Hillman Avenger

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Hillman / Chrysler / Talbot
Hillman Avenger (1976)
Hillman Avenger (1976)
Avenger
Production period: 1970-1981
Class : Middle class
Body versions : Limousine , station wagon
Engines:
Otto engines : 1.25–1.6 liters
(39–68 kW)
Length: 4100 mm
Width: 1600 mm
Height: 1300 mm
Wheelbase : 2500 mm
Empty weight :
Previous model Hillman Minx

The Hillman Avenger was a mid-range car produced by the British automobile manufacturer Rootes from February 1970 in Ryton-on-Dunsmore and later in Linwood near Glasgow , Great Britain . The vehicle was initially marketed under the Hillman brand belonging to the Rootes Group , from 1976 it was called Chrysler Avenger and from 1979 Talbot Avenger . In some continental European markets, the car was eventually sold as the Sunbeam Avenger . South American Chrysler branches and their successors produced the Avenger under license for years; there it was sold under the brand names Dodge and Volkswagen. The two-door hatchback model Chrysler Sunbeam with a glass tailgate was finally created on the shortened platform of the Avenger .

Development history

Hillman Avenger sedan (1972)
Hillman Avenger 2-door (1973)

The Avenger was developed from 1966 as the successor to the Hillman Minx under the code name B-Car and should be a modern, compact and economical alternative in the middle class. In the market segment, it appeared alongside the models of the Arrow family ( Hillman Hunter etc.) which had been produced since 1966 , which were slightly larger, but more conservative in technology and style. Competitive products from other manufacturers were the Ford Cortina , the Morris Marina and the Vauxhall Viva .

The Avenger was completely redesigned. The Rootes Group did not adopt any technical components from its other cars, although conceptually it was based on other models in some details. The Avenger had a self-supporting body. The front wheels were individually suspended with MacPherson struts and a rigid axle on four links (two lengthways , two diagonally) with coil springs was used at the rear .

The design was developed under the direction of Roy Ax . In contrast to the models of the Arrow family, whose shape was decidedly sober, the design team oriented itself towards American taste. The first drafts already showed a so-called coke bottle line , i.e. a bulge above the rear wheels that merged into the trunk line.

When the car came out in February 1970, the English motor press gave it good reviews for its handling, which eclipsed that of competitor BMC's Morris Marina .

Series

First series

The Avenger was available in the DL, Super and GL equipment lines. The DL and Super models were available with 1250 or 1500 cc engines, but the GL was only available with a 1500 cc engine. The DL as the simplest model was equipped with rubber floor mats and a very simple dashboard with a broadband speedometer. The Super was a bit better equipped with carpets, armrests, a two-tone fanfare and reversing lights, but still had the simple dashboard of the DL. The highest equipment line GL had double headlights, a lever for opening the trunk lid from the passenger compartment, windshield wipers with two speeds, brushed nylon cover for the seats and a dashboard with round instruments.

Not only was the Avenger's design new, but its engines and transmissions, which were the same as those of the larger Hunter model . The UK's first plastic grille was also new. In the 1970s, the Avenger sold well despite the Ford Escort and Vauxhall Viva alternatives .

In October 1970, the Avenger GT was introduced. It had a 1500 cc engine with double carburetors and a four-speed gearbox that could be shifted manually or, if desired, a three-speed Borg-Warner 35 automatic gearbox . The GT had side strips on the doors and plastic wheel covers.

From February 1972 the Avenger was available as a fleet vehicle with both engine variants, but with simple (official) equipment. For example, the sun visor was missing from the passenger seat. Later this vehicle was also available with an automatic option.

In March 1972 the 5-door station wagon came in the equipment lines DL and Super, also with both engine variants. In October of the same year, the Avenger GLS replaced the GT with a vinyl roof and Rostyle sports wheels.

From March 1973, 2-door sedans were also offered.

Avenger Tiger

Avenger Tiger

At the same time, the Avenger Tiger appeared , whose concept should be reminiscent of the Sunbeam Tiger . 4-door Avenger Super got the GT engine with 1.5 liter displacement, which it by a new cylinder head with larger valves and a compression of 9.4: 1 as well as Weber double carburetors to 92.5 bhp (68 kW) at 6,100 / min. brought. The wheel suspensions were strengthened and the brakes, the rear axle and the transmission of the GT were adopted. The typical color scheme of these cars included matt black bonnets, rear end panels and side stripes with the inscription "Avenger Tiger" on the rear fenders. But there were also other colors. The cars accelerated from 0-100 km / h in 8.9 seconds and reached a top speed of 173 km / h. That was better performance than the Ford Escort Mexico, but the fuel consumption was correspondingly high. All Avenger Tigers were assembled by the Chrysler Competitions Center ; about 200 pieces of the Mk. I were made .

In October 1972 the Avenger Tiger Mk. II was released. This time the body of the GL model was used with double headlights. Mechanically, these cars corresponded to the Mk. I, but no longer had a hood on the hood and changed seats and wheels. Around 400 of the vehicles, only available in yellow and red with black decorations, were made.

