|
The Dodge Polara was an automobile introduced in the United States for the 1960 model year as Dodge's top-of-the-line fullsize car; after the introduction of the Dodge Custom 880 in 1962, the Polara nameplate designated a step below the best trimmed Dodge model. In its various forms, the Polara name was used by Dodge until 1973, when its position in Dodge's line-up was replaced by the Dodge Monaco. The model year of a product is a number used to describe approximately when a product was produced. ...
This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
A full-size car is term used in North America for an automobile larger than a mid-size car, usually having a wheelbase greater than 2. ...
Early advertisment image of the 1962 Dodge Custom 880 four-door hardtop. ...
The Dodge Monaco was a fullsize automobile built and sold by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation (now DaimlerChrysler) between 1965 to 1978 and 1990 to 1992. ...
1960 marked the first year that all Chrysler models, save the Imperial, used unibody construction. For other uses, including the Chrysler Brand, see Chrysler (disambiguation). ...
1955 Imperial Imperial was the Chrysler Corporations prestige automobile brand between 1955 and 1975, with a brief reappearance in 1981-1983. ...
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. ...
1960–62
The 1960 Polara and other full-sized Dodges featured styling cues carried over from 1959 models, itself an evolution of Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" cars introduced in 1957. The top-of-the line Polara and Dodge Matador continued to ride on the 122 inch wheelbase of their predecessors, while a new line-up of still full-sized Dodge Darts rode on a shorter 118 inch wheelbase. The Polara was available as a convertible, hardtop coupe, 4-door hardtop sedan, 4-door hardtop station wagon, and conventional (pillared) 4-door sedan. Virgil Ex Exner (September 24, 1909–December 22, 1973) was an automobile designer for numerous American companies, notably Chrysler and Studebaker. ...
The Dodge Matador was a full-sized automobile that was only produced for the 1960 model by the Dodge Division of the Chrysler Corporation. ...
1971 Dodge Dart 4-door sedan with aftermarket fender mirrors The Dodge Dart was an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960 to 1976. ...
Like these cars, both 1960 full-sized Dodges continued with the make's styling hallmarks of stacked "jet pod" tail lights, however, the size of the lights was greatly exaggerated, with the lower light set into the rear bumper. The design also incorporated Dodge’s trademark shortened tail fins, which included small vertical tail light lenses placed on the vertical surface at the back of the fin; again, the purpose of the shortened fin was meant to exaggerate the length of the "jet pods" holding the tail lights (The fins on Darts appeared to be longer.) Up front, the car featured a small grille comprised of eight stacks of chromed rectangles nested in a massive (and complex) front bumper assembly. As the top model in the line-up, the Polara featured better interior fabrics and trim treatments. Polaras also received more trim on the outside of the car, most notably a chrome stone guard aft of the rear wheel housings, a full-length chrome spear, and a wide chrome base to the chrome spear atop the headlight housings.
For 1961, Dodge dropped the Matador, leaving the Polara as the sole "senior" Dodge model. Darts on the shorter wheelbase continued. For 1961, Exner’s styling department reversed the car’s fins, making them taller as they flowed toward the rear window. As the fins sloped towards the rear of the car, they cut slightly towards the center (to allow the single tail light housing on each side) of the rear of the vehicle, wrapping downward and then back along the side fender to form a C-shaped line accentuated in chrome. The overall effect made the rear of the car seem to "pucker" from the angles the design created. Up front, the massive bumper treatments that had been a Dodge hallmark since 1957 were replaced with a simple bar design, above which was a massive concave grille shared with the Dodge Dart.
The 1961 styling overhaul of the Dodge line-up was different from anything else on the US market at that time (save the 1961 Plymouth, which was equally unique in its styling) and consumers voted on the 1961 restyle with their car-shopping dollars. Sales of fullsize Dodges plunged to their lowest levels since the firms founding in 1914, with only 14,032 units produced in the United States. For the second straight year, the make was carried by the Dart which saw sales of 142,000 units for the year. Total Dodge sales for 1961 where down 53% compared to 1960, dropping the make from sixth in the American market to ninth place. This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...
1962–64 All Dodge models were moved onto a much smaller, highly-sculptured body with a 116 in wheelbase for 1962. This ill-advised move came after the president of the Chrysler Corporation "overheard" Chevrolet's boss, Ed Cole, say that his largest cars would be downsized for 1962. Chrysler designers were forced to take the planned 1962 Dodge fullsize line and shorten the design to fit a more compact wheelbase in a last minute effort to compete with the "smaller" Chevrolet. However, when Chevrolet rolled out the compact Chevy II that year and a fullsize Impala, Bel Air and Biscayne, both Dodge and Plymouth were stuck with smaller cars that the motoring press and public alike found stylistically awkward. The new Dodge models had more in common with Ford's new intermediate Fairlane than it had with fullsize models from General Motors or Ford. Chevrolet (IPA: ʃɛv. ...
