134-652: The Dodge Omni and the nearly identical badge engineered variant, the Plymouth Horizon , is a subcompact car manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Corporation for model years 1978–1990. The first Chrysler model line produced with front-wheel drive, the Omni and Horizon were also the first front-wheel drive economy cars assembled in the United States. Marketed for eleven years with very few changes, around 2,500,000 Omnis and Horizons were manufactured, with
268-688: A rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout with a water-cooled inline four cylinder engine laid over on its side and mounted longitudinally under the floor of the rear of the passenger compartment. In 1969, one year after the start of work at Volkswagen on the EA266, another project named EA337 was commissioned. This project would draw on engines and front-wheel drive technology from the Audi division of Auto Union. In 1966 Volkswagen built almost 1.5 million automobiles and reported net profits of DM 300,000,000. By 1967 domestic sales had fallen to 370,000 units from
402-777: A "premium" marque, Volkswagen often introduces new technologies in Audi-branded cars before fitting them to mainstream products (such as the Direct-Shift Gearbox ). In production, platform sharing is used extensively, with the modular MQB platform underpinning a range of vehicles from the Audi A1 to the Volkswagen Atlas . The previous D platform of the 2000s was used for the Volkswagen Phaeton and Bentley Continental GT (built in steel) and
536-637: A 175 hp (130 kW) 2.2 L Turbo II engine, upgraded transmission, brakes, and suspension, and the deletion of all Dodge badging. For 1982, Chrysler introduced a coupe utility pickup derived from the L-body chassis, named the Dodge Rampage. The first front-wheel drive American pickup truck, the Rampage extended the Dodge Omni chassis to a 104.2-inch wheelbase. To compete with the payload of
670-569: A Chrysler interior. For the 1989 model year, Toyota and Nissan introduced the Lexus and Infiniti luxury brands in the United States (following the Acura luxury brand of Honda) with the all-new Lexus LS400 and Infiniti Q45 full-size sedans. Both brands expanded their model line for 1990, sourcing an existing model line from the Japanese market to rebrand as an entry-level offering. The Lexus ES250
804-470: A Chrysler powertrain, the Routan received its own styling and content features as well as a standard "sportier suspension and steering". In Japan, automobile manufacturers differed in the marketing of their product ranges. In contrast to marketing a single vehicle under multiple brand names (with minor changes to exterior bodywork), Japanese manufacturers marketed vehicles through multiple sales networks, with
938-409: A DM 200,000,000 loss. Rudolf Leiding replaced Lotz as Director General of Volkswagen from 1971 to 1975. Commenting on the situation at Volkswagen as he found it, Leiding said: "The global situation for VW was more critical than we had once thought – to put it simply, we were dealing with the survival of a giant group, which employed more than 220,000 people worldwide ..." Two weeks after assuming
1072-713: A Japanese-market Toyota (Toyota Vista/Windom) and its chassis and engine with the Camry, the ES300 shared no resemblance to the American-market Camry. Infiniti moved away from a two-door coupe entirely, replacing the M30 with the four-door J30 ( Nissan Leopard J Ferie in Japan). Volkswagen Golf Mk1 The Volkswagen Golf Mk1 is the first generation of a small family car manufactured and marketed by Volkswagen . It
1206-612: A car through each brand; for example, the Chevrolet Tahoe, GMC Yukon, and Cadillac Escalade each share a common body. In another example, the same model is rebadged when it is sold in different regions and markets. In Australia, during the 1980s and 1990s, the Button car plan required imported Nissans and Toyotas to adopt Ford and Holden (GM) nameplates. In the United Kingdom, Opel-produced vehicles are marketed under
1340-707: A common platform to produce the American version of the Odyssey minivan, also underpinning the Honda Pilot and Honda Passport SUVs, the Acura MDX CUV, and the Honda Ridgeline mid-size pickup truck. Although intended to save development costs by spreading design and research costs over several vehicles, rebadging can also become problematic if not implemented properly. Using multiple car brands under
1474-458: A design that reflected his signature "origami" or "folded-paper" style, emphasizing sharp corners and flat planes. Giugiaro would come to consider the Mk1 Golf the most important design of his career. Early prototypes included rectangular headlamps and wide tail-lamp assemblies. At least one pre-production car was modified with a sliding side door. During development, candidates for the name of
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#17327766021821608-739: A distinct vehicle being sold under various model nameplates (from a single manufacturer). Toyota marketed the Corolla in Japan exclusively at Toyota Corolla Store locations; at Toyota Auto Store locations, it was named the Toyota Sprinter . Nissan sold the Nissan Cedric through its Nissan Bluebird Store network, with the identical Nissan Gloria through the Nissan Prince Store network. Honda previously marketed
1742-540: A faster Golf. VW Press Department head Anton Konrad and VW engineer Alfons Löwenberg began development of a high-performance "Sport Golf" as a skunkworks project rather than as an official factory program. The two were joined by Gunter Kühl from the Press department, suspension expert Herbert Schuster, Hermann Hablitzel, who smuggled parts from the project into regular tests, Jürgen Adler, whose chassis analysis led to additional reinforcements, Horst-Dieter Schwittlinsky from
1876-561: A five-passenger interior. Coinciding with the 1998 Daimler-Chrysler merger, the Eagle brand was discontinued; the singular Jeep brand was integrated as part of Chrysler or Dodge dealership networks. The Chrysler 300M was originally developed as a second generation of the Eagle Vision; following the discontinuation of Eagle, the vehicle continued into production as a Chrysler model, adopting a slightly restyled grille, Chrysler badging, and
2010-595: A high of 600,000 units in 1965. A government-backed economic stimulus package was able to produce a rebound in sales. Beetle exports to the United States went from 232,550 in 1963 to 423,008 in 1968. Local competitors Ford-Werke and Opel launched new small car models (the Escort and Kadett , respectively) targeted directly at Volkswagen's traditional market. Volkswagen's share of the German domestic car market dropped from 45% in 1960 to 26% in 1972. Profits fell from
2144-562: A high of DM 330,000,000 in 1969 to DM 12,000,000 in 1971, mainly due to slumping Beetle sales and high R&D costs. In 1971 the United States' government ended international convertibility of the US dollar to gold in what is termed the Nixon shock . One outcome of this was that the Deutsche Mark rose 40% against the US dollar in 1971. This, combined with a 10% import duty on cars entering
2278-541: A joint venture with a local manufacturer to manufacture automobiles in the country. Prior to 2022, the Chinese government dictates that no more than two joint ventures are allowed for each foreign investor. Larger foreign manufacturers often set up two joint ventures to maximize the market reach, including Toyota ( FAW Toyota and GAC Toyota ), Ford (JMC-Ford and Changan Ford ), Volkswagen ( SAIC-VW and FAW-VW ) and Honda ( Dongfeng Honda and Guangqi Honda ). To distribute
