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The Dodge Aspen (produced from 1976 to 1980) was a compact car from Chrysler Corporation's 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. It replaced the Dodge Dart. By the end of their production run, the Aspen and Volare would be considered intermediate cars. Image File history File links DodgeAspen1976ad. ...
Automakers, also known as carmakers, automobile manufacturers, motor manufacturers, or the automobile industry are companies that design and manufacture automobiles. ...
The Chrysler Corporation was a United States-based automobile manufacturer that existed independently from 1925–1998. ...
Hamtramck is a city in Wayne County of the U.S. state of Michigan. ...
The Dodge Dart was an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960 to 1976. ...
The Plymouth Valiant was an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. ...
The Dodge Aries was an automobile sold by the Chrysler Corporation from 1981 to 1989. ...
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 400 was Dodges compact K-Car coupe/convertible in the early 1980s. ...
Car classification is subjective since many vehicles fall into multiple categories. ...
The Rambler American introduced in the late 1950s was an early compact car. ...
Cars can come in a large variety of different body styles. ...
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 notchback full-size luxury 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. ...
In automobile design layout is the place where both the engine and driven wheels are. ...
In automobile design, an FR, or front-engine, rear wheel drive means a layout where the engine is in the front of the vehicle and drive wheels at the rear. ...
An automobile platform is a shared set of components common to a number of different automobiles. ...
Chryslers F platform was used by the rear wheel drive cars in the 1970s. ...
// History and concept The Slant-6, known within Chrysler as the G-engine, is one of Chryslers two most famous automobile engines, along with the Hemi. ...
The straight-6 (also inline 6, I-6, or I6) is an internal combustion engine with six cylinders aligned in a single row. ...
The LA engine (Late A engine) was an evolution of the small-block Plymouth polyspheric-head A engine. ...
The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ...
The LA engine (Late A engine) was an evolution of the small-block Plymouth polyspheric-head A engine. ...
The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ...
“Gearbox†redirects here. ...
A manual transmission (also known as a stick shift, straight drive, or standard transmission) is a type of transmission used in automotive applications. ...
TorqueFlite (also spelled Torqueflite) was the trademarked name of Chrysler Corporations three-speed automatic transmission, which was introduced late in the 1956 model year. ...
The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad locomotives). ...
This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...
The Rambler American introduced in the late 1950s was an early compact car. ...
The Chrysler Corporation was a United States-based automobile manufacturer that existed independently from 1925–1998. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Badge engineering is a term that describes the rebadging of one model of car as another. ...
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 notchback full-size luxury 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 Dodge Dart was an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960 to 1976. ...
The Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare were introduced in the fall of 1975 as 1976 models. They were collectively named Motor Trend's "Car of the Year" for 1976. They were the successors to the A body Valiant and Dart (along with their like-bodied but other-named friends). The A body continued on through the 1976 model year alongside the new models and was then dropped.
The Aspen and Volare were produced for 5 model years--1976 through 1980--and were replaced by the smaller, 4 cylinder, front wheel drive K body Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant for the 1981 model year. (Many would argue that they were actually replaced by the M body Dodge Diplomat and Plymouth Gran Fury, but these occupied a higher price class, albeit using a very similar platform, body, and drivetrain). The Dodge Diplomat was a mid-size car and it was manufactured from 1977 to 1989 by the Chrysler Corporations Dodge brand and practically identical to the Chrysler LeBaron of 1977, the Plymouth Caravelle sold in Canada, and the Plymouth Gran Fury from 1982. ...
The Plymouth Gran Fury was an automobile manufactured by the Chrysler Corporation from 1975 to 1977, and again from 1982 to 1989. ...
The Aspen and Volare were designed to be somewhat more luxurious than the A body models, at least in the most expensive models. The new cars also continued the A body pattern of giving coupes and sedans different wheelbases. Aspen and Volare 2 doors had a 108.7 inch wheelbase (similar to the 108" Duster and Dart Sport). Four door F bodies got a 112.7 inch wheelbase, making them slightly bigger than the Dart and Valiant, which rode a 111" wheelbase. The F body also featured a 4 door station wagon (on the 112.7" wheelbase), something Chrysler did not have in their compact line since the Dart wagon of 1966.
