Why no Plymouth version of the Charger?

[AR67GTX]

Although Dodge was marketed slightly upscale of Plymouth, the differences were minor iMO. More like what’s your choice, a Buick or an Oldsmobile? And not so much like do you want a Chevy or a Buick? In some cases I thought Plymouth interior styling was a little sharper than equivalent Dodge models - the 64 Sport Fury and 67 Satellite/ GTX my own examples. Of course their were exceptions, the Dodge Charger models one obvious one and probably the Challenger vs the Barracuda. Of course styling is subjective and everyone has an opinion. In the latter half of the 60s, Dodge no doubt poured on a big performance campaign with Dodge Fever and the Scat Pack and Sheriff Joe Higgins. Plymouths was quite a bit more subdued and mainstream with the Plymouth is out to win you over campaign, although the ads for the introduction of the 67 GTX and the 68 Roadrunner were performance oriented. I think marketing forces lead Plymouth to concentrate on its budget Musclecar, the Roadrunner, while Dodge went more upscale with their Charger.

 

[Photon440]

What about Monarch, Meteor and Comet?

As for orphans, they are all part of Mercury, which was already mentioned.

 

[Photon440]

Although Dodge was marketed slightly upscale of Plymouth, the differences were minor iMO. More like what’s your choice, a Buick or an Oldsmobile? And not so much like do you want a Chevy or a Buick? In some cases I thought Plymouth interior styling was a little sharper than equivalent Dodge models - the 64 Sport Fury and 67 Satellite/ GTX my own examples. Of course their were exceptions, the Dodge Charger models one obvious one and probably the Challenger vs the Barracuda. Of course styling is subjective and everyone has an opinion. In the latter half of the 60s, Dodge no doubt poured on a big performance campaign with Dodge Fever and the Scat Pack and Sheriff Joe Higgins. Plymouths was quite a bit more subdued and mainstream with the Plymouth is out to win you over campaign, although the ads for the introduction of the 67 GTX and the 68 Roadrunner were performance oriented. I think marketing forces lead Plymouth to concentrate on its budget Musclecar, the Roadrunner, while Dodge went more upscale with their Charger.

Don't forget Plymouth's Rapid Transit System!

 

[Budnicks]

it's like the equivalent Dodge to a Plymouth
the Dodge had a 2" longer wheelbase, good or bad

 

[Scott Bender]

Dodge was the premium brand. Plymouth was considered a notch less.

 

[chargervert]

Out of what could be considered the most desirable years for a B-body, the only mopar that won car of the year was a road runner. You could get a 225 in a charger. Not in a road runner. I never thought Plymouth needed a version of a charger.

A Road Runner is the performance version of a Belvidere/Satellite,both were available with a slant six engine. A Charger R/T is the performance version of a Charger,and the 440 Magnum was the base engine. You are comparing a performance version to the non performance version.

 

[chargervert]

it's like the equivalent Dodge to a Plymouth
the Dodge had a 2" longer wheelbase, good or bad

The B body Dodge has a 117 inch wheelbase,the B body Plymouth is 116. The Dodge uses a 1 inch longer front leaf spring mounting bracket. The chassis are the same. The 70 Challenger has a 110 inch wheelbase,and the 70 Barracuda has a 108 inch wheelbase.

 

[AR67GTX]

Don't forget Plymouth's Rapid Transit System!

Yes, I did overlook that one.

 

[440 4 speed]

As for orphans, they are all part of Mercury, which was already mentioned.

I half to respectively disagree. They were part of ford. Ford dealers sold Ford, Monarch, Falcon and Mercury dealers sold Mercury, Meteor and Comet. We had a Ford dealer in our town, next town had a Mercury dealer.

