Dodge Aries
Also called:	Dodge Dart Dodge Magnum
Manufacturer:	Chrysler Corporation
Production:	1981–1989
Predecessor:	Dodge Aspen
Successor:	Dodge Shadow
Class:	Compact
Body style:	2-door coupe 4-door sedan 4-door station wagon
Platform:	FF K-body
Engine:	2.2 L I4 2.5 L I4 2.6 L Mitsubishi I4
Transmission:	4-speed manual 5-speed manual 3-speed A-413 automatic 3-speed A-470 automatic
Related:	Chrysler LeBaron Chrysler Town and Country Dodge 400 Plymouth Reliant
Similar:	Chevrolet Cavalier Ford Escort Toyota Corolla Volkswagen Jetta

The Dodge Aries was an automobile sold by the Chrysler Corporation from 1981 to 1989. It replaced the Dodge Aspen as Dodge's compact car. The Aries was sold as the Dart in Mexico. The Aries was Motor Trend magazine's Car of the Year for 1981. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... 1967 Dodge Dart Custom 2-door hardtop The Dodge Dart was an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960 to 1976. ... The Dodge Magnum name has been used on a number of different Dodge automobiles. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with List of cars. ... The Chrysler Corporation was a United States-based automobile manufacturer that existed independently from 1925–1998. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Dodge Aspen (produced from 1976 to 1980) was a compact car from Chrysler Corporations Dodge division; its rebadged counterpart was the Plymouth Volaré. It was launched as a two-door coupe, a four-door sedan, and a unique-for-the-segment station wagon. ... In 1987, the Chrysler Corporation introduced two new compact cars, the Dodge Shadow and the Plymouth Sundance (which turned in similar sales figures). ... Car classification is a somewhat subjective subject, as many vehicles fall between classes or even outside all of them. ... The Rambler American introduced in the late 1950s was an early compact car. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupé (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... A Ford Taurus, a recognizable sedan. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... An automobile platform is a shared set of components common to a number of different automobiles. ... In automobile design, an FF, or Front-engine, Front wheel drive, layout places both the engine and driven wheels at the front of the vehicle. ... A 1987 Plymouth Reliant K. Chrysler Corporations K Car initiative of the 1980s ranks as the most overt use of platform sharing in automotive history. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Internal combustion engine. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (in Japanese: 三菱自動車工業, in romaji Mitsubishi Jidosha Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha) is a Japanese automobile company, manufacturing an extensive range of cars and trucks (see Fuso). ... The straight-4 or inline-4 is an internal combustion engine with four cylinders aligned in one row. ... In mechanics, a transmission or gearbox is the gear and/or hydraulic system that transmits mechanical power from a prime mover (which can be an engine or electric motor), to some form of useful output device. ... This is an article about manual transmission in general; for guidance on how to drive with a manual transmission, see Manual transmission driving technique. ... In the late 1970s, Chrysler designed the A-404 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transaxle for its front wheel drive Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon subcompact cars. ... An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the car or truck moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually. ... In the late 1970s, Chrysler designed the A-404 TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic transaxle for its front wheel drive Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon subcompact cars. ... An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the car or truck moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually. ... 1990 Chrysler LeBaron convertible Chrysler has used the LeBaron name on a variety of cars over the years. ... 1947 Chrysler Town and Country convertible In 1941, Chrysler debuted the first woodie wagon with an all-steel roof. ... The 400 was Dodges compact K-Car coupe/convertible in the early 1980s. ... The Plymouth Reliant was one of the first two so-called K-cars (the other being the Dodge Aries) the Chrysler Corporation introduced for the 1981 model year. ... The Chevrolet Cavalier was Chevrolets version of the compact GM J platform. ... See also Ford Escort (European) The Ford Escort was a compact car manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. ... The Toyota Corolla is a compact car produced by Toyota of Japan, known worldwide for its reliability, conventional engineering and low fuel consumption. ... The Volkswagen Jetta is an automobile manufactured by Volkswagen. ... An automobile is a wheeled vehicle that carries its own motor. ... The Chrysler Corporation was a United States-based automobile manufacturer that existed independently from 1925–1998. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Dodge Aspen (produced from 1976 to 1980) was a compact car from Chrysler Corporations Dodge division; its rebadged counterpart was the Plymouth Volaré. It was launched as a two-door coupe, a four-door sedan, and a unique-for-the-segment station wagon. ... Dodge is a brand name of automobiles and light to heavy-duty trucks. ... Cover of Motor Trend magazine Motor Trend is one of the oldest automotive magazines still publishing. ... Car of the Year is a phrase usually considered to have been invented by Motor Trend magazine in the 1950s for their annual award for best automobile. ...

