I have always had a VERY special place in my heart for the K-car. Sure, it was NEVER exactly the most beautiful vehicle in the world, but without this car, Chrysler as we know it would most certainly not exist today. Plus, the chassis of this humble little economy car was the basis for almost all of Chrysler's new cars in the 1980's. It spawned sedans, coupes, wagons, sports coupes, luxury cars, convertibles, even limousines. It was also the basis for the first minivan.
I can remember back in those days when few people could afford a car for $5,600.00. But these days, a larger percentage of the population can afford $28,000.00 for a vehicle. The question: Will inflation erode purchasing power once again, like it did in the early 1980's?
People hate the k car.. I had an 84 Lebaron k in college paid 50.00 and the A/C worked and had EFI. When gas was over 3.00 a gallon I had this k car and got 32 mpg every day.
Great job Kcar man as you know i to love Kcars to it is sad in northeast Ohio there are not alot left the rust belt got them sometimes i see one on the road but that is rare i will say this i still see Chrysler Fifth AV alot more the around here and they are for the most part mint
To bad it is a Mitsubishi but it is a HEMI and does perform. I had one as a company car a year before we released them. Mine had no badges on it and it was fun watching faces when i said what it was.
It has no unique "sound", but was extremely smooth all the way through the revs. It was also a very lively performer if U accelerated aggressively. My father had a new '81 & could out accelerate Datsun 280Z's..he used to laugh about that!
Everyone called them junk at the time in the 80's and early 90's,... but we still got a few of them on the road around here... Southeastern MA and Rhode Island. They seem to have held up well when it comes to rust protection.
Now there is no similarly sized six passenger cars available , maybe not even for 5 passengers. Mercedes A class sedan is quite the same size externally, but really small inside
What's with this 6 passenger stuff you asked. From the 1970's through to 1980 the auto industry was challenged to produce a compact car with better fuel economy due to the 1973 OPEC Oil Embargo and the American Market was flooded with small Japanese Eco Compacts such as the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Subaru 200, Datsun B-Series and the Isuzu Gemini and Germany with the VW Beetle and the Renault LeCar out of France. The best the American Big Three Auto Makers could do were the Ford Pinto, Mercury Bobcat, Chevrolet Chevette, Dodge and Plymouth Omni and American Motors with the Pacer and Gremlin. Problem with the Eco Compacts was passenger room limited to 4 occupants. In 1980 with Lee Iacocca promoted to President of Chrysler Corporation the plans for a front wheel drive compact 6 passenger coupe and sedan that were shelved in 1978 began production as the K-Platform to compete against the Ford Fairmount and Buick Century and Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera most of which had seating for 5 due to front bucket seats and a rear bench seat. The Plymouth Reliant Dodge Aries and the revamped Chrysler LeBarron which transitioned from rear wheel drive to front wheel drive would offer seating for 6 adults versus the competition. By 1985 the Chrysler New Yorker would be added to the K-Platform leaving the Plymouth Caravell Dodge Diplomat and Chrysler Fith Avenue as the only rear wheel drive full size cars in the Chrysler line. With the demand for 6 passenger vehicles in the compact class Chrysler tried to meet the demand with the K-Car and with the family station wagon becoming long in the tooth and the butt of the National Lampoon's Vacation Movie with the "Family Truckster" Chrysler Corporation under Lee Iacocca introduced the "Mini Van" a small front wheel drive passenger van built on the K-Platform starting with the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan and in 1990 added the Chrysler Town and Country to the Mini Van line up where previously the Town and Country Woody was a station wagon version of the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant. Sorry for the long history lesson.
Also a pain in the ass they were a vacuum hose catastrophe. If you bought with a 2.6 you got what you deserved!! 2.2 and later the 2.5 engines were way better for reliability period!!
The quintessential car of the '80's. These things were everywhere.
Had 1981 new and 1987. Both was fine cars for the money. Thank you
I have always had a VERY special place in my heart for the K-car. Sure, it was NEVER exactly the most beautiful vehicle in the world, but without this car, Chrysler as we know it would most certainly not exist today. Plus, the chassis of this humble little economy car was the basis for almost all of Chrysler's new cars in the 1980's. It spawned sedans, coupes, wagons, sports coupes, luxury cars, convertibles, even limousines. It was also the basis for the first minivan.
I can remember back in those days when few people could afford a car for $5,600.00. But these days, a larger percentage of the population can afford $28,000.00 for a vehicle. The question: Will inflation erode purchasing power once again, like it did in the early 1980's?
People hate the k car.. I had an 84 Lebaron k in college paid 50.00 and the A/C worked and had EFI. When gas was over 3.00 a gallon I had this k car and got 32 mpg every day.