Edward Nicholas Cole Born September 17, 1909 in Marne, Michigan. ...
The Chevrolet Nova or Chevy II was an American compact car introduced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors in 1962. ...
The Chevrolet Impala is an automobile built for the Chevrolet division by General Motors. ...
1956 Chevrolet Bel Air 2-door sedan The Chevrolet Bel Air was an automobile series produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors from 1953–75. ...
1964 Chevrolet Biscayne The Chevrolet Biscayne was a series name of automobile produced by Chevrolet, a division of General Motors, in the United States from the 1958 through 1972 model years. ...
Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and the worlds third largest automaker based on worldwide vehicle sales. ...
General Motors Corporation, also known as GM, is the worlds largest auto company by annual production volume as of 2006, and the second largest by sales volume as of the first half of 2007, behind Toyota Motor Corporation. ...
Quickly realizing the critical mistake they had made, Dodge hurriedly put together a new full-sized car using the front-end clip from the 1961 Dodge Polara and the body from the larger full-sized Chrysler. This new full-sized model was known as the Dodge Custom 880. Introduced on January 21, 1962, the Custom 880 became Dodge's new top-of-the-line model. In 1963 a lower specification version was offered, known simply the Dodge 880. Early advertisment image of the 1962 Dodge Custom 880 four-door hardtop. ...
Among the "sized in the middle of the big and little" 1962 Dodges was a bucket-seated sporty hardtop coupe called the Polara 500. It was also available as a convertible, and a 4-door hardtop was added in December. Positioned beneath the Polara 500 in descending order were the Dodge Dart 440,Dodge Dart 330, and Dodge Dart. The Peugeot 406 Coupé, designed by Pininfarina 1990 Mercedes-Benz 560SEC coupé, noted for its large, angular design 1980s Volvo 480 two-box coupé 1997 Rover Vitesse Coupe, club coupe Mercedes CLS, a modern four-door coupé Gala-Coupé of Leopold II, Brussels 1970s Sunbeam Alpine fastback coupé A coup...
This model proved somewhat popular, but Dodge failed to capitalize on its success and never developed it to its full potential. Often compared to the new-for-1962 Ford Fairlane, which was actually quite a bit smaller than the mid-sized Dodge, the Dodges were available with optional V-8 engines of up to 413 cubic inches of displacement. (In 1962 the Ford Fairlane's largest engine option was a 260 cubic inch V-8.) These mid-sized Dodges (and similar models from Plymouth) competed successfully as stock cars in NASCAR races, their smaller size and lighter weight giving them an advantage over the full-sized cars from Ford and General Motors that they competed against. 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. ...
1965 Dodge Polara Model line The basic body of the 1962 model, revised and lengthened by the new Chrysler Vice President of styling Elwood Engel continued until 1964, with the Polara available as hardtop coupe, convertible, 4-door hardtop sedan and conventional 4-door sedan. The Polara 500 was available only as a sporty convertible or a hardtop coupe. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 479 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (495 × 620 pixel, file size: 32 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)1965 advertising art for the Dodge Polara model range. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 479 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (495 × 620 pixel, file size: 32 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg)1965 advertising art for the Dodge Polara model range. ...
Elwood Engel was Chrysler Corporations design chief from 1961 until 1974. ...
For the 1963 model year, the wheelbase was increased to 119 inches and the car received new sheet metal. The Dart name was reassigned to Dodge's line of compact cars that had previously been known as the Dodge Lancer. Positioned below the Polara were the plain 440 and 330. The 1964 models received a revised front end that gave them an appearance that was new and distinct from that of the 1963 models.
1965–68 For 1965, Chrysler moved the Polara back to a Chrysler "C" fullsize platform that was shared with Chrysler and Plymouth models. Once again offered in a full range of bodies (sedans, hardtops, station wagons, etc.), the Polara, in effect, replaced the plain 880 and remained a step below the Custom 880 and both turned over their top-of-the-line status to the new Dodge Monaco hardtop coupe, which would become a full line on its own the next year. From 1965 to 1970, the Polara would be the only full-sized Dodge to offer a convertible body-style in the U.S. Chryslers C platform was the basis for rear wheel drive full-size cars in the 1960s and 1970s. ...
The Dodge Monaco was a fullsize automobile built and sold by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation (now DaimlerChrysler) between 1965 to 1978 and 1990 to 1992. ...
The previous mid-sized Dodges that were sold under the names Polara 500, Polara, 440, and 330 continued in production under the name Dodge Coronet, their wheelbase shrinking to 117 inches. The Coronet was a full-size car from Dodge in the 1950s, initially the divisions highest trim line but, starting in 1955, the lowest trim line. ...
In the 1966 model year, the Monaco would replace the Custom 880 as the mid-level model while a new Monaco 500 would replace the previous 1965 Monaco. 1967 models received a facelift and the hardtop coupe adopted a semi-fastback roof style with a reverse-slant rear quarter window.