2412-399: A manual transmission and the deletion of air conditioning. For 1987, the 1.6 was dropped, with the 2.2-liter becoming the standard engine offering. The 2.2 received fuel injection for 1988, accompanied by three additional horsepower. Latterly, the 2.2 L engine was paired to a 5-speed manual transmission or a 3-speed automatic. Chrysler had planned on offering PSA's new 1.9-liter diesel in
2546-501: A model to carry over to its rebadged model counterparts. Through the 2000s, the American Big Three automakers reduced their brand footprint by closing or selling underperforming brands. After 2001, Chrysler discontinued its Plymouth brand (following the closure of Eagle in 1998). In response to the late 2000s recession, Ford ended its ownership of Jaguar , Land Rover , Aston Martin , and Volvo Cars ; in 2010, Mercury
2680-580: A rebodied Beetle, it never went into production. The first EA47 prototype appeared in 1953; at least 11 more EA47 variations were built over the next three years. By the mid- to late-1950s, questions about the future of the Beetle began to be asked from outside the company. In 1957, an article with the title "Is the Volkswagen dated?" appeared in the West German magazine Stern . Two years later,
2814-587: A revised version of their product through an OEM deal, as with Volkswagen marketing a modified version of the Dodge Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country minivans as the Volkswagen Routan (2009–2014). Another example was the joint venture of Mitsubishi and Chrysler that resulted in vehicles produced by Diamond-Star Motors that were marketed under various nameplates from 1985 until 1993. In China, foreign manufacturers were required to form
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#17327766021822948-768: A sedan, hatchback, or SUV/CUV body designs. Automotive industry rebadging can be compared with white-label products in other consumer goods industries, such as consumer electronics and power tools . The first case of badge engineering appeared in 1917 with the Texan automobile assembled in Fort Worth, Texas, that made use of Elcar bodies made in Elkhart, Indiana. "Probably the industry's first example of one car becoming another" occurred in 1926 when Nash Motors ' newly introduced smaller-sized Ajax models were discontinued in 1926 after over 22,000 Ajax cars were sold during
3082-571: A shared appearance; Cadillac Eldorado Seville , Buick Limited Riviera , Oldsmobile Starfire 98 , Pontiac Bonneville Catalina , and the Chevrolet Bel-Air Impala . A later example was Wolseley Motors after it was bought out by William Morris . After World War I , "Wolseley started to lose its identity and eventually succumbed to badge engineering." This was repeated with the consolidation of Austin Motor Company and
3216-613: A similar headline was used in an article in Der Spiegel weekly news. In 1958 Porsche began a project numbered 728 for a revised Beetle. A few years later this became the Volkswagen EA53. This project continued for a number of years and produced several prototypes, with early ones having bodywork designed by Porsche and later ones styled by Ghia . The EA53 eventually led to the Type 3 model. In 1957 another design study,
3350-538: A single model line to replace the outdated Simca 1100 and the Hillman Avenger . The development of the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon began life in 1975. Following the retirement of Townsend, Chrysler management decided to develop an American-market version of the C2 project, working in tandem with Chrysler Europe. While one American design team sought to redevelop the body as a coupe, designers ultimately retained
3484-524: A single-overhead camshaft driven by a timing belt. The early engines used 2 barrel Zenith carburetors. The 1.1-litre and 1.3-litre engines were from the original EA111 line. In this engine the valves were operated by rocker arms . The EA111 was mounted with a 20° forward tilt. The 1.5-litre, 1.6-litre and 1.8-litre engines were from the EA827 family. In this engine the valves were operated by bucket tappets. The EA827s were mounted tilted 15° rearwards. The car
3618-409: A single-parent manufacturer can significantly increase selling costs, as each model line must be marketed separately, requiring a distinct dealership network. Inappropriate use of rebadging can also hurt overall sales by resulting in "cannibalism" between two or more brands owned by the same company by failing to develop a distinct image for each brand or by allowing the market failure of one version of
3752-596: A singular GM brand. As an exception, Cadillac offers division-exclusive engines (the Northstar and Blackwing V8 engine families). In 1981, GM lost a 1977 lawsuit related to consumers (who purchased 1977 Oldsmobile Delta 88s equipped with a 350 cu in (5.7 L) Chevrolet small-block engine instead of the 350 cu in (5.7 L) Oldsmobile V8 engine ). At the time of production, GM had downsized its full-size model lines in preparation for another oil crisis and had increased production of V6 engines as
3886-575: A suitable small-car design to market in the United States, ultimately rejecting a front-wheel drive compact (codenamed C6) as unsuitable to produce for the United States (the design was produced in Europe as the Chrysler Alpine ). At the end of 1974, Chrysler Europe approved the final clay model design of a shorter wheelbase version (codenamed C2) as a subcompact in the 1.3 L engine range. The C2 project provided multinational Chrysler Europe with
4020-531: A visually similar appearance with its Chrysler Europe counterpart, the Omni/Horizon shares almost no body commonality. Along with the American requirement of sealed-beam headlamps, 5-mph bumpers , the body stampings are not shared between the two model line; for example, the joint between the roof and A-pillar on the American model line is welded together (on the European version, it is a single stamping). On
4154-638: Is "to spread the huge development costs of a new vehicle over as many cars as possible". An example is General Motors' rebadging of the Camaro as the Firebird , a successful model from the 1960s through to the 2000s. In most cases, consumers are interested in each brand's focus "on the unique elements of styling and driving characteristics". Some cars would not be marketed without the cost savings that are obtained from this practice, and carmakers can develop many "different models – all wearing different badges – off
Dodge Omni - Misplaced Pages Continue
4288-612: Is a four-door sedan derived from the V20 Toyota Camry. Though visibly similar to the Camry introduced for 1987, the ES250 was a rebranded Toyota Camry Prominent/Vista ; a model developed for Japan, the Prominent/Vista (dependent on sales network) is a four-door pillared hardtop sedan with a slightly lower roofline and restyled body panels. Along with the change to left-hand drive, the ES250 adopted an interior similar to
4422-588: Is also known as rebranding and badge engineering ; the latter is an intentionally ironic misnomer in that little or no actual engineering takes place. The term originated with the practice of replacing an automobile's emblems to create an ostensibly new model sold by a different maker. Changes may be confined to swapping badges and emblems, or may encompass minor styling differences, as with cosmetic changes to headlights , taillights, front and rear fascias , and even outer body skins. More extreme examples involve differing engines and drivetrains . The objective
