Spirit, Acclaim, & LeBaron: A triple threat of badge engineering
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- Опубликовано: 16 окт 2024
- Welcome to Auto Chatter! Todays tale is about the Dodge Spirit, Plymouth Acclaim, and Chrysler Lebaron Sedan. These were the "next" gen of the mid size K cars that helped Chrysler thrive in the 1980's, but did they carry the torch as high as before? Lets find out! Hope you enjoy this one, and a special thanks to returning Subsciribers, as I really appreciate the continued support!
I watched . It was good and informative. You had some great footage as well. You did a great job. I liked the information. I did want to add the car we were calling Le Baron in the United States was called New Yorker in Mexico: ruclips.net/video/mWdDjWUlv6o/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/xggwupT3nF4/видео.html and the car on this platform we called Dodge Spirit in the United States in Europe was called Chrysler Saratoga: ruclips.net/video/xggwupT3nF4/видео.html and ruclips.net/video/BkLgbtbsFKg/видео.html You keep doing your videos and sharing information.
@OLDS98 You did a great job even with this post! I did not venture into the international scene with these much. Glad you enjoyed it!
@@autochatter Thank you for all you do. Your efforts are appreciated. The LeBaron coupe was called Chrysler Phantom in Mexico: ruclips.net/video/-Tnh3A25lfw/видео.html
My first car (in 2000) was a gray ‘89 Plymouth Acclaim 4 cylinder. Solid transportation that needed relatively little to keep it aimed down the road - my second car was a ‘91 Dodge Spirit ES with the 3.0 V6 - loaded with almost every available option. Super comfortable, relatively fast, good-handling. That car was a major headache (head gaskets, fuel pump, AC compressor, wheel bearing, power steering belt, etc.) but boy, was it FUN to drive! Still miss it…
@JazzzRockFuzion Lots of issues, but glad you enjoyed it!
I remember when all three US manufacturers had that similar roofline with the upright C pillar and rear window. GM's N bodies and H bodies, Mercury had it on the Cougar and Topaz, and Chrysler had it on these models.
@doug6191 Yeah.. was definitely a trend then.
My grandmother had a '93 acclaim. Was the perfect simple old lady car for her.
And i still have (though in storage) my '98 Cirrus. Love it.
@nx9100 Thats cool! Even cloud car sightings are rare in my area nowdays.
Good stuff. That Dodge Spirit R/T was no joke in terms of straight-line speed back in the day.
@MotorMaster_Stunticon Yeah it was quick then! Thank for watching Rob!
Oh I definitely know my father bought one brand new in 1992 I was 2 years old
The Spirit R/T did have performance comparable to the Taurus SHO and the Mitsubishi Galant VR-4. It was a handful to drive if you didn't know what you were doing.
My mom and dad bought a white on white one. I graduated in 99 so ili think they bought it in 94 or so and I loved it. It had white body with white grill. It was fast for the time.
@@johnnymason2460 It had some torque steer for sure.
I took my drivers test in 1996 in a 1991 Plymouth Acclaim.
@philmaples9865 87 Escort for me. I think your first time behind the wheel.was a upgrade.
The LeBaron sedan was the one to have.
@@GeeEm1313 The Spirit R/T spoke to me more LOL.
The R/T from the Dodge line was awesome! Still can't believe that today we don't even have a mid sized 4 door sedan from Chrysler.
@trainglen22 Only thing Chrysler has left is a minivan. Dodge has the Durango,and a rebadged Alfa Romero with a old AMC name nobody's buying.
Even though I was a devout Hondaphile when these were new, I can finally admit they were actually neat looking, decent cars. The Acclaim LX was particularly tidy and classy looking. My best friend's sister traded her '87 LeBaron Coupe for a new '91 Acclaim and it served her well for 10+ years. The Spirit R/T was very cool based solely on horsepower, manual transmission and rarity.
These cars could have sold much better if they had been introduced a few years earlier. But with competition like the '90 Accord, '92 Camry and '92 Taurus, they could only compete on value (lower price). Rental fleets were flooded with them, especially in the last few years. But the same is true of the Taurus.
Another stroke of bad luck was the introduction of the A604 Ultradrive 4-speed automatic in the V6 versions. It was notoriously problematic and failure-prone. Part of the issue was the use of a special type of ATF, but Chrysler claimed Dexron ATF could be used if necessary. But they were wrong.
@@IgoZoom1 All very good observations about these cars!
I really like your channel! Great content. Thanks.
@JeffKing310 I appreciate that and thank you!
Thanks for clearing up a mystery for me. I found a LeBaron five door hatchback years ago and wonder if someone did a badge swap. Thanks for clearing that up. I do miss that convertible I had. Learned more about these cars then what I knew then. That Spirt RT was awesome. Had it come in blue would have been cool. 😊
These weren’t bad. They were nice refinements of the K car. While obviously k car derivatives, they didn’t feel nearly as cheap. And it looked as if they put a little effort in the design. In my opinion, they were BETTER than the cloud cars that replaced them as the cloud cars returned the the super cheap feel.
