974: The [[Dodge Dart]] and [[Plymouth Valiant]] are, for the first time, different only in name and minor trim details. This identicality continues with the [[Dodge Aspen]] and [[Plymouth Volaré]] as well as all further passenger car models. The car that would ultimately become the [[Chrysler Cordoba]] is reassigned to Chrysler from Plymouth. Last year for Barracuda.
*1976: Last model year for the Valiant/Duster.  First model year for the Volare.
*1977: The large Gran Fury is discontinued.
*1978: The mid-size [[Plymouth Fury|Fury]] is discontinued at the end of the model year.
*1979: Plymouth's lineup is reduced to the Horizon and Volaré, and three rebadged Mitsubishi imports.
*1979/1980: Chrysler makes several thousand more Dodges than Plymouths for the first time. More Plymouths would be made than Dodges for 1981 and 1982, but from then on there will always be more Dodges made than Plymouths.
*1980: Newport-based Gran Fury introduced.  Last year for Volaré.
*1981: The full-size [[Plymouth Gran Fury|Gran Fury]] and [[Plymouth Trailduster|Trailduster]] SUV's last year.
*1989: The [[midsize car|mid-size]] [[Plymouth Gran Fury|Gran Fury]] ([[Plymouth Caravelle|Caravelle]] in Canada) as well as the [[Plymouth Reliant|Reliant]] are discontinued after this model year.  The Reliant is replaced by the [[Plymouth Acclaim|Acclaim]].
*1994: The little-advertised [[Plymouth Laser|Laser]] [[Sport compact|sport-compact]] as well as the popular [[Plymouth Sundance|Sundance]] and [[Plymouth Colt|Colt]] [[compact car|compacts]] all end production. They are replaced by a single car, the [[Plymouth Neon|Neon]].
*1995: Plymouth's lineup is at its all time low, just 3 cars: the [[Plymouth Acclaim|Acclaim]], the [[Plymouth Neon|Neon]], and the [[Plymouth Voyager|Voyager/Grand Voyager]]. The number will go up to 4 in 1997, with the introduction of the [[Plymouth Prowler|Prowler]], but will never get any higher.
*1996: In an attempt to move Plymouth downmarket, Chrysler makes the redesigned Voyager only available in base and mid-level ''SE'' models. All of the higher-end trim levels available on the previous generation can now only be found on the [[Dodge Caravan]].
*1999: The redesigned 2000 [[Plymouth Neon|Neon]] becomes the brand's last new model.
*2000: The [[mid-size car|mid-size]] [[Plymouth Breeze|Breeze]] ends production. This is also the last year for the [[Plymouth Voyager|Voyager]] [[minivan]] as a Plymouth. All 2000 Voyagers built in December 1999 and beyond are badged as Chrysler Voyagers. In Canada, the redesigned Neon is sold under the Chrysler name, leaving only the Voyager and Prowler in the lineup. Almost 250,000 more Dodges are built than Plymouths for this year. 
*2001: Plymouth's final model year. Only the Neon remains in the Plymouth line. The [[Plymouth Prowler|Prowler]] becomes a [[Chrysler]]. The Breeze is dropped as Chrysler issues the [[Chrysler Sebring]] [[sedan]] to replace the [[Chrysler Cirrus]]. The [[Chrysler PT Cruiser|PT Cruiser]] is launched as a Chrysler, though it was originally planned to be a Plymouth. The final Plymouth, a Neon, is assembled on June 28, 2001.
 
Throughout its later years Plymouth's meager advertisement (in relation to Chrysler and Dodge) played a part in the marque's demise.


== Plymouth car models ==
== Plymouth car models ==

Revision as of 07:03, 7 July 2008

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Plymouthlogo5.jpg

Defunct
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Plymouth "sailboat logo" used from 1996 to 2001.
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Plymouth division logo, 1960s.

Plymouth was a brand of automobile based in the United States, marketed by the Chrysler Corporation and DaimlerChrysler from 1928 to 2001.

History

Origins

The Plymouth automobile was introduced on July 7, 1928. It was the Chrysler Corporation's first entry in the low-priced field, which at the time was dominated by Chevrolet and Ford. Plymouths were actually priced a little higher than the competition, but they offered standard features such as hydraulic brakes that the competition did not provide. Plymouths were originally sold exclusively through Chrysler dealerships. The logo featured a rear view of the Mayflower ship which landed at Plymouth Rock, hence the name "Plymouth" as the brand.