4556-477: Is amortized tooling costs, which means the vehicle can be produced at a higher margin of profit (or a lower price, or both). Badge engineering occurs in the luxury -type market segments. An automobile manufacturer will use a model from its mainstream brand as a basis for a model under a premium marque by upgrading its features, technology, and/or styling. Along with visible cosmetic differences, premium models may also receive upgraded drivetrains. An example of this
4690-778: Is that Ford Motor Company marketed its mainstream Ford Fusion mid-size sedan as the Lincoln MKZ ; the Ford Expedition SUV is sold as the Lincoln Navigator . A more controversial example was the Aston Martin Cygnet , a rebadged version of the Toyota iQ city car (intended to comply with EU emissions regulations). While fitted with model-specific trim and a luggage set, the Cygnet nearly tripled
4824-650: Is when two separate manufacturers trade products, filling gaps in their respective product lineups. During the 1990s, Honda and Isuzu entered into such an agreement, with Isuzu marketing the first-generation Honda Odyssey as the Isuzu Oasis as its first minivan. In return, Honda received the Isuzu Rodeo and Isuzu Trooper SUVs, which became the Honda Passport and Acura SLX ; the agreement allowed both Honda and Isuzu to enter new vehicle segments without
4958-613: The 1973 oil crisis , General Motors expanded fuel-efficient offerings beyond its Chevrolet division, reintroducing compact cars to its Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac brands. Derived from the X-platform Chevrolet Nova , the Pontiac Ventura was introduced for the 1971 model year, with the Buick Apollo and Oldsmobile Omega introduced for 1973. These four X-platform vehicles (also known as N-O-V-A from
5092-711: The Audi A8 (built in aluminum). In the Japanese automotive industry, platform sharing has expanded model offerings in North America. While the initial Lexus LS was developed specifically for the American market, the later Lexus ES has shared a platform (but not a body) with the Toyota Camry (since 2013, the Toyota Avalon , itself also based on the Camry). Exclusive primarily to North America, Honda uses
5226-519: The Center for Auto Safety published "Small—on safety: the designed-in dangers of the Volkswagen", which examined the safety deficiencies of the Beetle just as Ralph Nader 's earlier book Unsafe at Any Speed had done for the Chevrolet Corvair . All of the foregoing combined to result in Volkswagen posting a DM 807,000,000 loss in 1974. In the same year Volkswagen of America alone posted
5360-526: The Dodge Rampage / Plymouth Scamp coupé utility pickup truck. As a hot hatch , Chrysler introduced the turbocharged Omni GLH (later the Shelby GLH-S ). For 1979, Chrysler introduced a hatchback coupe version of the Omni/Horizon, named the Dodge Omni 024 and Plymouth Horizon TC3. Using an L-body chassis (shortened to a 96.6-inch wheelbase), the 024/TC3 coupes shared no external bodywork with
5494-682: The Ford Fusion ; as part of its 2013 redesign, no other exterior panels); Cadillac rebranded the Opel Omega B as the Cadillac Catera as its first mid-size car, but replaced it, eventually moving towards platform sharing with other divisions. From 1982 until 1986, the front-wheel drive A platform underpinned the Chevrolet Celebrity , Cutlass Ciera , Pontiac 6000 , and Buick Century . As part of their legacy,
Dodge Omni - Misplaced Pages Continue
5628-793: The Honda Accord through multiple sales networks, marketing the Accord through the Honda Clio network and renaming it as the Honda Vigor for Honda Verno locations (conversely, the Vigor was renamed the Honda Inspire for the Clio network). The practice of producing multiple versions of the same vehicle would eventually lead to distinct vehicles produced for export. In North America,
5762-427: The Nuffield Organization (parent company of Morris Motors ) to form the British Motor Corporation (BMC). The rationalization of production to gain efficiencies "did not extend to marketing", and each "model was adapted, by variation in trim and accessories, to appeal to customer loyalties for whom the badge denoting the company of origin was an important selling advantage ... 'Badge Engineering', as it became known,
5896-466: The Toyota Sprinter / Chevrolet Prizm , and later the Toyota Matrix / Pontiac Vibe . In another agreement, Ford and Nissan developed and produced the Mercury Villager and Nissan Quest minivans from 1993 through 2002. Another example was the cooperative work between Volkswagen and Ford to develop the VW Sharan , Ford Galaxy , and SEAT Alhambra . Badge engineering may occur when one company allows another, otherwise unaffiliated, company to market
6030-429: The VW Rabbit . The Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon use the front-wheel drive Chrysler L platform on a 99.2-inch wheelbase (shared with its European namesake). Initially designed by Chrysler Europe, Chrysler Corporation made substantial changes to the suspension design for the American market. In contrast to the Chrysler Horizon, which has a front torsion bar suspension, the model line uses front MacPherson struts. While
6164-436: The Yusheng S330 developed by Jiangling Motors (JMC) . Badge engineering could be used as a strategy to lengthen the life cycle of a vehicle. After a product has reached the end of its life cycle, it may be transferred to another brand, mostly from the same holding company or joint venture. Examples include the SEAT Exeo , a rebadged Audi A4 B7 with reworked styling, which was built in Spain from used production tooling from
6298-422: The automotive industry , rebadging is a form of market segmentation used by automobile manufacturers around the world. To allow for product differentiation without designing or engineering a new model or brand (at high cost or risk), a manufacturer creates a distinct automobile by applying a new "badge" or trademark (brand, logo, or manufacturer's name/make/marque) to an existing product line. Rebadging
6432-413: The 1973 oil crisis and to regain lost market share, both Cadillac and Lincoln introduced smaller vehicles for their brand. In one of the most controversial uses of rebranding in automotive history, both vehicles were derived from smaller GM and Ford divisional model ranges. For the 1977 model year, Lincoln released the Lincoln Versailles to match the debut of the Cadillac Seville . In contrast with
6566-448: The 1975 sales year it was the 14th best selling car in Britain with more than 19,000 units sold. In 1981 the facelifted Golf GTI was voted Car of the Year by What Car? magazine, ahead of all-new models like the Austin Metro and MK3 Ford Escort . In its final sales year of 1983 it sold more than 25,000 units and was Britain's 14th best selling car despite being almost 10 years old. Air conditioning became available as an option on
6700-415: The 1976 Pontiac Sunbird . Similarly, to the X-body vehicles, the H-body subcompacts shared common bodies across all four divisions with differing grille, lamp, and body trim variations. Prior to 1981, the majority of General Motors vehicles were produced with engines designed by their respective divisions. From 1981 onward, GM ended its policy of divisionally-developed engines, instead offering engines under