The Aspen/Volare twins were light enough that with certain engines, they were rather potent--tests from car magazines of the day revealed that the 1977 360-engined Aspen, with a two barrel carb, was about on a par from zero to sixty miles per hour as the 1977 Camaro Z28 and Corvette L82, both with four barrel 350s. All three of these cars were faster than the 1977 Trans Am 400-4. The Aspen was a bit slower by the clock but faster through the traps in the quarter mile than all of the other three from GM. The 318 offered more sedate, everyday performance. It was obviously less powerful, but it performed about the same as its competing models with similar-sized engines of the day.
Production history Although their designs were basically sound and well-engineered, the early F-bodies were plagued by poor production quality. In fact, in his autobiography, Lee Iacocca acknowledged that the Aspen and Volare were probably rushed to market too soon, causing first year buyers to act as final model testers. This was true mostly of the 1976 models, since the 1977 models were considerably better quality-wise. Several recalls were undertaken on the 1976 and 1977 models; most were minor. However, the most serious of these cost Chrysler millions of dollars, which at the time, Chrysler could ill afford. In 1978, Chrysler recalled every 1976 and 1977 Aspen and Volare for possible replacement of the front fenders, which were prematurely rusting. Many cars got new fenders, painted in the proper color. Galvanized sheetmetal was phased in for the body, along with full inner front fender liners made of polyethylene (plastic) to solve the rust problem once and for all. A large number of powertrain changes, particularly in ignition and fuel delivery, were also made to improve driveability. Lido Anthony Lee Iacocca (born October 15, 1924) is an American industrialist most commonly known for his revival of the Chrysler brand in the 1980s when he was the CEO. Among the most widely recognized businessmen in the world, he was a passionate advocate of U.S. business exports during...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
From about 1978 on, F-bodies had few problems with rusting or quality control. A note about the early models' quality: this was largely an issue of perception, based on minor recalls and flaws in body construction. However, the body was much more visible than the tough drivetrain.
After 1977, quality reached normal levels, and later Volares and Aspens remained a good buy for quite some time. In fact, the 1978 models had only one minor recall affecting a small number of early production models. The 1979 and 1980 cars were also relatively unaffected by recalls or quality issues, and were similar in that regard to their contemporaries.
In 1977, A big recall took place involving the Chrysler Corporation, due to their tendencies to stall, as well as problems with their carburetors, making them difficult to start, even after being left off for a minute. The Aspen, Volare, Cordoba, Dart, Valiant, Charger, Challenger, Coronet, Polara, Monaco, Scamp, Duster, Fury, Grand Fury, Satellite, Road Runner, Barracuda, as well as their station wagons and vans, all were affected by the recall.
Station wagons Station wagons were available in both model lines, all featuring liftgates with fixed rear windows. Premium station wagons in either the Aspen SE or Volare Premier series featured simulated woodgrain trim along its exterior sides. On Aspen SEs, the woodgrain was framed in simulated blond (painted metal) wood-look trim. On the Premiers, the side panels were trimmed in stainless steel frames accented in matte black. Aside from the brand badging and grilles unique on each brand, this station wagon trim element remains one of the few visual clues that differentiated the Aspen from the Volare.
1976 The first year of the Aspen was met with much fanfare and sales. The replacement for the venerable Dart, the Aspen would share the same engines and basic body style with its predecessor, but not much else. Even Chrysler's longitudinal torsion bar suspension was revamped with transverse torsion bars, which weren't as geometrically favorable as the longitudinal bars of the Valiant and Dart, but saved space and weight. In addition, the new front suspension system gave it a "big car" ride by increasing handling and reducing road vibration at the same time.
This was not the first time transverse torsion bars were used in a production vehicle - the VW Type 3 used a modified version of the Volkswagen Beetle's front suspension. The Volkswagen Type 3 was introduced in 1961 by Volkswagen to diversify their product range beyond the Type 1 Beetle and the Type 2 Bus. The Type 3, officially the Volkswagen 1500, was designed to allow Volkswagen to make a more sophisticated car while maintaining much of the engineering from...
This article is about the original Volkswagen Beetle. ...
Although transverse torsion bars were previously used by the U.S. military and part of the Volkswagen Beetle's front suspension, Chrysler's transverse torsion bar suspension was later incorporated into the M and J platform. This article is about the original Volkswagen Beetle. ...
Built on the new F-body chassis, the Aspen was dubbed "the family car of the future". Available as a 2-door coupe, 4-door sedan or 4-door station wagon, it came in three trim levels - base, Custom and SE (Special Edition). The performance R/T package came only on the coupe and featured a 318 in³ V8 standard or an optional 360 in³ V8 with either a 2 or 4-barrel carburetor. The 225 in³ "Slant Six" was standard across the line. Chryslers F platform was used by the rear wheel drive cars in the 1970s. ...