 

[Dodge Bros]

Seemed like Plymouths version of the Charger from 68 to 70 was the Sport Satelite. But it lacked the Luxury features the Charger offered, hide aways, sport dash, ect…IRC.. It seems like the 68-70 Coronet 500 being the direct Dodge competition to the Sport Satelite, which even the Charger was competing with to some degree, but the Charger had an extra emphasize on Luxury. A bit like a 69 Grand Prix Pontiac over a 69 GTO or Sport Lemans, (the mid sized 69 Grand Prix came out to compete with the 69 Charger). By 69 and 70 all the OEM’s were scrambling to compete with what Dodge did with the Charger in 68 to 70. In 66 and 67 the Charger was looked at as more of a fast back luxury Coronet, different, and luxurious, but the body style was not quite as well received as the 68. When the Charger got more of it’s own platform in 68 (not many body parts really interchange with other B bodies) that set it apart more from the Coronet. Pontiac came out with the Grand Prix to compete with it, then Chevy with the Monte, and Ford with the Torino. Olds and Buick just went to offering deluxe options on there A bodies (like what Plymouth did on the B bodies), and they all pretty much got smoked sale wise by the mid sized Luxury cars than had there own platforms, at least until after 73, when the body style merged back together.

The Charger won the battle over the Coronet platform when the 2 door Coronet was discontinued in 71. From 71 thru 74 it was the Satelite Sebring and Sebring Plus competed directly with the Charger. We have a 72 Charger and a 72 Satelite Sebring that were packaged almost identically, the only difference was the Charger has power disk brakes and a vinyl roof with magnum 500s. Satelite had hub caps and drums all the way around, but I think all that stuff was available on the Sebring if the dealer chose to order it.

A 72 Satelite Sebring plus ranks as one of my all time favorite cars to drive!

 

[Photon440]

I half to respectively disagree. They were part of ford. Ford dealers sold Ford, Monarch, Falcon and Mercury dealers sold Mercury, Meteor and Comet. We had a Ford dealer in our town, next town had a Mercury dealer.

I guess it was different in BC. Over here the Mercury Monarch was their version of the Ford Granada.

 

[440 4 speed]

I guess it was different in BC. Over here the Mercury Monarch was their version of the Ford Granada.

Now you are in the 1970’s. I was writing about the 60’s and 50’s. Our Ford dealer sold Edsel.

 

[Dave6T4]

I think we are remembering the Monarchs and Meteors of the '50's. They were direct copies of Mercury and Ford, but with Canadian only grills, tail lights and interior trim.

 

[440 4 speed]

I think we are remembering the Monarchs and Meteors of the '50's. They were direct copies of Mercury and Ford, but with Canadian only grills, tail lights and interior trim.

A 57 Niagara 300 was spruced up better than a Ford of the supposedly same level.

Also think that Mercury and Monarch might have been similar in comparison to Buick and Oldsmobile. Different market targets?

 

[eldubb440]

Dodge Dart is some high end stuff........I prefer the Barracuda, Plymouth even offered the fastback......and no 4 doors

 

[YY1]

pontiac grand prix was around as early as 1962 as a luxury full size car.

 

[Photon440]

pontiac grand prix was around in 1967 as a luxury full size car.

...and 1966, 1965, and back to 1962 when it started.

 

[tmaleck]

I guess my opinion is a little slanted, if only because I judge the Challenger and Cuda based on their complete history. Meaning, while the Challenger made have sold better, it also lended itself to 2nd place overall because of it. It seems to me that now, the Cuda is more “popular” or sought after because of its 2nd place showing in the sales dept. Of course, the Charger did not experience this, because it not only sold well, it has maintained its status as the most desireable “mass produced” Chrysler muscle car product. And rightly so, it’s a great looking car, and was helped to stay in the spotlight through the generations in movies and TV with Bullit, Dirty Mary, and the Dukes. I don’t know of another Chrysler product that’s had that much exposure through the years, and to the level of The Dukes. If there’s another, show me the lunchbox and I’ll step down!

While not a single model, Mannix showcased a Dart convertible, Cuda convertible, hardtop Challenger among others.

 

[YY1]

...and 1966, 1965, and back to 1962 when it started.

Yep, fixed my post.

 

[cosgig]

While not a single model, Mannix showcased a Dart convertible, Cuda convertible, hardtop Challenger among others.

Sooo, show me the lunchbox!