6834-529: The 1980 model year. For 1982, Cadillac released the Cadillac Cimarron to compete against compact European-brand executive sedans . The smallest Cadillac produced since the 1900s, the Cimarron used the chassis of the GM J-body four-door sedan. Developed and brought to market less than a year before the J-body was released, Cadillac was left with almost no time to distinguish the Cimarron from its divisional counterparts from Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac. Though sharing nearly its entire exterior with
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#17327766021826968-413: The 1981 model year as an upmarket option to the Volkswagen engine, mated to a new four-speed manual with an overdrive fourth. It produced 84 hp (63 kW) at first, rising to 93 hp (69 kW) in 1986. For 1983, Chrysler introduced a Peugeot-supplied 62 hp (46 kW) 1.6-liter Simca unit as a new base engine (requiring only an alternator to be added by Chrysler); the engine was paired with
7102-415: The 1990s, GM advertising featured a disclaimer stating '"Oldsmobiles (or any other GM division) are equipped with engines manufactured by various GM divisions, subsidiaries and affiliates worldwide."' Prior to the mid-1970s, the American luxury brands Lincoln and Cadillac offered model lines consisting entirely of full-size two-door and four-door sedans and full-size personal luxury cars. At the beginning of
7236-473: The A-bodies became enormously popular – as well as synonymous with one of GM's most transparent examples of badge engineering : they were simultaneously presented, almost indistinguishably, on the 22 August 1983 cover of Forbes magazine as examples of genericized uniformity, embarrassing the company and ultimately prompting GM to recommit to design leadership. In 1987, Chrysler Corporation acquired American Motors Corporation (AMC) from Renault , leading to
7370-469: The Audi plant in Ingolstadt after the A4 B7 production had ended. The tooling was dismantled from Ingolstadt and was sent to the SEAT manufacturing plant in Martorell , Spain, to be reinstalled. Another example is the Dongfeng Fengdu MX6, which was produced after the near-identical Nissan X-Trail (T31) production had ended, and the Maruti Suzuki Zen Estilo, which is based on the then-recently discontinued Suzuki MR Wagon . The advantage of this strategy
7504-571: The Beetle accelerated. Under Lotz Volkswagen acquired control of NSU in 1969. NSU was subsequently merged into the Auto Union group, which was now undergoing a renaissance under the relaunched Audi brand. One outcome of this acquisition was that the mid-sized front-wheel drive car that had been under development at NSU would reach the market, not as an NSU, but as the Volkswagen K70 . In 1968 another development project started named EA266. This project originated with Porsche, where it began as an internal project as early as 1966. This unusual design used
7638-418: The Breeze from the original CR-V , the Elysion from the Odyssey , the XR-V from the HR-V , and others. In other cases, foreign manufacturers may also rebadge a model developed by its partner, sometimes for exports to other markets. Examples include the second generation Chevrolet Captiva which is an export version of the Baojun 530 made by SAIC-GM-Wuling , or the Ford Territory , a reworked version of
7772-403: The Dodge Omni was awarded the 1978 Motor Trend Car of the Year Award . In a similar fashion, the 1978 Chrysler Horizon was voted European Car of the Year for 1979. Shortly after their introduction, Consumer Reports tested the Omni and Horizon and reported that it lost control in hard maneuvering. As front-wheel-drive cars were still considered a new idea in the American automotive industry,
7906-460: The EA97, was started. This exercise was larger than the Beetle, but kept the usual rear-mounted powertrain. Two hundred instances of this design were built. Styling varied, depending on whether a particular car's bodywork was done by VW or by Ghia. Some cars’ looks echo the later Type 3 cars, although the EA97 was smaller. The last EA97 was built in 1960. The EA97 would provide the basis for the Brasília model from Volkswagen do Brasil . The EA158
8040-490: The GLH with an optional 146 hp (109 kW) 2.2 L Turbo I I4 (GLH-T); 1986 vehicles are largely distinguished by their center brake light. Shelby Automobiles purchased the final 500 1986 GLH-T (all in black) and used them as the basis for the 1986 Shelby GLHS ("Goes Like Hell S'more"). Modified by the company in California, the GLHS vehicles were legally sold as Shelbys. The Turbo I engine underwent extensive modification, adopting multiple components of what would become
8174-399: The Jeep range, Eagle was marketed towards consumers interested in imported vehicles. For 1992, the Eagle Vision full-size sedan replaced the Premier, becoming the first Eagle-brand vehicle developed by Chrysler. Positioned between the Dodge Intrepid and Chrysler Concorde, the Eagle Vision shared most exterior trim with the Concorde. It was the only Chrysler LH car offered exclusively with
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#17327766021828308-422: The L-body Omni and Horizon to the contract in 1987. M-body sedans were built at the Kenosha Main plant, while L-bodies were built at Kenosha Lakefront. Production Figures: Following the introduction of the five-door Omni/Horizon, Chrysler introduced several additional versions of the L-body platform, including the Dodge 024 / Plymouth TC3 three-door hatchbacks (later the Dodge Charger / Plymouth Turismo ) and
8442-417: The M30 differed from the Leopard primarily in its steering wheel location. Intended largely as placeholder models, the ES250 and M30 were largely overshadowed by their companion flagship sedans. Following the end of the 1992 model year, both models were withdrawn (as their Japanese counterparts had ended their model cycles). For 1993, the ES250 was replaced by the ES300; while again sharing its body with
8576-399: The Omni America was 170,000 cars. To offer the vehicle as the lowest-price American-assembled subcompact, Chrysler reduced the number of options to two (air conditioning and a radio, three options if the California emissions package is included), while cutting the profit margin. Suppliers, United Auto Workers , Chrysler dealers, and even the State of Illinois also made concessions to help lower
8710-475: The Omni and Horizon at its Belvidere Assembly Plant facility ( Belvidere, Illinois ); from 1987 to 1989, the model line was manufactured under contract by American Motors Corporation (AMC) at its own facility in Kenosha, Wisconsin . From 1987 to 1990, the model line was marketed alongside its successor, the Dodge Shadow/Plymouth Sundance hatchback sedan. In 1974, Chrysler president Lynn A. Townsend sent an American management team to Chrysler Europe to find
8844-439: The Omni and Horizon underwent several minor revisions. Chrysler invested in a number of significant changes that ended up being used for only one year; the cars gained larger exterior rear-view mirrors borrowed from the departed M-body sedans in lieu of the original round units, and, to comply with federal passive-restraint regulations, a driver-side airbag was added along with rear-seat outboard shoulder belts. The instrument panel
8978-532: The Omni/Horizon for the 1984 model year. Thanks to the implosion of the diesel market in North America, this never saw the light of day – although the engine was used in the European Horizon. For 1985, Chrysler had planned to build a "fast-burn, high-swirl" 1.8-liter four for the Omni as well as K-cars, but these plans also stalled. Volkswagen 4-speed manual; Chrysler A404 3-speed automatic 4/5-speed manual only 4/5-speed manual; Chrysler A413 3-speed automatic 5-speed manual only 5-speed manual only While sharing
