When recently ousted Ford chairman Lee lacocca took over as Chrysler’s chaorman in late 1978, he clearly didn’t expect to find himself at the head of a company on the verge of collapse. So, desperate was Chrysler‘s position that lacocca’s claim that 600,000 jobs rested on Chrysler’s existence.
Lacocca’s product based turn around was to hinge on the new K car line up. These late 1980 cars would be compact, front wheel drive, fuel efficient and modern looking as well as affordable for ordinary Americans. Chrysler’s brand holding meant that lacocca also had three badges, Plymouth and Dodge were the other two, with which to penetetrate the market
The K car platform strategy allowed the company product line to be expended quickly and cheaply, so another three Chrysler and Dodge badge front wheel cars appeared, it was in 1983 that Chrysler really hit the big time though, with the K car based Voyager minivan.
The Voyager a revolutionary idea, and was instantly popular with the American public, so much so that the company couldn’t turn enough of them off the production line at first. Chrysler had thought laterally about the massive minivan concept and simply scaled it down, while retaining excellent interior space. The Voyager became a versatile family wagon that drove like a car and was much easier to maneuver in tight down town spaces.
Chrysler stylists had also managed to make the car look so right from the outset that it survived until 1991 before it was given a face lift, and even then it amounted to little more than an aerodynamic nose and a fresh interior. It wasn’t replaced until 1996, ensuring a place for the Voyager as one of the all time great mass produced cars.
Lacocca’s product based turn around was to hinge on the new K car line up. These late 1980 cars would be compact, front wheel drive, fuel efficient and modern looking as well as affordable for ordinary Americans. Chrysler’s brand holding meant that lacocca also had three badges, Plymouth and Dodge were the other two, with which to penetetrate the market
The K car platform strategy allowed the company product line to be expended quickly and cheaply, so another three Chrysler and Dodge badge front wheel cars appeared, it was in 1983 that Chrysler really hit the big time though, with the K car based Voyager minivan.
The Voyager a revolutionary idea, and was instantly popular with the American public, so much so that the company couldn’t turn enough of them off the production line at first. Chrysler had thought laterally about the massive minivan concept and simply scaled it down, while retaining excellent interior space. The Voyager became a versatile family wagon that drove like a car and was much easier to maneuver in tight down town spaces.
Chrysler stylists had also managed to make the car look so right from the outset that it survived until 1991 before it was given a face lift, and even then it amounted to little more than an aerodynamic nose and a fresh interior. It wasn’t replaced until 1996, ensuring a place for the Voyager as one of the all time great mass produced cars.
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