It’s always nice to see a new Auto Chatter video. 😌
Several of my family members owned Chrysler cars from the 80s and 90s. My dad used to have a first-gen Intrepid as well. I miss that era. 🥺
Chrysler Corporation did well with Lee Iacocca. He was a businessman but I always had a feeling that he truly cared about Chrysler. He seemed to want to give Americans good value for their dollar.
Stellantis, on the other hand… 🤦♂️
That greedy Tavares is running CDJR into the ground. 😑
@albertadams2095 Thank you! Yes Chryslers current state is a sad thing.
Looks like David Graff aka Tackleberry from the Police academy movies
That was Tackleberry!
@@autochatter he played a bad cop in an episode of one of my favorite shows either right before or right after the first police academy movie. The homecoming pt 1&2 from Hardcastle and mccormick. It aired in early 1984.
i had a dodge 4 cylinder spirit once. k car new yorker seemed nice.
That's cool!
I had a 1989 Plymouth Acclaim as my first car. It was a hand me down from my dad. Had it 3 months and totaled it. Then I got a 1991 Dodge Spirit, because I needed a car as i was going away for school. I had it for 4 years, when I traded it. I wish I still had that car. Both were nice cars, but both were not fast.
@@scottbeegle9291 I think it's safe to assume you had 4 cylinder ones!
I had a ‘93 Acclaim, and it was the best car I ever had in terms of reliability and ease of maintenance and repair. It was solidly built; unusual for a Chrysler product, and especially compared to the K cars it evolved from. 230,000 miles of nearly trouble free miles. Compared to the complexity and poor quality of cars these days, I wish I still had it.
I recall seeing quite a few with some high miles on the clock!
My first new car was a 1986 Lancer ES with the 2.2 L Turbo four and 5-spd manual. Quickest car I had owned at that time, but it was difficult to drive smoothly. It made a great first impression but quality was sketchy and it did not age very well. Traded it at about 65K before any major problems occurred. The earliest years of this engine suffered turbocharger failures rather early.
Turbo engines in general then were more problematic.
dad got an ES turbo for a company car. It was cool. That was a very nice car. We didn't have it long but it was the best Chrysler product I had ever seen by a long shot. We had Keene Dodge dealership in town and I frequently went there to check out their new offerings. I told my dad to check out the ES as a result. I wonder how that car faired after us. I know that 3.0 v6 was a not so reliable engine but never heard anything about the longevity of the turbo engines.
@joellamoureux7914 I don't recall.eirher engine being considered reliabilty juggernauts.
I wish Iacocca would've been able to say: Hey Gubment, throw us another couple billion to resurrect AMC.
@@ohnoohyeah3205 Going by their actions, the aquisition was all about getting Jeep.
I know a lot of people who had these cars! My Aunt had a blue '91 Lebaron Landau Sedan. I wanted a Lebaron Coupe or Convertible but never happened.
When I started dating my wife, she wanted a LeBaron coupe
Is it just me or were these kind of expensive.? 35k in today's money seems a bit steep but maybe it's my prejudice against k cars lol
Ford, GM and the imports made better cars imo.
Great video as always!!
As much as all of us LOVE to complain about current car prices (myself included), it amazes me the more I do this just how much cars were relative to inflation in the past. And thank you!
Is the guy in the ad "Tackleberry" from Police Academy?
yes
@OtterlyInsane Sure is...He passed away years ago way too young 😢
Saw one for the first time in years yesterday. It was sitti6on the back of a rollback. Looked like it soent the last 10 years under water
Wow!
@@autochatter my thoughts exactly. Had a police cruiser in front, the crane behind, the victim on the rollback and a cruiser following it. Last cruiser had to stop at red light and had to back up 30 feet do could make turn in my tractor trailer
@ericbrule4465 Thats pretty crazy!
My mom used to have 1994 Chrysler LeBaron sedan. It was a good car...until it started having transmission issues.
@@FlashTimberwolf Heard that was a thing with these. Especially the 4 speed auto?
@@autochatter it was. The 3 speed was more reliable. Besides who needs overdrive?? Lol
@@mopargm9329 🤣
"Welcome To Auto Chatter" 😎
@@domjohnson8723 😎
I was "kid" adult at this time. These were the cars that were selling second and third hand. Junk but ..
Yeah...There was alot of used ones for sale while I was in my 20s, and they were cheap.
They were decent cars
@@justinwhite9689 Simple and to the point.
And in Europe this car was called the Chrysler Saratoga....
@servevliegen Not a bad name I would say!
Gussied up K cars. Gotta love the chatter, though! BZ, Chatter... yet again. Like, comment subscribe and hit the all notifications bell y'all! We of the Chatter must appease the algorithm gods 😎
@@haggis525 Thanks Haggis!