9112-413: The Omni/Horizon, the rear door windows do not roll down completely; the corresponding version of the Chrysler Horizon does (through a higher-cost, more complex design). With the exception of grilles, taillamps, and model badging, the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon were largely indistinguishable from one another. For 1984, the model line underwent a minor revision. Distinguished by revised exterior badging,
9246-467: The Plymouth variants more popular than the Dodge-branded models. The first (and only) world car designed by Chrysler, the model line originated from a design of Chrysler Europe (who developed the namesake Chrysler Horizon ). While visually similar, the American Omni/Horizon would have extensive functional differences from its European counterpart, primarily to accommodate US marketing and regulatory requirements. From 1977 to 1990, Chrysler manufactured
9380-511: The SE (Sport Edition) option was introduced, which consisted of two-tone exterior paint. From 1984 to 1986, the Carroll Shelby Omni GLH, GLH-T, and GLHS (see below) were high-performance turbocharged versions of the Omni hatchback. For 1987, the America edition of the Omni was introduced to compete with recent low-priced imports such as the Yugo and the Hyundai Excel . The price was dropped from $ 6,209 to $ 5,499, with "$ 684 of added equipment at no cost" according to Chrysler. The break-even point of
9514-410: The Seville (sharing its chassis underpinnings both the Chevrolet Nova and the Chevrolet Camaro), the Versailles shared nearly its entire body with the Mercury Monarch (itself a counterpart of the Ford Granada ); the model line also replaced the previous Mercury Grand Monarch Ghia . Outsold by the Seville nearly three-to-one, the Versailles sold far under sales predictions and was discontinued early in
9648-866: The Toyota Sprinter was marketed as the Chevrolet Nova (and the Geo Prizm that replaced it). The Honda Vigor and Inspire were marketed as the Acura Vigor and TL; Nissan sold the Gloria in the United States as the Infiniti M45 . Two automakers can also pool resources by operating a joint venture to create a product and then selling each as their own. For example, General Motors and Toyota formed NUMMI . The vehicles produced from this venture (though not necessarily at NUMMI itself) included
9782-489: The Turbo II engine introduced for 1987. Along with an intercooler, the engine received a larger turbocharger and throttle body, tuned intake and exhaust manifolds, a new wiring harness, and a new radiator and engine fan (among other engine modifications). The suspension was upgraded further, receiving stiffer springs, and adjustable Koni struts and shocks, along with larger tires mounted on Shelby-designed wheels. In contrast to
9916-523: The US, caused Beetle sales to plummet in what had become a critical market for Volkswagen. In 1973 the OPEC oil crisis hit, triggering a global recession. The German government responded with emergency measures banning private car use on certain days of the week and comprehensive speed limits. In 1972 Opel's share of the German market rose to 20.4%, making them Germany's largest automobile manufacturer and overtaking Volkswagen in their domestic market. In 1972
10050-681: The United States for the purposes of reverse engineering. At the end of 1977, the C2 project entered production in both Europe and North America, with Chrysler Europe sharing the Horizon nameplate (as the Chrysler-Simca Horizon) with the American Plymouth division. While Chrysler had trailed the AMC Gremlin, Ford Pinto, and Chevrolet Vega to market by eight years, the $ 2,500 (US$ 11,700 in 2023) Omni/Horizon provided
10184-653: The Vauxhall brand; when sold in the United States, Opels were marketed as Saturns, Chevrolets, and Buicks. Conversely, the Australian Holden brand was never sold in North America, but the Holden Monaro and Holden Commodore were sold under the Pontiac (Pontiac GTO, Pontiac G8), Chevrolet (Chevrolet SS), and Buick (Buick Regal Sportback/Buick Regal TourX) nameplates. Another way badge engineering may occur
10318-697: The allegation received extensive mainstream coverage, including a piece in Time magazine. Other automotive media reported no problems and said the Consumer Reports test did not approximate real-world driving conditions. In response to the Consumer Reports article, Chrysler modified the car to add a steering damper and a lighter-weight steering wheel. Rebadged models, mostly from Japanese or Korean manufacturers – Rebadged Chrysler/Plymouth models for external markets Badge engineering In
10452-749: The automotive industry. Alongside a shared chassis (though unibody construction is nearly universal in cars and many light trucks), platform sharing also standardizes components such as drivetrain, suspensions, components, and other technologies. General Motors used the B platform for many of its non-Cadillac full-size vehicles (nearly exclusively from 1959 through 1985), while Chrysler used its B platform for intermediates and its C platform for (non-Imperial) full-size cars. The Volkswagen Group uses platform sharing as its business strategy to improve its profitability and growth. For example, Audi uses components from their more pedestrian counterparts, sold as Volkswagen mass-market brands. As an effort to place Audi as
10586-485: The brand's inaugural year. The chairman and CEO of the company, Charles W. Nash , ordered that the Ajax models be marketed as the "Nash Light Six", Nash being a known and respected automobile brand. Production was stopped for two days so Nash emblems, hubcaps, and radiator shells could be exchanged on all unshipped Ajax cars. Conversion kits were also distributed at no charge to Ajax owners to transform their cars and protect
10720-558: The combined model line were sold in the first model year. In contrast to most Chrysler model lines, the Plymouth Horizon would outsell the Dodge Omni (some years, by a significant margin), with the exception of the final 1989 and 1990 model years. As the Omni/Horizon became the best-selling Chrysler model line between 1978 and 1980, it would play a major role in Chrysler securing government-backed funding in 1979. The model line
10854-575: The company an extensive headstart on its American competitors (which were released in 1981 and 1982, respectively) with the adoption of front-wheel drive, transverse-mount powertrains. Following the 1978 sale of Chrysler Europe, Chrysler Corporation retained the design rights to its version of the C2 project and continued production in Illinois. The Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon are five-door hatchbacks sold in North America. Introduced in January 1978,
10988-615: The cost of engineering an all-new vehicle design (at the same time, in Europe, the Honda Crossroad was a rebadged Land Rover Discovery ). During the late 2000s and early 2010s, the Volkswagen Routan was a rebranded version of the Dodge Grand Caravan, supplied as Volkswagen sought to re-enter the North American minivan segment without the investment of federalizing its design. Assembled by Chrysler with
11122-762: The coupes received updated exterior styling (distinguished by a quad-headlamp front fascia). For 1985 and 1986, the Shelby Charger adopted the 146 hp (109 kW) engine of the Omni GLH-T. Following the 1987 model year, the Dodge Charger/Plymouth Turismo were replaced by the Dodge Shadow/Plymouth Sundance; Dodge would not again remarket a Charger until the 2005 model year. The final 1000 Dodge Shelby Chargers were built as Shelby Charger GLHS vehicles with