Great job Kcar man as you know i to love Kcars to it is sad in northeast Ohio there are not alot left the rust belt got them sometimes i see one on the road but that is rare i will say this i still see Chrysler Fifth AV alot more the around here and they are for the most part mint
Great commercial clips. I remember these. I know you don't like convertibles, but after I saw the lebaron in 85 I had to have one!
Cool clips, I miss those things but still see them on the roads every now and then :)
Wonder how that 2.6 Hemi sounds.
To bad it is a Mitsubishi but it is a HEMI and does perform. I had one as a company car a year before we released them. Mine had no badges on it and it was fun watching faces when i said what it was.
It has no unique "sound", but was extremely smooth all the way through the revs. It was also a very lively performer if U accelerated aggressively. My father had a new '81 & could out accelerate Datsun 280Z's..he used to laugh about that!
Everyone called them junk at the time in the 80's and early 90's,... but we still got a few of them on the road around here... Southeastern MA and Rhode Island.
They seem to have held up well when it comes to rust protection.
In someone’s garage. !
She did say 4 wheel drive lol
Fun fact: Homer Simpson's car is based on one of these cars
Both of the Simpson's car are based off it you can see when she almost runs into homer you see a star
Stylistically Homer's car is a late 60s to early 70s Plymouth sedan and Marge's is a early 70s Chevrolet Chevelle station wagon
Plymouth junkerola
It’s actually based off of a '72 Plymouth Valiant.
did she say 4 wheel drive??? LOL
It sounds like she said that yes. But I assure you she didn't. Listen very carefully and you will hear her say front wheel drive.
I'd have been off to my local AMC dealer for an Eagle instead....
I bet nobody ever got that check back. 💴 🚗😑
Now there is no similarly sized six passenger cars available , maybe not even for 5 passengers. Mercedes A class sedan is quite the same size externally, but really small inside
As-pect ray-shee-ooooh.
the final product will have more commerials..
They need to bring these back now especially with gas prices high again thanks to Trump and Biden
im interested in dvd ??/ how do I get one??
Back when I liked people sitting 🪑 right next to me! Now I don’t. No bench seats 💺 for me. No thanks.
6 Passengers........
Hemi! 🚗 😐
what's this 6 passenger stuff?
What's with this 6 passenger stuff you asked.
From the 1970's through to 1980 the auto industry was challenged to produce a compact car with better fuel economy due to the 1973 OPEC Oil Embargo and the American Market was flooded with small Japanese Eco Compacts such as the Toyota Corolla, Honda Civic, Subaru 200, Datsun B-Series and the Isuzu Gemini and Germany with the VW Beetle and the Renault LeCar out of France.
The best the American Big Three Auto Makers could do were the Ford Pinto, Mercury Bobcat, Chevrolet Chevette, Dodge and Plymouth Omni and American Motors with the Pacer and Gremlin.
Problem with the Eco Compacts was passenger room limited to 4 occupants.
In 1980 with Lee Iacocca promoted to President of Chrysler Corporation the plans for a front wheel drive compact 6 passenger coupe and sedan that were shelved in 1978 began production as the K-Platform to compete against the Ford Fairmount and Buick Century and Oldsmobile Cutlass Ciera most of which had seating for 5 due to front bucket seats and a rear bench seat.
The Plymouth Reliant Dodge Aries and the revamped Chrysler LeBarron which transitioned from rear wheel drive to front wheel drive would offer seating for 6 adults versus the competition.
By 1985 the Chrysler New Yorker would be added to the K-Platform leaving the Plymouth Caravell Dodge Diplomat and Chrysler Fith Avenue as the only rear wheel drive full size cars in the Chrysler line.
With the demand for 6 passenger vehicles in the compact class Chrysler tried to meet the demand with the K-Car and with the family station wagon becoming long in the tooth and the butt of the National Lampoon's Vacation Movie with the "Family Truckster" Chrysler Corporation under Lee Iacocca introduced the "Mini Van" a small front wheel drive passenger van built on the K-Platform starting with the Plymouth Voyager and Dodge Caravan and in 1990 added the Chrysler Town and Country to the Mini Van line up where previously the Town and Country Woody was a station wagon version of the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant.
Sorry for the long history lesson.
Bench front seat! 💺 😑
Why does every actress from the 80s sound like that?
umm 1:13 hemi 2.6???? WTH???
Actually it was if it had the Mitsubishi 2.6 4cyl in it. It actually ran pretty strong.
Very smooth, high revving 4 Cylinder
Also a pain in the ass they were a vacuum hose catastrophe. If you bought with a 2.6 you got what you deserved!! 2.2 and later the 2.5 engines were way better for reliability period!!
Pleemooth is diamurican way to get yoh monees woth
Typical Chrysler,,,,
And you skr, captial dieck f
@@kcarman88
What???