@@autochatter Anytime, Chatter! Enjoy your cruise! 12 years in the RCN means I don't go on cruises... but I reckon it's cool for non-navy types. 😎
@haggis525 I think it's neat to go on a ship with windows. In the Navy, my boat didn't have any...No adult beverages either.
@@autochatter I was RCN.. we had adult beverages... limit two per day per person. As you may imagine that was from time to time not necessarily the amount we drank 🤣🤣... still, it was required that no sailor be inebriated if needed for any reason.
@haggis525 That rule makes sense LOL.
Almost bought a Spirit It was a demo car. I think it was 1994. This dealer had sold me the worst car I ever owned. Needless to say I will and have never bought a car from them.
@theprinceofsnj I worked at Chrysler Dealer for a few years in the early 2000's during the Dailmer era.
incorrect the LaBarron wasn't badge engineered it was a revived model from the Imperial as a separate line era and would eventually be replaced by the Cloud Cars Sebring and the LH cars the other two though were American versions of Chrysler of Europe models the N Body cars were the Pontiac Grand Am Oldsmobile Cutlass Calais and Buick Skylark/Somerset and the first Gen of the N Body sold well for instance that gen of Skylark 86-91 sold 675,000 though the last year of the 2nd gen the sales weren't publicly released in the last three gens from 1980 to 1998 the Skylark sold nearly 2,000,000 units in the US where as in a similar time period the Toyota Corolla for ex sold 3.52 million units in the US
@courtneypuzzo2502 This particular Lebaron sedan was heavily based off the Sprit and Acclaim that launched a year prior. They are the only three "AA" platform cars Chrysler sold in the U.S. The LeBaron model history was interesting, but I was focusing more on the three "AA" platform cars in general.
But the replacements were just as "boxy" as the cars they replaced. Also I don't understand why people give prices on 'today's dollars' ....what's the purpose?
@donaldsalkovick396 I think they were still boxy ,but significantly more rounded off than a K Car. A 88 Aries K had a very similar side profile to a 1978 Ford Fairmont IMO. As a 80s kid, I felt the K Cars looked dated back then.I've been adding pricing and what that equals to in today's money for the majority of my vids. I personally find it interesting how say a base Chevette in the 1970s, cost about what the cheapest current cars in the U.S. do, when adjusting for inflation. Just saying some 1980 model was 10 grand to some viewers may have more of a impact, if they are also told what that would be now. Especially to someone either too young to remember...or maybe haven't been born yet.
@autochatter I remember the first k cars, they definitely became a little better looking but yes the corners were rounded off
@donaldsalkovick396 They had other improvements too, like how the top of the doors went into the roof like the Taurus and composite headlights. Still this trio was evolutionary vs revolutionary styling wise IMO. Back when they were new and used, I saw them as a "Mom or Dads" car on a budget, somthing you rented, or a car you could buy cheap second hand.
@autochatter are you saying the Aries or Reliant got composite headlights? If so I don't remember them.
@donaldsalkovick396 No..I was referring to the Acclaim,Spirit,and LeBaron Sedans.
Did you just say Relient K cars?? 😂
@@nwmusic2010 Prob did!
You forgot Chrysler corporation buying American motors corporation AMC in 1987 to save that company from bankruptcy when it only had two brands left Jeep and Eagle Lee Iacocca made the right move with that I wish he didn’t phase out the AMC name from those models I know during the 1990s Chrysler brought back the spirit and concord models under the dodge and Chrysler brands sadly they last too long recently they brought back the hornet model for the first in over 40 years not sure if it’s still in production. right now the only AMC brand that continues to endure success is Jeep the eagle was phased out in 1998 during the now failed merger with Daimler motors. You have to wonder why the American auto industry is in trouble again it’s bad management!!!!!!!!!!
@joefarro3092 I have made mention of Chrysler buying AMC in past videos. As this one wasn't about a Jeep,Eagle,or Former AMC product, I didn't really get into it. Plus these cars didn't come about untill after the aquisition. They did use the Spirit name like the current Hornet does LOL...Which is kinda sad IMO.
Chrysler actually created the Eagle brand after buying AMC. Previously there was a car model called the AMC eagle.
@butterbeantx Yes...I have made a episode about the Eagle Brand if you haven't seen it yet. I discuss the Hornet and later Concorde based Eagle there too.
god... these cars are awful
@@raymond_sycamore last one I remember seeing was the R/T I drove in 2012
If they made them still today, I would buy one in a heartbeat. They were reliable, comfortable, roomy, easy to maintain, and okay looking.
someone needs to do a deep dive on all those chrysler lebaron convertibles that used to proliferate every rental company back in the 80-90’s
@@craigtrent2410 I'm gonna!
I have an immaculate ‘94 convertible if you need any info for that segment
@stevegeiger1464 That would be awesome actually! Zcarnut04@gmail.com. if you have vid clips or pictures, I'll make it famous...ish lol.
@@autochatter definitely looking forward to that one👍🏽👍🏽