Plymouth Fury (B-Body)
| Plymouth | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Fury | |
| Production period: | 1975-1988 |
| Class : | upper middle class |
| Body versions : | Sedan , station wagon , coupé |
| Engines: |
Gasoline engines : 3.7–7.2 liters (70–173 kW) |
| Length: | 5545 mm |
| Width: | 1975 mm |
| Height: | 1370 mm |
| Wheelbase : | |
| Empty weight : | 1690-1990 kg |
| Previous model | Plymouth Satellite |
The Plymouth Fury of the model years 1975 to 1978 was a vehicle of the American car brand Plymouth , which belongs to the Chrysler group , which was based on the so-called B platform and was located in the middle class. It was the successor to the Plymouth Satellite .
background
Chrysler found itself in a difficult economic situation in the mid-1970s. In 1974, the group presented a new generation of full-size models on the C platform and, in addition, required a new vehicle in the middle class. Although the M platform intended for this was already in development, completion was delayed, so that the Chrysler LeBaron based on the M-Body and its twin Dodge Diplomat could not be introduced until 1977. Until then, the Chrysler brands Dodge and Plymouth in the middle class had to make do with the well-known models based on the B-platform, the technology of which went back to the 1960s. The Fury was based on this platform from 1962 to 1964.
Plymouth's youngest offshoot of the B platform was the Satellite from 1971 to 1974, which was offered as a sedan, coupé and station wagon with a design following the so-called Fuselage line. The Satellite was the parallel model of the largely identical Dodge Coronet .
In order to keep the Satellite attractive for the next three model years, the Plymouth management decided on a marketing ploy. The only insignificantly changed car was given a new, prestigious name for the model year: it was renamed Plymouth Fury. Fury had been the traditional model name for Plymouth's expensive full-size models since the late 1950s. With the downgrading of the name Fury, the nominal upgrading of the mid-range models went hand in hand. The Chrysler Group repeated this step two years later when it made the Dodge Coronet the technically and externally hardly changed Dodge Monaco . The Fury remained in the program until 1978; after that there were only Gran Furies.
Model history
design
The Plymouth Fury sedan presented in 1975 was stylistically largely identical to the Plymouth Satellite produced until 1974. The most important external distinguishing feature were the newly arranged headlights: instead of round, double headlights integrated into the grille, the Fury carried large, single round headlights from 1975 to 1976. The Fury was the first Plymouth since 1966 that did not have twin headlights. The indicators were in the bumpers. The station wagon also essentially corresponded to the previous Satellite.
The two-door hardtop coupé, on the other hand, was redesigned: while the satellite coupé had a hatchback structure, the two-door version of the Fury had a classic notchback with a large trunk. This version was also available from Dodge in parallel. They also formed the technical basis for the 1975 introduced Chrysler Cordoba and its twin Dodge Charger S / E .
For the 1977 model year, the Fury underwent a stylistic revision, which was primarily noticeable on the front end. Following a fashion of the time, the body versions were given rectangular twin headlights arranged one above the other. In this form, which the Dodge Monaco took on at the same time, the Fury remained in the program until 1978.
technology
Like its predecessor, the Fury was based on a box frame. The front suspension consisted of wishbones and torsion springs, and the rear of the car had a leaf-sprung rigid axle.
The engine consisted of an in-line six-cylinder and several eight-cylinder V-engines with different cubic capacities. The largest engine, an eight-cylinder with a displacement of 7.2 liters, was reserved for the police. The two smallest engines could optionally be supplied with a manual three-speed gearbox; all other engines were connected as standard with a TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission.
| Plymouth Fury engines | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model year | 3.7 liter R6 (Slant Six) (225 cubic inches) |
5.2 liter V8 (318 cubic inches) |
5.9 liter V8 (360 cubic inches) |
6.6 liter V8 (400 cubic inches) |
7.2 liter V8 (400 cubic inches) police vehicles |
| 1975 | 95 hp | 135 hp 150 hp |
180 hp 190 hp 220 hp |
175 hp 185 hp 190 hp 235 hp |
215 hp |
| 1976 | 100 hp | 150 hp | 170 hp | 175 hp | 215 hp |
| 1977 | 100 hp | 145 hp 155 hp |
170 hp | 190 hp | 215 hp |
| 1978 | 100 hp | 140 hp 155 hp |
170 hp | 190 hp | - |
Plymouth Road Runner
The sportiest model of the Plymouth brand had been called the Road Runner since 1968 . The car, only offered as a coupe, was based on Plymouth's mid-range models. From 1971 to 1974, the Roadrunner was a sporty version of the Satellite Coupé and carried a semi-hatchback. In the 1975 model year, the name Road Runner was transferred to the two-door, notchback version of the Fury. This year, the Roadrunner was equipped as standard with a 5.9 liter eight-cylinder engine that developed 220 hp. Optionally, the 6.6 liter engine was available, which delivered 235 hp and had significantly more torque than the smaller engine. With the largest engine, the Roadrunner accelerated from 0 to 60 miles in 8.1 seconds. In 1975 7,381 copies of the Road Runner were made.
The Fury-based Road Runner was discontinued after just one year. From the 1976 model year, the name Road Runner was transferred to the smaller Plymouth Volaré . Here the road runner completely lost its independence; the name became a mere designation of an equipment version.
production
The 1975 to 1977 Plymouth Fury was primarily a fleet vehicle that was delivered to bulk buyers such as government agencies and car rental companies. Compared to the structurally identical Dodge Coronet and Dodge Monaco, the Fury was each offered around $ 500 cheaper; however, it had a reduced standard equipment. Nevertheless, the Fury was more successful than the Dodge model.
The Fury competed with the Chevrolet Chevelle or the Ford Torino or its successor LTD II .
| Production figures Plymouth Fury compared to its competitors |
|||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Model year | Plymouth Fury | Dodge Coronet (1975–1976) Dodge Monaco (1975–1978) |
Chevrolet Chevelle | Ford Torino | Ford LTD II |
| 1975 | 109,494 | 84,495 | 275,521 | 177,952 | - |
| 1976 | 102,847 | 64,895 | 333.243 | 193.096 | - |
| 1977 | 116.165 | 80,080 | 328.216 | - | 232.324 |
| 1978 | 133,690 | 54,851 | - | - | 170,544 |
literature
- Albert R. Bochroch: American Cars of the Seventies. Warne's Transport Library, London 1982. ISBN 0-7232-2870-1 .
- Richard M. Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930-1980. New York (Beekman House) 1984. ISBN 0-517-42462-2 .
Web links
- Model history on the website www.allpar.com
- Sales prospectus from 1975 (with Road Runner)
- Sales prospectus from 1977
- Sales prospectus from 1978
Individual evidence
- ↑ On the whole: Langworth. Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930-1980, p. 565.
- ↑ Model history on the website www.allpar.com (accessed on June 3, 2012).
- ↑ There the car was called the 1975 Coronet Hardtop Coupé, in 1976 it was marketed as the Charger Coupé, and from 1977 it was called the Monaco Coupé.
- ↑ Auto catalog No. 20 (1976/77), p. 199.
- ↑ performance data in SAE-PS; Information from Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930–1980, p. 580 f.
- ^ Illustration of the Plymouth Road Runner in the 1975 prospectus (accessed June 4, 2012).
- ↑ Information from Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930–1980.
- ↑ Excluding 123,372 vehicles of the Torino Elite type, which are to be viewed as an independent model.
- ↑ Including 23,000 coupés that were marketed under the name Charger Hardtop Coupé this model year .