The Liberty V8 aircraft engine clearly shows the configuration A V8 engine is a V engine with eight cylinders. ...
Bendix-Technico (Stromberg) 1-barrel downdraft carburetor model BXUV-3, with nomenclature The carburetor, carburettor, or carburetter (see spelling differences), also called carb (in North America) or carbie (chiefly in Australia) for short, is a device that blends air and fuel for an internal combustion engine. ...
Volarés were fitted with a Mercedes-Benz-like front grille, whereas the Aspen had a blackout grille. Aspen coupes also had the option of a fold down rear seat. This page is about the Mercedes-Benz brand of automobiles and trucks from the DaimlerChrysler automobile manufacturer. ...
Total production was 189,900 (Aspen) and 255,008 (Volaré).
1977 Nothing much changed for the Aspen's second year. A new T-top was added to the coupe's option list this year. The R/T package added a "Super Pak" option. This consisted of front and rear spoilers, wheel opening flares and louvered rear windows. A new stripe kit was also added as well. An R/T equipped with this package became a "Super R/T". The Volare was Canada's top selling car this year. Open sunroof in a Peugeot 206. ...
Total production was 266,012 (Aspen) and 327,739 (Volaré).
1978 The Aspen went through numerous changes for 1978. The three trim lines were consolidated into one. The Custom and Special Edition lines were still available but were now reduced to option packages. The Aspen also received a new front fascia, similar to the Volaré (the Volaré's grille was restyled with an eggcrate pattern). But the most exciting news were the new, one-year-only performance packages - the Super Coupe and Kit Car. Both packages used the same performance exterior add-ons as the "Super Pak", now renamed the "Sport Pak", but came in different colors as well as different options.
The Super Coupe came with GR60x15 Goodyear GT radial tires mounted on 15x8 wheels, a heavy duty suspension with rear sway bar, a matte black finish on the hood and came only in one color - Sable Tan Sunfire Metallic. Special three color (orange, yellow and red) stripes separated the body color from the matte black colors. Only 531 were built.
The Kit Car, made in honor of NASCAR legend Richard Petty, was supposed to look as much like a race car as possible. The wheels had no hubcaps, the wheel opening flares had a bolted on look, and even the windshield had metal tie downs just like the race cars. Unlike a racecar, the Kit Car came standard with an automatic transmission. A special addition was a decal kit with large door mountable "43" decals and 360 decals for the hood. These decals were shipped in the trunk either to be installed by the dealer or by the owner. Most people however, left them in the trunk. It only came in one color - a special two-tone red. The Kit Car would prove to be one of the rarest Aspens ever built, as only 145 were ever built. Jeff Burton (99), Elliott Sadler (38), Ricky Rudd (21), Dale Jarrett (88), Sterling Marlin (40), Jimmie Johnson (48), and Casey Mears (41) practice for the 2004 Daytona 500 The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) is the largest sanctioning body of motorsports in the United States. ...
Richard Lee Petty (born July 2, 1937) is an American former NASCAR Winston Cup Series driver. ...
The automatic gear selector in a Ford Five Hundred vehicle An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, thus freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually (similar but larger devices are also used for railroad locomotives). ...
A new Sunrise package, similar to the Volare's Duster package, was also new. This consisted mainly of new stripes and louvered rear windows. This was only available on the coupe.
Wider taillight lenses with amber reflectors were phased in, replacing the Plymouth Valiant/Duster-styled lenses on both Aspen and Volare coupes and sedans.
Total production came to 166,419 (Aspen) and 217,795 (Volaré).
1979 Not much would change for the Aspen in its second to last year of production (the only change was the taillight lenses from the previous year - the amber reflectors were eliminated). The packages from last year continued into this year, with the exception of the Super Coupe and Kit Car. A new 85 mph speedometer, new colors and a diagnostic connector for the engine would be as exciting of a change as it would get for this year. The station wagon would add a "Sport Wagon" package to its option list, which added special stripes, a front airdam, and wheel arch flares.
Total production came to 121,354 (Aspen) and 178,819 (Volaré).