11256-590: The decade, European automakers began to market their largest sedans as luxury vehicles in North America. Though the BMW Bavaria/3.0Si , Jaguar XJ6/XJ12 , and Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W116) were priced similar to the Cadillac Sedan de Ville and Lincoln Continental, the model lines were thousands of pounds lighter and multiple feet shorter in length (with only the hand-built Rolls-Royce Phantom V rivaling Lincoln and Cadillac in size). In response to both
11390-454: The dire financial situation of its parent company, Chrysler Europe was sold to PSA Peugeot Citroën in August 1978. As part of the sale, Peugeot phased out the Chrysler brand in Europe in favor of a revived Talbot marque; the rebranded Horizon continued production (nearly unchanged) through 1987. The sale of Chrysler Europe ended further design work on the C2 project; at the time, the company
11524-557: The directorship, Leiding stopped work on the Porsche-designed EA266 and ordered all but two of the 50 prototypes built to that point to be disassembled. In 1969 Lotz and Italian Volkswagen importer Gerhard R. Gumpert visited the Turin Auto Show . After selecting their six favourite cars of the show, they discovered that four of the six were designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro and his Italdesign studio. Giugiaro
11658-466: The domestic market in August 1975. The ability to retrofit the system, together with installing a larger battery, was offered to owners of existing cars. In December 1975 a minor styling revision deleted the Swallowtail line on the rear hatch, replacing it with a simple straight horizontal body-line. The bonnet also received a transverse line connecting the two raised sides across the front edge of
11792-467: The early 1950s, and may have received design proposals from Porsche earlier than that. All of the internal projects' names started with "EA", standing for "Entwicklungsauftrag" and meaning "Development assignment". This work began during the tenure of Heinz Nordhoff , who was Director General of Volkswagen from 1948 to 1968. In 1952 the company built the EA41 in collaboration with Pininfarina . Essentially
11926-476: The engine was paired with a 4-speed manual transmission or a 3-speed automatic. At the time of introduction, only the CARB -certified version with an air pump and 70 hp (52 kW) had been available. In 1979 power climbed to 77 hp (57 kW), while by 1980 it dropped to 68 hp (51 kW) and 83 lb⋅ft (113 N⋅m) of torque in all fifty states. Chrysler's 2.2 L K-car engine appeared for
12060-648: The exit of the latter company from the North American market. As part of the sale, Chrysler obtained the AMC dealership network, the AMC Eagle line of all-wheel drive cars, and the Jeep line of sport-utility vehicles and pickup trucks. For 1989, Chrysler established the Jeep-Eagle Division in a strategy to both focus on Jeep and offer specialty cars differentiated from the established Chrysler lines. Following
12194-602: The first generation Passat was released in 1973, and the first generation Scirocco , a Giugiaro design prepared concurrently with the Golf, was released months ahead of the Golf. From October 2, 1974 to January 14, 1975 two Golf Mk1s were driven over 30,500 km (19,000 mi) from Fairbanks, Alaska to Tierra del Fuego as a test of their durability. The right-hand drive Golf went on sale in Britain in October 1974. For
12328-539: The first letters of their model names) were produced with identical bodies with divisional differences marked only with specific grille, lamp, and body trim variations. To expand its footprint in the subcompact segment, the H-body Chevrolet Vega platform was used for the 1975 model year for newly styled variants sold as the Chevrolet Monza , Buick Skyhawk , and Oldsmobile Starfire followed by
12462-416: The five-door hatchback, favoring its European-style configuration (similar to the five-door Golf). At the time, Chrysler Europe was splitting design and engineering work between France (chassis, powertrain, and manufacturing) and the United Kingdom (body design and development). Alongside component design for European use, American designers developed the C2 project to comply with local standards. As part of
12596-561: The five-door hatchbacks. Sharing the same powertrain as the Omni and Horizon, the coupes were largely designed for appearance over performance. For 1982, the O24/TC3 were renamed Dodge Charger and Plymouth Turismo. While again offering the same powertrain as the five-door hatchbacks, the 2.2 L high-output engine was added to create the Dodge Shelby Charger/Plymouth Turismo Duster. For 1984,
12730-542: The four-door Chevrolet Cavalier, the Cimarron was priced nearly twice as high as its counterpart. Additionally, J-body vehicles from other divisions could be equipped nearly identically to the Cimarron for a lower cost. Though the model line closely matched its Buick Skyhawk and Oldsmobile Firenza counterparts in sales, the Cimarron was discontinued following the 1988 model year. Though the Lincoln Versailles
12864-438: The intended standard engine, underestimating consumer demand for Oldsmobile V8 engines. To accommodate the increased market demand, nearly 60% of Delta 88s were equipped with a Chevrolet 5.7 L V8 for 1977. The lawsuit was filed by the state of Illinois, claiming GM falsely advertised the vehicles. In 1981, GM settled the lawsuit with the vehicle buyers and discontinued their company-unique policy of division-specific engines. Into
12998-492: The investment they had made in purchasing an automobile made by Nash. Starting with the beginning of General Motors in 1909, chassis and platforms were shared with all brands. GMC , which historically was a truck builder, began to offer its products branded as Chevrolet , and vehicles produced by GM were built on common platforms shared with Chevrolet, Oakland , Oldsmobile , Buick , and Cadillac . Exterior appearances were gradually upgraded between these vehicle brands. This
13132-648: The larger Chevrolet El Camino , Chrysler redesigned the rear frame and suspension of the L-body for the Rampage, with the vehicle receiving a leaf-sprung rear axle. For 1983 the Plymouth Scamp was introduced alongside the Dodge Rampage, distinguished primarily by badging and trim; the Scamp was offered only for 1983. For 1984, the Rampage received the quad-headlight front fascia of the Dodge Charger and block-letter badging. The highest-performance Dodge Omni
13266-591: The larger LS (along with similarly styled wheels and taillamps). The Infiniti M30 is a two-door notchback coupe derived from the Nissan Leopard (a model never sold in North America). Along with the coupe, Infiniti sold the M30 as a two-door convertible (converted in the United States). With the exception of its badging and its dashboard (sourced from the left-hand drive Nissan Skyline ),
13400-486: The last internal prototype for a Beetle replacement built under Nordhoff's direction appeared. This car, designated EA276, was a small three-door hatchback with front-wheel drive using a front-mounted Volkswagen air-cooled engine . The EA276 program was cancelled after the death of Nordhoff, but did find new life as the inspiration for the Brazilian Gol . During Nordhoff's time VW did broaden its product line with