Popularity

The Aries was one of Chrysler's most successful products, along with its twin, the Plymouth Reliant. They were based off of the Chrysler K platform, which the media referred to as being Chrysler's only hope to save itself from bankruptcy. The platform became so well known in pre-production that the production Aries and Reliant were known even by the most uninformed consumers as "K-cars". This car would spur Chrysler and many other automobile manufacturers to adopt front wheel drive in many of their future models. The Aries and Reliant were strong sellers and were instrumental in Chrysler's financial recovery. The Plymouth Reliant was one of the first two so-called K-cars (the other being the Dodge Aries) the Chrysler Corporation introduced for the 1981 model year. ... A 1987 Plymouth Reliant K. Chrysler Corporations K Car initiative of the 1980s ranks as the most overt use of platform sharing in automotive history. ... Front wheel drive is the most common form of engine/transmission layout used in modern passenger cars, where the engine drives the front wheels. ...

The K-cars were notable for being six-passenger cars at a time when other compact front wheel drive cars (particularly from General Motors) seated only four or five. A station wagon version was also available, and was one of the roomiest in its class.

The K-cars were produced in Newark, Delaware, Toluca, Mexico and Detroit, Michigan. The last, a 1989 Aries, rolled off the assembly line on December 9, 1988. Main Street is the commercial heart of Newark. ... Toluca is a city in México State in central Mexico, at 19. ... Nickname: The Motor City, Motown Motto: Speramus Meliora; Resurget Cineribus (Latin for, We Hope For Better Things; It Shall Rise From the Ashes) Official website: www. ... December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

History

After much publicity, the much-heralded Aries and Reliant twins made their debut in 1981. In response to the notoriety of the new cars, Chrysler added a small "K" emblem to the rear. The Aries was available as a 2-door coupe, 4-door sedan, or as a 4-door station wagon, in three different trim lines: base, Custom and SE ("Special Edition"). Station wagons came only in Custom or SE trim. The Aries was powered by a then-new 2.2 L I4 SOHC engine, with a Mitsubishi "Silent Shaft" 2.6 L as an option (curiously this engine also featured hemispherical combustion chambers, and all 1981 Aries equipped with it featured "HEMI" badges on the front fenders). Initial sales were brisk, with over 150,000 units sold in 1981. 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1995 Buick Riviera coupe A coupé (from the French for cut) or coupe is a two or four-seater car with a fixed roof and two doors. ... A Ford Taurus, a recognizable sedan. ... Estate car body style (Saab 95) A station wagon (United States usage), wagon (Australian usage, though station wagon is widely used) or estate car (United Kingdom usage) is a car body style similar to a sedan car but with an extended rear cargo area. ... The 2. ... Single overhead cam (also SOHC) refers to the internal combustion engine design where one camshaft is located above the valves. ... The Mitsubishi companies, or the Mitsubishi Group of Companies or the Mitsubishi Group is a large group (keiretsu) of independently operated Japanese companies which share the Mitsubishi brand name. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The Aries underwent only minor changes in its first few production years (the Custom trim line was dropped from the coupe and sedan in 1983). The first major changes occurred in 1985, when the Aries received a new front fascia, featuring a new "crosshair" grille and a new rear fascia featuring five-section taillights. A new trim line, the top-tier LE ("Luxury Edition"), was added (it also replaced the Custom trim level on the wagon). 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ...