The origins of the first Plymouth can be traced back to the Maxwell automobile. When Walter Chrysler took over control of the trouble-ridden Maxwell-Chalmers car company in the early 1920s, he inherited the Maxwell as part of the package. After he used the company's facilities to help create and launch the Chrysler car in 1924, he decided to create a lower-priced companion car. So for 1926 the Maxwell was reworked and re-badged as a low-end Chrysler model. Then at the end of the decade this model was once again reworked and re-badged, this time to create the Plymouth.

Great Depression, 1940s, and 1950s

While the original purpose of the Plymouth was simply to cover a lower-end marketing niche, during the Great Depression of the 1930s the car would help significantly in ensuring the survival of the Chrysler Corporation in a decade when many other car companies failed. Beginning in 1930, Plymouths were sold by all three Chrysler divisions (Chrysler, DeSoto, and Dodge). Plymouth sales were a bright spot during this dismal automotive period, and by 1931 Plymouth rose to the number three spot among all cars.

In 1939 Plymouth produced 417,528 vehicles, of which 5,967 were roadsters, or two-door convertibles [1]with rumble seats. The 1939 Roadster was prominently featured at Chrysler's exhibit at the 1939 World's Fair, advertised as the first mass-production convertible with a power folding top. It featured a 201-cubic-inch, 82-horsepower version of the Chrysler Flathead Six engine.

For much of its life, Plymouth was one of the top selling American automobile brands, along with Chevrolet and Ford ("the low-priced three"). Plymouth even surpassed Ford for a time in the 1940s as the second most popular make of automobiles in the U.S. Through 1956, Plymouth vehicles were known for their durability, affordability and engineering. In 1957, Chrysler's Forward Look styling theme produced cars with much more advanced styling than Chevrolet or Ford, although Plymouth's reputation would ultimately suffer as the cars were prone to rust and sloppy assembly. Because of its new "Forward Look" styling, however, 1957 total production soared to 726,009, about 200,000 more than 1956, and the largest output yet for Plymouth. The marque also introduced its limited production Fury line in 1956, and it too benefited from the crisp Forward Look designs.

Financial/marketing struggles

The Plymouth brand lost market share rapidly in the early 1960s. While Plymouth was a styling leader from 1957 to 1958, its 1959 through 1962 models were awkwardly styled cars that failed to strike a chord with the public. Plymouth also found itself in competition with its own corporate sister division Dodge when the lower-priced, full-size Dodge Dart was introduced for 1960. Rambler, and then Pontiac would assume the number three sales position for the remainder of the decade. Plymouth went into a decline from which it would never fully recover.

The marque regained market share following the introduction of the 1965 models, which returned Plymouth to full-size vehicles and more mainstream styling. Plymouth regained its traditional third place in the sales race in 1971 and 1974, primarily with its popular Valiant and Duster compact models, but as a brand Plymouth was hardest hit by Chrysler's financial woes of the late 1970s. Marketing decisions progressively thinned Plymouth lineup while giving new models to the Dodge and Chrysler brands; by 1979, the Plymouth range consisted of only the domestically produced Volare and Horizon models, and some rebadged Mitsubishi imports. Despite the introduction of popular models like the 1981 Reliant and 1984 Voyager, Plymouth sales and production numbers continued to decline. Such was the extent of the badge engineering that substantially identical Dodges and Plymouths were being sold at substantially identical prices, eroding the last of Plymouth's market distinction and quashing any significant reasons for buying one over the other.

Final years

Most Plymouth models offered from the late 1980s onward, such as the Acclaim, Laser, Neon, and Breeze, were badge-engineered versions of Chrysler, Dodge, or Mitsubishi models. Chrysler considered giving Plymouth a variant, to be called the Accolade, of the new-for-1993 full-size LH platform<ref>Dodge Intrepid, Eagle Vision, Chrysler 300M, New Yorker, and LHS - the LH cars, with reviews</ref>, but decided against it. By the late 1990s, only four vehicles were sold under the Plymouth name: the Voyager/Grand Voyager minivans, the Breeze mid-size sedan, the Neon compact car, and the Prowler sports car, which was to be the last model unique to Plymouth.


After discontinuing the Eagle brand in 1998, Chrysler was planning to expand the Plymouth line with a number of unique models before the corporation's merger with Daimler-Benz AG. The first model was the Plymouth Prowler, a modern-day hot rod. The PT Cruiser was to have been the second. Both models had similar front-end styling, suggesting Chrysler intended a retro styling theme for the Plymouth brand. At the time of Daimler's takeover of Chrysler, Plymouth had no unique models besides the Prowler not also available in the Dodge or Chrysler lines. Further, while all Plymouth dealers also sold the Chrysler line of cars, many Dodge dealers sold only Dodge; it would have caused much greater disturbance to the dealer network to discontinue Dodge than Plymouth. Consequently, DaimlerChrysler decided to drop the make after a limited run of 2001 models. This was announced on November 3, 1999.