1980 For its last year of production, the Aspen sported a brand new front fascia (with square headlights, similar to the 1979 Chevrolet Nova and/or Ford Fairmont) that included a hood, fenders and front bumper shared with the concurrent Dodge Diplomat. But nothing much changed beyond that. Special and Premier packages were made available. The Special came only on the sedan and coupe. The R/T package was installed only on 285 Aspens for this year before the Aspen name as well as the R/T badge would be "placed into storage" for the next decade or so. Total production came to 67,318 (Aspen) and 90,063 (Volaré). The Aspen and Volaré, where replaced by the K-cars, Aries and Reliant, for 1981. Another Aspen successor, the 400 arrived in 1982. The Chevrolet Nova or Chevy II was an American compact car introduced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors in 1962. ...
Ford Fairmont is a name that has been used for two unrelated models of automobile; one in Australia and one in North America. ...
The Dodge Diplomat was a mid-size car and it was manufactured from 1977 to 1989 by the Chrysler Corporations Dodge brand and practically identical to the Chrysler LeBaron of 1977, the Plymouth Caravelle sold in Canada, and the Plymouth Gran Fury from 1982. ...
K-Car could mean: The Chrysler K platform The Keicar: a Japanese minicar. ...
The Dodge Aries was an automobile sold by the Chrysler Corporation from 1981 to 1989. ...
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. ...
Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ...
The 400 was Dodges compact K-Car coupe/convertible in the early 1980s. ...
2007 The Aspen name returned for the 2007 model year with the Chrysler Aspen, a rebadged Dodge Durango SUV. The Chrysler Aspen is a sport utility vehicle from DaimlerChrysler. ...
The Dodge Durango is an SUV from DaimlerChryslers Dodge brand. ...
This article or section may be confusing or unclear for some readers, and should be edited to rectify this. ...
Production figures overview The production figures for the Aspen/Volaré: Production Figures | Year | Aspen | Volaré | | 1976 | 189,900 | 255,008 | | 1977 | 266,012 | 327,739 | | 1978 | 166,419 | 217,795 | | 1979 | 121,354 | 178,819 | | 1980 | 67,318 | 90,063 | | Total | 811,003 | 1,069,424 |
European connection Between 1977 and 1979, Monteverdi, a Swiss small volume specialty car maker, would build a modified version of the Volaré car, the Sierra, to compete (although rather unsuccessfully) in Europe's luxury car market. For the Monteverdi car, fenders, bumpers, grill and rare parts were modified: Headlamps were taken from the Fiat 125, rear lights came from the Renault R12. The rest - windows, doors, technique - remained unchanged from the American Volaré. Monteverdi was a Swiss brand of luxury cars created in 1967 by Peter Monteverdi. ...
Fiat 125 was a sedan-type automobile introduced by Fiat in 1967. ...
Trivia - The Chrysler F platform on which the Aspen and Volare were based on spawned two platforms, the Chrysler J platform and the Chrysler M platform.
- The Volaré was one of the last Plymouths to outsell the Dodge version of itself. It did by nearly 200,000 units.
- Actor Rex Harrison (of My Fair Lady fame) was the spokesman for the Aspen, while singer Sergio Franchi was the spokesman for the Volare, singing the song of the same name in TV commercials with altered lyrics.
- From 1976 to 1977, Chrysler Australia was having some serious thought of replacing their Valiant with this car. This did not happen and the Valiant that had debuted in 1971 would soldier on until 1981, becoming the last Chrysler product built in Australia.
- Although the Volare/Aspen bodystyle was sold in Mexico after 1976 (the F-body was introduced for the 1977 model year), they continued to use the Dart nameplate (the Valiant nameplate was used on the coupe, marketed as the Dodge Valiant Volare, and the sedan, coupe, and wagon as the Dart). The only discernible difference between the US version is that the Valiant Volare had the Aspen grille (the Mexican Super Bee version had the Valiant nameplate on the grille in place of the DODGE lettering) and Volare taillights, and the Dart had the Aspen taillights and Volare grille (for the upscale models; base Mexican Darts had the Aspen grilles). A Super Bee version (indigenous to Mexico) was marketed.
- The Mopar transverse torsion bar front suspension (commonly known as the Volaré torsion bar to truck builders) has been a usual IFS swap for 1950s-era pickup trucks - especially with the Ford F100.
Image File history File links Broom_icon. ...
Chryslers F platform was used by the rear wheel drive cars in the 1970s. ...
The J platform was a rear wheel drive automobile platform from Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s. ...
The M-Bodies were Chrysler Corporations successor to the F-body Aspen/Volare. ...
Sir Reginald Carey Rex Harrison (b. ...