Second series

Hillman Avenger Estate

In October 1973 both engines were revised. The displacement has been increased: 1.3 instead of 1.25 l and 1.6 instead of 1.5 l. The simply equipped fleet models were no longer available. The models were now called "Avenger 1300" or "Avenger 1600", and all equipment variants (DL, Super and GLS) could be combined with both engine variants and 2- or 4-door sedans or 5-door station wagons were available.

Chrysler Avenger

Chrysler Avenger 1976-81

After a facelift in 1976, when the Avenger got a new grille and dashboard and lost the distinctive L-shaped taillights, the car was marketed as the Chrysler Avenger .

Talbot Avenger

In 1978 Chrysler Europe had to file for bankruptcy and was taken over by Peugeot . The remaining Avenger and Sunbeam Lotus models became Talbot Avenger and Talbot Sunbeam Lotus. In 1981 production in England was stopped.

Export and license production

Dodge Polara
Volkswagen 1500

Chrysler wanted to turn the Avenger into a “world car”. In the US it was marketed as Plymouth Cricket . Complaints from US customers about the unreliability and susceptibility to rust of the already unpopular “small car” led to the discontinuation of this model after two years.

In Australia and parts of Europe, the car was also sold as the Sunbeam Avenger and the Sunbeam 1250/1500 . In South Africa they built in Peugeot engines and sold the result as a Dodge .

Chrysler do Brasil produced the model from 1971 to 1980 as the Dodge 1500 (1.6 l displacement) and Dodge 1800 (1.8 l displacement, in Argentina Dodge 1500M ) in a slightly modified design with larger bumpers, quadruple headlights, simpler taillights and a larger displacement . From 1977 after a facelift in the style of the Chrysler Avenger, the vehicle was referred to as the Dodge Polara (not to be confused with the US model of the same name ). When Volkswagen took over the South American production of Dodge in 1980, the name was retained until 1982 with the addition "made by Volkswagen Argentina". The last facelift in 1982 brought the renaming of the model, which is also popular as a taxi, to VW 1500 under the slogan "Con una garantía alemana" (not related to the German VW model of the same name type 3 ), which was retained until the end of production in 1990.

Models

Hillman Avenger

Construction period designation Displacement Engine power Top speed Designs
1970-1973 Avenger DL / Super / GL 1248 cc 53 bhp (39 kW) 130 km / h Limousine / station wagon
1970-1973 Avenger GL 1498 cc 63 bhp (46 kW) 146 km / h Limousine / station wagon
1970-1973 Avenger GT 1498 cc 75 bhp (55 kW) 154 km / h Limousine / station wagon
1972-1973 Avenger GLS 1498 cc 75 bhp (55 kW) 159 km / h Limousine / station wagon
1972-1973 Avenger Tiger 1498 cc 92.5 bhp (68 kW) 173 km / h limousine
1973-1976 Avenger 1300 1295 cc 57 bhp (42 kW) Limousine / station wagon
1973-1976 Avenger 1300 1295 cc 69 bhp (50.7 kW) limousine
1973-1976 Avenger 1600 1598 cc 69 bhp (50.7 kW) 147 km / h Limousine / station wagon
1973-1976 Avenger 1600 1598 cc 81 bhp (60 kW) 147 km / h Limousine / station wagon

Chrysler Avenger

Construction period designation Displacement Engine power Top speed Designs
1976-1988 Avenger 1300 1295 cc 57 bhp (42 kW) Limousine / station wagon
1976-1988 Avenger 1600 1598 cc 81 bhp (60 kW) 147 km / h Limousine / station wagon

Talbot Avenger

Construction period designation Displacement Engine power Top speed Designs
1978-1981 Avenger 1300 1295 cc 57 bhp (42 kW) Limousine / station wagon
1978-1981 Avenger 1600 1598 cc 81 bhp (60 kW) 147 km / h Limousine / station wagon

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Images of the Sunbeam Avenger on the website www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk (accessed on February 19, 2014).
  2. ^ A b Graham Robson: Cars of the Rootes Group , Motor Racing Publications, Croydon 2007, ISBN 978-1-903088-29-6 , p. 154.
  3. ^ Graham Robson: Cars of the Rootes Group , Motor Racing Publications, Croydon 2007, ISBN 978-1-903088-29-6 , p. 155.
  4. ^ Graham Robson: Cars of the Rootes Group , Motor Racing Publications, Croydon 2007, ISBN 978-1-903088-29-6 , p. 144.
  5. ↑ Name = "Rootes"> History of the development of the Hillman Avenger on the website www.rootes-chrysler.co.uk (accessed on February 19, 2014).
  6. ^ Andy Thompson: Hillman Avenger (Dodge Polara - 1500 - 1800 - Avenger) and Tiger. In: allpar.com .

Web links

Commons : Hillman Avenger  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files