Significant powertrain changes were made for 1986. The 2.2 L engine's carburetor was replaced by a new throttle-body electronic fuel injection system, while a new 2.5 L four-cylinder engine was added to the option list, replacing the Mitsubishi 2.6 L. The four-speed manual transmission, previously offered as standard equipment, was dropped. 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The carbureter (American spelling, a. ... Fuel Injection is a method or system for metering fuel into an internal combustion engine. ... This is an article about manual transmission in general; for guidance on how to drive with a manual transmission, see Manual transmission driving technique. ...

The Aries underwent only minor changes throughout the rest of its production run. The SE trim line was dropped after 1986, while the LE was dropped after 1987. The base trim line was renamed America in 1988, offered as relatively inexpensive, basic transportation. The wagon bodystyle was dropped from the range for the Aries' final year, 1989. After nine years and nearly a million units sold, the car was discontinued in 1989, after a 3-year overlap with the Dodge Shadow, which eventually replaced the car. 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... In 1987, the Chrysler Corporation introduced two new compact cars, the Dodge Shadow and the Plymouth Sundance (which turned in similar sales figures). ...

Quality

Fit and finish on the Aries was marginal at best (everything from sloppily mounted turn signal indicators in the instrument cluster to poorly mounted dry cleaning hooks). Furthermore, the K-cars were built to be very lightweight for fuel economy reasons; unfortunately, being a unibody car, the stresses on the roof caused small cracking at the C pillar (where the roof meets the rear-most support) - this area must be sanded, cleaned and caulked if the car is still in regular use. Monocoque (French for single shell) or unibody is a construction technique that uses the external skin of an object to support some or most of the load on the structure. ...

The then-new 2.2 L engine had issues with cylinder head gaskets until approximately 1985. All 2.2 L (and later derivative 2.5 L) engines had aluminum heads on iron blocks; the different expansion rates of the metals caused a lot of stress on the head gaskets. All vehicles equipped with this Chrysler engine must be very carefully monitored to prevent overheating - if not already equipped, a temperature gauge must be added, and the radiator, electric fan and thermostat must be checked carefully with every oil change. A peculiarity of this family of engines is their normal operating sound - every different internal combustion engine will have a characteristic "sound" dictated by its geometry; the 2.2 L/2.5 L engine sounds "clanky" and "unhealthy" at its best. If valve and ignition timing are good, and if the air-fuel mixture is good, shrug it off as normal; the engine is fine. If the reader is especially worried, check connecting rod play.

Offered as an "American car with a Japanese engine", the 2.6 L Mitsubishi "Silent Shaft" I4 engine was definitely intended to compete with Toyotas at a time when Americans were very concerned with the erosion of the American manufacturing base. However, the Mitsubishi (nicknamed the "Bitsumishi" by service technicians) had a tendency towards grenading due to poor connecting rod forgings and cylinder head castings. As early as the late 1990s, rebuildable Mitsubishi 2.6 L cylinder heads were rare and commanded a high price at automotive wrecking yards; many K-cars have had their Mitsubishi engines removed and replaced with the more durable American engines. Toyota redirects here. ... Grenade may refer to: The well-known hand grenade commonly used by soldiers. ... piston + connecting rod In a reciprocating piston engine, the connecting rod or con rod connects the piston to the crank or crankshaft. ...

Long term reliability has been good, as K-cars are still seen on the road on a regular basis 25 years after its introduction. K-cars equipped with the 2.2 L or 2.5 L engine are easy to service, parts are cheap, and the essential components (engine, transmission, body) survive high mileage and many years if properly maintained.

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