The last new model sold under the Plymouth marque was the second generation Neon for 2000-2001. The PT Cruiser was ultimately launched as a Chrysler, and the Prowler and Voyager were absorbed into that make as well. Following the 2001 model year, the Neon was sold only as a Dodge in the US, though it remained available as a Chrysler in Canadian and other markets. The Plymouth Breeze was dropped after 2000, before Chrysler introduced their redesigned 2001 Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Sebring sedan.

Events leading to the demise of Plymouth

  • 1960: Dodge introduces the smaller, lower-priced "Dart" series that competes directly with Plymouth's offerings.
  • 1961 and 1962:Rambler and then Pontiac assumes third place in industry sales for the remainder of the 1960s.
  • 1962: Sales drop dramatically with the introduction of a line of unpopularly-styled, downsized full-size models.
  • 1971: Unable to afford to develop its own subcompact, the British Hillman Avenger is imported as the Plymouth Cricket, which is discontinued in mid-1973 due to quality concerns.
  • 1974: The Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiant are, for the first time, different only in name and minor trim details. This identicality continues with the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré as well as all further passenger car models. The car that would ultimately become the Chrysler Cordoba is reassigned to Chrysler from Plymouth. Last year for Barracuda.
  • 1976: Last model year for the Valiant/Duster. First model year for the Volare.
  • 1977: The large Gran Fury is discontinued.
  • 1978: The mid-size Fury is discontinued at the end of the model year.
  • 1979: Plymouth's lineup is reduced to the Horizon and Volaré, and three rebadged Mitsubishi imports.
  • 1979/1980: Chrysler makes several thousand more Dodges than Plymouths for the first time. More Plymouths would be made than Dodges for 1981 and 1982, but from then on there will always be more Dodges made than Plymouths.
  • 1980: Newport-based Gran Fury introduced. Last year for Volaré.
  • 1981: The full-size Gran Fury and Trailduster SUV's last year.
  • 1989: The mid-size Gran Fury (Caravelle in Canada) as well as the Reliant are discontinued after this model year. The Reliant is replaced by the Acclaim.
  • 1994: The little-advertised Laser sport-compact as well as the popular Sundance and Colt compacts all end production. They are replaced by a single car, the Neon.
  • 1995: Plymouth's lineup is at its all time low, just 3 cars: the Acclaim, the Neon, and the Voyager/Grand Voyager. The number will go up to 4 in 1997, with the introduction of the Prowler, but will never get any higher.
  • 1996: In an attempt to move Plymouth downmarket, Chrysler makes the redesigned Voyager only available in base and mid-level SE models. All of the higher-end trim levels available on the previous generation can now only be found on the Dodge Caravan.
  • 1999: The redesigned 2000 Neon becomes the brand's last new model.
  • 2000: The mid-size Breeze ends production. This is also the last year for the Voyager minivan as a Plymouth. All 2000 Voyagers built in December 1999 and beyond are badged as Chrysler Voyagers. In Canada, the redesigned Neon is sold under the Chrysler name, leaving only the Voyager and Prowler in the lineup. Almost 250,000 more Dodges are built than Plymouths for this year.
  • 2001: Plymouth's final model year. Only the Neon remains in the Plymouth line. The Prowler becomes a Chrysler. The Breeze is dropped as Chrysler issues the Chrysler Sebring sedan to replace the Chrysler Cirrus. The PT Cruiser is launched as a Chrysler, though it was originally planned to be a Plymouth. The final Plymouth, a Neon, is assembled on June 28, 2001.

Throughout its later years Plymouth's meager advertisement (in relation to Chrysler and Dodge) played a part in the marque's demise.

Plymouth car models

1935 Plymouth PJ Touring Sedan
1942 Plymouth
1966 Plymouth Barracuda
1987 Plymouth Reliant K
1997 Plymouth Voyager

External links

  • Stock Mopar — dedicated to all Mopars, especially the Mopars from the muscle car era!
  • Allpar — A comprehensive resource for information on Chrysler Corporation and related automobiles and products, including historical information, forums, and current news and reviews.
  • Muscle Car Facts- A year by year account of some of the greatest mopar muscle cars ever.
  • NY-NJ Slant-Six Club of America-A Club dedicated to the preservation and enjoyment of all Chrysler products powered by the venerable 'Slant-Six' engine.

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