13534-533: The launch of the Volkswagen Type 3 in 1961 and the Volkswagen Type 4 in 1968. In 1964 the company acquired control of the Auto Union group from Daimler-Benz and with it the technologies of the constituent companies of DKW , Horch , Audi and Wanderer . Kurt Lotz succeeded Nordhoff as Director General of Volkswagen from 1968 to 1971. Work to broaden the product line and find a replacement for
13668-418: The lower horizontal bodyline running under the tail-lamps on the rear hatch dropped down in the location of the rear license plate. This feature has been dubbed "Swallowtail" by some Golf enthusiasts. The surface between the raised sides on the bonnet on early cars also blended smoothly into the leading edge. The Golf was not the first example of Giugiaro's work for Volkswagen to reach production. His design for
13802-465: The marketing department who coined the "GTI" acronym, and Franz Hauk, developer of the EA827 engine. A prototype was built based on a Scirocco, rather than a Golf. This proof-of-concept had an EA827 engine with dual carburetors and a lowered and stiffened suspension. When this prototype was driven by Volkswagen's Chief of Research Ernst Fiala , he objected to the harsh suspension and excessive noise from
13936-435: The model line was developed in tandem with Chrysler Europe, leading to the namesake Chrysler Horizon. Chrysler also sold multiple variants of the model line derived from the same chassis, including 2+2 coupes and coupe utility pickup trucks. Produced nearly unchanged from the 1978 to the 1990 model years, Chrysler had beaten out Ford and General Motors to the market with a domestically produced front-wheel drive car to challenge
14070-680: The new car included "Blizzard" and "Caribe", but these lost out to the final choice of "Golf". The origin of the name is variously attributed to the game of golf , the Gulf Stream current (German "Golfstrom") or the name of a horse. The Golf Mk1 received VW model designation Type 17 . Production started in March 1974, and sales officially began in May 1974. By this time Giugiaro's rectangular headlamps and wide tail-lamps had given way to round headlamps and much narrower rear lamps. On these earliest cars
14204-407: The one platform". In several countries including Japan, manufacturers often use the phrase " OEM supply" or "OEM-supplied" to denote vehicles that are a rebadged model from or for other manufacturers. Although platform sharing can often involve rebadging and rebranding, it can extend further, as the design may be used across multiple configurations. For example, a single platform may underpin
14338-669: The panel. The Golf was introduced to Japan in 1975, where it was imported by the Yanase dealership chain. Its exterior dimensions and engine displacement were in compliance with Japanese Government dimension regulations . The Golf Mk1 was runner-up for European Car of the Year in 1975, losing to the Citroën CX . A minor exterior revision in December 1978 replaced the narrow front and rear bumpers with moulded units that wrapped around
14472-410: The price of the car. From 1977 to 1990, Chrysler Corporation assembled the Omni and Horizon hatchbacks at Belvidere Assembly Plant (Belvidere, Illinois), which assembled the entire line of L-body vehicles, including the Dodge Omni 024, Plymouth Horizon TC3, Dodge Charger, Plymouth Turismo, Dodge Rampage, and Plymouth Scamp. The Omni and Horizon appeared at a critical time for Chrysler, when the company
14606-533: The price of the iQ. Alternatively, VW Group under Ferdinand Piëch used the reverse of this in some circumstances, engineering the more luxurious model first and then remove features for models from less prestigious marques. Examples include the Lamborghini Gallardo / Audi R8 and the Audi A4 / Volkswagen Passat . Along with rebadging and badge engineering, platform sharing is common throughout
14740-717: The production and sales rights to each joint venture, manufacturers often resort to a similar strategy deployed in Japan: simply producing the exact model under two different names with minor changes to exterior bodywork. GAC Toyota has produced the Levin as a twin model to the FAW Toyota-built Corolla and the Wildlander as the alternative to the RAV4 . Honda awarded several models to two joint ventures, which spawned
14874-498: The rear suspension shares a semi-independent layout (coil springs, rear trailing arms), the Omni/Horizon was developed with its own suspension tuning. The model line is equipped with power-assisted front disc brakes and rear drum brakes and a rack and pinion steering system. While sharing a transverse engine layout, the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon diverge furthest from the Chrysler Horizon in its engine offerings. At
15008-584: The red pinstripes of the GLH/GLH-T, the GLHS used silver pinstripes and badging; a "Shelby" decal was added to the windshield and a large GLHS decal was added to the driver-side C-pillar (the passenger-side C-pillar was occupied by the gas cap door). At the time of its 1978 launch, the Omni and Horizon would play a significant role in the survival of Chrysler Corporation. While initially struggling against rebounding sales of larger vehicles, nearly 200,000 examples of
15142-400: The regional Big Threes of the United States, Europe, and Japan) owns a portfolio of different brands and markets the same car under different brands and nameplates. The practice is used for multiple reasons. In one example, a company may do so to expand its range of different brands in a market without the cost of developing completely new models. In the United States, General Motors may sell
15276-497: The retirement of the AMC Eagle Wagon in early 1988 (derived from the 1971 AMC Hornet), Eagle established its product line with the introduction of the 1988 Premier and Medallion (developed by Renault prior to the sale of AMC). To expand the product range beyond the two sedans, Chrysler sourced vehicles from Mitsubishi, introducing the 1989 Summit (Dodge/Plymouth Colt) and 1990 Talon (Mitsubishi Eclipse). In contrast to
15410-419: The revision phased out a large degree of chrome exterior trim in favor of black-painted trim. The interior received a redesigned dashboard (a Rallye dashboard with full instrumentation was introduced as an option) and new seats; a 5-speed manual transmission became standard. For 1987, to streamline production, all vehicles received an instrument panel with tachometer, oil pressure, and voltmeter gauges. For 1990,
15544-621: The sides of the car. Another minor facelift in 1980 saw the adoption of wider rear lamp clusters and a new dashboard with a more modern-looking instrument display featuring LED warning lights. US versions also received rectangular headlights. This was the last major update before the Mk1 was replaced by the Mk2 Golf in most markets in September 1983 and in the British market in March 1984. The Golf
15678-480: The three years leading up to the introduction of Chrysler's K-cars , the Omni/Horizon was Chrysler's best selling model line. In 1985, Chrysler entered an agreement with American Motors Corporation (AMC) to produce Chrysler M-body vehicles at its Kenosha, Wisconsin facility (supplementing AMC production of Renault-badged vehicles). Alongside production of Chrysler's M-body sedans (Dodge Diplomat/Plymouth Gran Fury/Chrysler Fifth Avenue), Chrysler and AMC agreed to add
15812-489: The time, Chrysler did not have capability to supply four-cylinder engines for the North American market (of any type), and the Simca-designed 1.1 to 1.4 L engines were deemed insufficient in terms of output. Instead, Chrysler adopted a 75 hp (56 kW; 76 PS) 1.7 L I4, sourced from Volkswagen in the United States with a Chrysler-designed intake manifold . Torque was 90 lb⋅ft (122 N⋅m) and