One constant of the 1965 to 1968 models was taut, square-edged styling, which changed from year to year to keep the cars fresh. By 1968, however, it was obvious that Dodge's mainstream big cars would need a new look, and that would usher in a whole new philosophy.
1969–73
The 1970 Dodge Polara convertible (shown with rare "Super-Lite" headlight option) was the last full-sized convertible offered by Dodge. Only 842 were produced, with under 100 remaining today. Where the previous four years' Dodges had been very straight-lined and lean, the new 1969 Polara wore a chunky, broad-shouldered look. Called the "Fuselage Look", this style would persist through five model years, with subtle variations. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 440 pixelsFull resolution (867 × 477 pixel, file size: 62 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) 1970 Dodge Polara convertible (with Super-Lite option). ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 440 pixelsFull resolution (867 × 477 pixel, file size: 62 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) 1970 Dodge Polara convertible (with Super-Lite option). ...
For 1969 the Polara 500 was reintroduced as a mid-level series between the standard Polara and top-of-the-line Monaco. The Polara 500 was available as either a convertible or hardtop coupe. Available powerplants included 318, 383, and 440 cubic-inch V-8 engines, along with a 225 cubic-inch "Slant Six" I-6 engine. The 1969 Dodge Polara models offered the "Super-Lite" option, which placed a quartz road lamp on the driver side grille for better visibility. Despite the fanfare, Dodge dropped the light option at the end of the year because of lack of consumer interest and various challenges to its legality in certain states. In 1970 the Polara would receive new front and rear styling that included a bumper that wrapped around the grill and headlights (not unlike that of the 1969 Buick). The Polara 500 was replaced by the Polara Custom in either hardtop coupe, 4-door hardtop sedan, or conventional 4-door sedan body styles. There was also a stripped-down Polara Special available as either a 4-door sedan or station wagon. 1970 was the last year that the Polara would be available in a convertible body style (with a scant 842 produced, making it extremely rare today), and Dodge would never again offer a full-sized convertible for sale. This article does not cite any references or sources. ...
Buick is a brand of automobile built in the United States, Canada, China and in Spain by General Motors Corporation. ...
The Polara Special disappeared for 1971, but a new sub-series was the Polara Brougham positioned above the Polara Custom, but still a step below the Monaco, the Polara Brougham was available only as a hardtop coupe or 4-door hardtop sedan.
The 1972 model year would see a fairly significant facelift with new sheet metal and the disappearance of the Polara Brougham model. 1973 models received new front-end styling in which they lost the previous wrap-around front bumper.
Sales of the Polara were falling by this time, however. Having been eclipsed by the Monaco, Dodge decided to drop the Polara after 1973. The redesigned 1974 Monaco would only serve for four model years before being replaced by the unsuccessful Dodge St. Regis. The Dodge St. ...
South America Variants of the North American Dodge Dart (using the same wheelbase but different sheet metal) were produced in Argentina during the 1970s, as the Dodge Polara / Coronado sedans, R/T, and GTX coupe. North America North America is a continent[1] in the Earths northern hemisphere and (chiefly) western hemisphere. ...
 Brazilian Dodge Polara GLS The Dodge Polara was revived – in name only – in 1977 in Brazil, on a version of the British Chrysler Avenger (which in the early 1970s had been sold in North America as the Plymouth Cricket). This was sold until 1981. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 423 pixelsFull resolution (810 × 428 pixel, file size: 154 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 423 pixelsFull resolution (810 × 428 pixel, file size: 154 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...
The Hillman Avenger is a sub-compact car manufactured by the Rootes Group, and latterly Chrysler Europe. ...
The Plymouth Cricket was a subcompact automobile sold by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the American market from 1971-1973. ...
In Argentina the same car was known as the Dodge 1500 until Volkswagen took over Chrysler Ferve Argentina SAIC, and the tooling for the car, in 1980. From then until 1988 the car was sold in Argentina as the Volkswagen 1500 (not to be confused with the Volkswagen Type 3, also sold as the Volkswagen 1500 in most markets including Brazil.) Volkswagen AG (ISIN: DE0007664005), or VW, is an automobile manufacturer based in Wolfsburg, Germany. ...
VW Type 3 Sedan (1966) The Volkswagen Type 3 was an automobile introduced in 1961 by Volkswagen to diversify its product range beyond the Type 1 (Beetle) and the Type 2 (Bus). ...
External links - 1969–73 Dodge Polara and Monaco (at fuselage.de)
- 1969 Dodge Monaco "Super-Lite" Ad
- Dodge Polara and Dodge Monaco (at allpar.com)
Image File history File links Commons-logo. ...
The Wikimedia Commons (also called Wikicommons) is a repository of free content images, sound and other multimedia files. ...
South American versions |
Feeds |
Contact