My Fair Lady is an Academy Award-winning 1964 film adaptation of the stage musical, My Fair Lady, based in turn on the play Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw. ...
Sergio Franchi (April 6, 1926 – 1990) was an Italian tenor. ...
Volare (Italian for the infinitive tense of the verb to fly) is another popular name for Domenico Modugnos signature song Nel blu dipinto di blu (literally In the blue painted blue). // Written by Domenico Modugno (music and lyrics) and Franco Migliacci (lyrics), Nel blu dipinto di blu was presented...
The Super Bee was a limited-production muscle car from Chryslers Dodge division produced from 1968 through 1971. ...
1955 Ford F-100 The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company sold for over 5 decades. ...
Popular culture - On the TV series Fantasy Island, Chrysler supplied either a Volaré (or Aspen) station wagon which was fitted with a surrey top and a lifted suspension much similar to a modern-day sport utility vehicle. The 'safari' wagon seen on the TV series was driven by the lead character Mr. Roarke, portrayed by then-Chrysler pitchman Ricardo Montalbán (at the time, was appearing in commercials for the Chrysler Cordoba).
- The Sylvester Stallone film Cobra featured 2 Volarés (a 1979 and 1980 sedan) - the villain was seen driving a 1979 sedan where its front sheetmetal was shredded in a back alley; while a 1980 sedan was seen driven by Stallone's partner (it was t-boned by a Ford F-250 extended cab pickup - during this scene, a Dodge logo is seen on the header panel).
- In the film The Falcon and the Snowman, the Mexico City police vehicles were Mexican-market Aspens (known as the Mexican Dodge Dart).
- NPR Car Talk listeners had written in to the program and commented on the Dodge Aspen, and Plymouth Volare, regarding the vehicles short comings, and the Magliozzi brothers subsequently gave the models a 7th place for "Worst Cars of the Last Millenium."
- In the movie Bon Cop Bad Cop, Patrick Huard's character owns a beat-up Volaré with jacked rear suspension and 22inch rear wheels. It eventually gets blown up, a witness in the trunk.
- In the movie Kummeli Kultakuume, the protagonist Jönssi's car is a Dodge Aspen.
- In the Mexican movie Highway Patrol, the films hero, a member of the Mexican Federal Highway Police (Policía Federal de Caminos) drove a Volare/Aspen.
Fantasy Island refers to two separate but related American fantasy television series, both originally airing on the ABC television network. ...
A fourth-generation (2006-) Ford Explorer, the best-selling mid-size SUV in the United States. ...
Ricardo Gonzalo Pedro Montalbán Merino(born November 25, 1920 in Mexico City of Spanish parents), is a television, theatre and film actor. ...
The 1975 Cordoba presented the opera windows, coach lamps, and landau vinyl roof that were obligatory in its market. ...
Sylvester Stallone (born Michael Enzio Sylvester Stallone on July 6, 1946) is a two-time Academy Award-nominated American actor, director, producer and screenwriter. ...
Cobra is a 1986 action movie directed by George Pan Cosmatos, starring Sylvester Stallone, Reni Santoni and Brigitte Nielsen. ...
1955 Ford F-100 The F-Series is a series of full-size pickup trucks from Ford Motor Company sold for over 5 decades. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
The Falcon and the Snowman is a 1985 film about two young American men who sold U.S. security secrets to the Soviet Union. ...
Nickname: Motto: Ciudad en movimiento Location of Mexico City in central Mexico Coordinates: , Country Federal entity Boroughs The 16 delegaciones Founded c. ...
Bon Cop, Bad Cop is a 2006 Canadian comedy-thriller buddy cop film about English Canadian and French Canadian policemen who reluctantly join forces. ...
A highway patrol is either a police agency created primarily for the purpose of overseeing and enforcing traffic safety compliance on roads and highways, such as the California Highway Patrol, or a detail within an existing local or regional police agency that is primarily concerned with such duties, such as...
The Federal Preventative Police Logo The Federal Preventative Police Seal The Federal Preventive Police, also translated as Federal Preventative Police, known in Spanish as the Policia federal preventiva or PFP, is the uniformed federal police force of Mexico. ...
References - 2007 Car Talk Calendar, page for 9 April 2007, published by Chronicle Books.
- Standard Catalog of Chrysler 1914-2000. Second Edition. Edited by James T. Lenzke.
- The Plymouth Volare and Dodge Aspen. Obtained from http://www.allpar.com/model/aspen.html
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