Chrysler Centura
| Chrysler | |
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_GL_sedan_(2009-11-13)_01.jpg) Chrysler Centura GL (1975-1977)
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| Centura | |
| Production period: | 1975-1988 |
| Class : | Middle class |
| Body versions : | limousine |
| Engines: |
Petrol engines : 2.0–4.0 l (90–123 kW) |
| Length: | 4580 mm |
| Width: | 1730 mm |
| Height: | 1430 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2660 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1105-1125 kg |
| Previous model | 180 |
| successor | Sigma |
The Chrysler Centura was a mid- size passenger car built by Chrysler Australia and based on the French Chrysler 180 . In Australia , however, the car was equipped with locally produced six-cylinder Hemi in-line engines. Around 20,000 vehicles were built between mid-1975 and the end of 1978.
development
The engineers at Chrysler Australia and Simca initially considered modifying the body of the 180 and shortening the drive so that the Australian six-cylinder engines could be installed further back in the vehicle, but then decided to lengthen the nose of the vehicle instead, because Chrysler is Australia apparently thought that such a more aggressive and better looking car would emerge. The front section took up the design motif of the Knudsen nose , which was primarily established at Ford . This also meant that fewer changes were needed to “Australianize” the 180, which also reduced assembly costs. In addition, there were extensive cosmetic changes to the radiator grille, the headlights, the bonnet, the rear end panel and the taillights.
A brake pressure distribution valve was built in to compensate for the weight shift to the front due to the heavier and further forward seated engine. When the front of the vehicle dipped in during braking, this valve reduced the brake pressure on the rear axle and prevented the rear wheels from locking and the car from swerving.
Chrysler also experimented with installing a US-made 5.2L V8, but then decided the body wasn't stiff enough to handle the larger engine, and the V8 version was never built.
Centura KB (1975-1977)
_GL_sedan_(2009-11-13)_02.jpg)
The Centura KB was in Australia not only with the four-cylinder engine with 1981 cc from the French Chrysler 180 offered, but also with the six-cylinder OHC - Hemi -Reihenmotoren with 3523 cc or 4014 cc of Australian production. These engines were connected to a choice of three or four-speed manual transmissions or a three-stage BorgWarner automatic. The four-cylinder had 122 SAE-PS (90 kW), the six-cylinder had 142 SAE-PS (104 kW) and 167 SAE-PS (123 kW). The KB series was sold in the XL and GL equipment , the latter also received a rev counter, better fabric seats and, if desired, a vinyl roof. The KB models for Europe (excluding the United Kingdom, Ireland, Malta and Cyprus) were of course equipped with a cockpit, steering wheel and pedal set installed on the left. As with the bigger brother Valiant , forced ventilation was a problem, but at least the Centura had two outlets at the top of the dashboard. The six-cylinder models also had larger brakes (60 mm discs at the front and 25.4 mm drums at the rear) and a dual-circuit braking system.
Problems
The bulkheads on the six-cylinder models did not match the larger couplings the cars needed. The twist was strong and often broke in older vehicles. All Centura had problems with the quality of the interior; Door panels came off and the vinyl headliners tore at the seams. In the six-cylinder models, there were cable fires in the engine compartment because the cable from the battery to the starter, which were located on opposite corners of the engine, was so long. The reason for this was the rubbing of the cable on the metal holders on the bulkhead.
In 1973, the import of car bodies from France was made more difficult by strikes by dock workers who protested against France's nuclear weapons tests in French Polynesia. Many bodies remained on the quays for months, where they were exposed to the salt-water-laden air and later increasingly tended to corrode. Since the strikes lasted a full two years, some bodies remained on the quays for so long.
In addition to the consequences of the strike for French imports, the spare parts supply and commitment of Chrysler Australia for used vehicles became more and more difficult because Chrysler Europe had to file for bankruptcy in 1978 and was bought by Peugeot . Soon after the takeover, there were strikes in many French Peugeot / Talbot factories, which worsened the spare parts supply in Australia. The mixture of metric and inch threads, which resulted from the mixture of French and Australian components, did not make maintaining a Centura any easier.
Market position
The six-cylinder models were sold four times as often in the Australian market as the four-cylinder model. It was known that they combined unproblematic road holding with good torque and strong acceleration. Sports equipment available on request ranged from rally stripes on the bonnet and sides of the vehicle, available from dealers, to sporty steel or aluminum rims.
The main competitors of the Centura in Australia were the Australian four- and six-cylinder versions of the Ford Cortina and the Holden models Torana LH and Sunbird LX . The Centura offered a much larger interior and also a larger trunk than its competitors. The Centura also competed to a lesser extent with the better-equipped four-cylinder Datsun 180B Bluebird and Toyota Corona , as well as the larger Holden, Chrysler Valiant (including the Charger coupe) and the Ford Falcon . All of these competitors - even if they did not offer the extreme acceleration capability of the six-cylinder Centura - had less to contend with rust and offered a more modern design. In retrospect, the Centura was not a typical mid-range car from the 1970s. Only after production of the Centura was discontinued, Holden brought out the first Commodore in October 1978 , which offered as much space in the interior as the Centura.
At the time, Chrysler Australia could not expect much financial support from its distressed US parent company, which meant that the larger Valiant had to keep the same chassis, essentially the same bodywork and interior (without forced ventilation!) For years. So the Valiant acquired the image of an old-fashioned model, which also had an impact on the image of the manufacturer and possibly also had a negative impact on the sales of the Centura. The design of the 180 was also a bit outdated when the model was launched (later than planned) on the Australian market, which further reinforced the bad image of the brand. The larger Valiant was still popular with Australian farmers who preferred large and powerful US-style cars, but the Centura couldn't match that either.
Centura KC (1977-1978)
In the KC model, which was built from June 1977 to the end of 1978, the engines with 2.0 l and 3.5 l displacement were omitted. Instead, there was a low-compression (7.6: 1) 4.0 l R6 that ran on regular gasoline and saved fuel, and a higher-compression version (9.0: 1) with higher power and higher torque.
At Centura KC, the proportion of parts made in Australia also increased; it had VDO instruments, a steering wheel, a steering column and various other parts in the style of the larger Valiant. While the 3.5 l version still had a final drive ratio of 3.23: 1, the 4.0 l had a drive ratio of 2.92: 1. The KC was offered in the basic GL version and the better GLX version.
In 1979 the Centura was replaced by the Sigma from the Mitsubishi design offices.