15946-687: The time, the front-wheel drive layout was largely reserved for low-volume luxury cars (including the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado ). By 1976, Honda (with the Civic and the Accord ) and Volkswagen (with the Rabbit ) became the first manufacturers to offer competitive front-wheel drive economy cars in the American market. To further develop the C2 project for the American market, Chrysler Corporation purchased nearly 100 Volkswagen Rabbits in
16080-561: Was West Germany's best selling new car for much of its production life, and was among the most successful cars in the whole of Europe during its nine-year production run. The Golf adopted an efficient " two-box " layout with a steep hatchback rather than a formal trunk. The chassis was a steel unibody. The car's engine was mounted transversely in the front, and drove the front wheels. Engines from two Audi engine families were offered. Both were water cooled inline four cylinder four-stroke engines. Both also had two valves per cylinder operated by
16214-453: Was a Beetle-successor project that started in 1962 with a unibody study by Pininfarina. As the project progressed the car grew in size and weight. Eventually it was rejected as a Beetle replacement, but served as the foundation of the subsequent Volkswagen Type 4 model. In 1967 another set of prototypes for possible Beetle replacements appeared in the form of the EA235 and EA235a. In 1968
16348-549: Was by rack-and-pinion . Front brakes were 239 mm (9.4 in) disks with solid rotors. In the rear were 178 mm (7.0 in) drums. The car's tires varied with the power-train, with 145SR13 on the 1.1, and 155SR13s on the 1.3 and 1.5. Tires on the GTIs were larger, using 175/70 profile 13-inch tires. Due to the negative political reaction to the 1973 release of the Beetle "Gelb-Schwarzer Renner" ("GSR", or "Yellow-Black Racer"), Volkswagen had little inclination to develop
16482-496: Was closed by Ford. General Motors underwent several brand revisions; following the discontinuation of the Geo sub-brand of Chevrolet in 1997, Oldsmobile was closed after 2004 (the oldest American nameplate at the time). Following its 2009 bankruptcy, GM closed Pontiac, Saturn, and Hummer in 2010; Saab was sold (eventually leading to its demise). GM sold its European Opel and Vauxhall brands in 2017 to PSA (now Stellantis). In response to
16616-417: Was evidence that Chrysler was attempting to develop more fuel-efficient vehicles competitive with automakers around the world. Along with ensuring the continued survival of the company, the $ 1.5 billion loans ($ 6.3 billion in 2023) allowed Chrysler to finish the development of its compact/mid-size K-Car program and its minivans, two of its most profitable model lines during the 1980s. Following its launch,
16750-430: Was invited to Wolfsburg in January 1970 to work on development project EA337. The first thing he saw when he arrived at VW's research centre was a Fiat 128 , completely disassembled and labelled. The design brief provided by Volkswagen specified a C-segment car with a two-box body in three- and five-door versions. The client also provided Giugiaro with the basic dimensions and the power-train options. Giugiaro produced
16884-575: Was largely forgotten after its 1980 discontinuation (its role superseded by the downsizing of the Lincoln Continental for 1982), the Cimarron would cause extensive damage to the Cadillac brand, as its market share declined by almost 50% from 1980 to 1998. As of current production, neither Lincoln nor Cadillac has marketed a compact-segment car. Through the use of rebranding, Lincoln produced the mid-size Lincoln MKZ (sharing its doors with
17018-450: Was mildly redesigned, complete with HVAC controls moved to the center, taking the place of the radio (which took the place of the ashtray). In contrast to many Chrysler model lines, the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon were largely sold across a single trim level. For 1981 and 1982, Chrysler introduced a "Miser" version; this lightly equipped version was developed to increase fuel economy, including an overdrive manual transmission. For 1984,
17152-472: Was noteworthy for signalling Volkswagen's shift of its major car lines from rear-wheel drive and rear-mounted air-cooled engines to front-wheel drive with front-mounted , water-cooled engines that were often transversely-mounted . Successor to Volkswagen's Beetle , the first generation Golf debuted in Europe in May 1974 with styling by Giorgetto Giugiaro 's Italdesign . Volkswagen began producing prototypes of possible Beetle replacements as far back as
17286-588: Was on the brink of bankruptcy and sought government support to survive. However, the L-bodies miscarried at first, since 1978 was a year of strong sales for larger cars and demand for compacts and subcompacts noticeably shrank. These initial poor sales of the cars contributed to Chrysler's financial woes at the time, but when the company requested federal assistance, the Omni was an important piece of evidence that they were attempting to compete with imports and build small, fuel-efficient cars and might be worth saving. For
17420-441: Was originally available with two transmission options; a four-speed manual and a three-speed automatic. A five-speed manual became available in 1979. The front suspension was made up of MacPherson struts and helical coil springs with lower wishbones and an anti-roll bar . The rear was semi-independent with dual trailing arms connected by a twist-beam rear suspension and coil springs over telescopic shock absorbers . Steering
17554-525: Was partly because all bodywork was provided by Fisher Body which was bought by GM in 1925, and the introduction of the Art and Color Section in 1928, directed by Harley Earl . For the 1958 model year, GM was promoting its fiftieth year of production and introduced anniversary models for each brand; Cadillac, Buick, Oldsmobile, Pontiac, and Chevrolet. The 1958 models shared an almost identical appearance on all models for each brand and made special luxury models with
17688-678: Was seeking to expand the model line to a four-door sedan and a shorter-wheelbase three-door hatchback. During the mid-1970s, Chrysler held no presence of its own in the subcompact automobile segment. Following the unsuccessful introduction of the Plymouth Cricket ( captive imports of the Hillman Avenger), the company shifted to the Dodge/Plymouth Colt (captive import of the Mitsubishi Lancer ). At
17822-466: Was symptomatic of a policy of sales competition between the constituent organizations". The ultimate example of BMC badge engineering was the 1962 BMC ADO16 which was available badged as a Morris, MG, Austin, Wolseley, Riley and the upmarket Vanden Plas . A year earlier, the Mini was also available as Austin, Morris, Riley, and Wolseley – the latter two having slightly bigger boots. Badge engineering often occurs when an individual manufacturer (such as
17956-435: Was the 1984–1986 Omni GLH , modified by Carroll Shelby . Following the rejection of "Coyote" by Chrysler, the initials GLH ("Goes Like Hell", the choice of Carroll Shelby) were used instead. For 1984, the Omni GLH adopted many of the modifications of the 1983 Shelby Charger , including its 110 hp (82 kW) 2.2 L "high-output" I4, stiffer suspension, larger brakes and wider tires. For 1985 and 1986, Shelby offered
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