Chrysler LeBaron

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Chrysler LeBaron

The Chrysler LeBaron was introduced in 1977 as Chrysler

Chrysler

Chrysler LLC is an American automobile manufacturer that has manufactured automobiles since 1925. From 1998 to 2007, Chrysler and its subsidiaries were part of the German based DaimlerChrysler ....
's lowest priced model, and the name was used on various Chryslers until 1995. The name originates from a 1930s coachwork

Coachwork

Coachwork is the car body style of a motor vehicle which is built around a chassis, rather than being of monocoque construction. Another word is carrossery ....
s bought out by Chrysler. Two years after the Corporation introduced the Imperial as a separate luxury division, LeBaron was designated the top of the line Imperial

Imperial (automobile)

Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation's prestige automobile brand between 1955 and 1975, with a brief reappearance in 1981 through 1983.The Chrysler Imperial had been the company's most luxurious model, and in 1955 when the company decided to introduce a separate luxury brand, Imperial was the natural choice for the nameplate of the ne...
models in 1957 through 1975. Resurrected to add cachet to the Chrysler Division's new mid-sized entry two years later, the "LeBaron" name has since been applied to a total of 5 different cars built by the Chrysler Division:

ough the LeBaron name had been used before on Imperials

Imperial (automobile)

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Encyclopedia

The Chrysler LeBaron was introduced in 1977 as Chrysler

Chrysler

Coachwork

Imperial (automobile)

The 1977-1981 M-body
Chrysler M platform

The M-Bodies were Chrysler Corporation's successor to the Chrysler F platform Dodge Aspen. In fact, the platform is almost identical to the F. It was introduced in 1977 and was the basis for some mid-sized Chrysler models throughout the 1980s until its demise in 1989....
Mid-size LeBaron sedan, coupé
Coupé

A coup? or coupe is a closed car body style, the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time. Coup?s are often hardtopped sports cars or sporty variants of sedan body styles, with doors commonly reduced from 4 to 2, and a Close-coupled sedan interior offering either two seats or 2+2 seating ....
, and wagon
The 1982-1988 K-body
Chrysler K platform

The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact Chrysler F platform Aspen and Volar?, but also to compete with midsize car like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont....
Compact
Compact car

A compact , small family or c-segment car is a car classification of automobile which are larger than a supermini car and smaller than a large family car....
LeBaron sedan, coupé, convertible, and wagon
The 1985-1989 H-body
Chrysler K platform

The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact Chrysler F platform Aspen and Volar?, but also to compete with midsize car like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont....
Mid-size LeBaron GTS hatchback
The 1987-1995 J-body
Chrysler J platform

The J platform was a designation used for two automobile platforms from Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s.The first was a rear-wheel drive platform, in production from 1980....
Personal luxury LeBaron coupé and convertible
The 1990-1994 AA-body
Chrysler K platform

The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact Chrysler F platform Aspen and Volar?, but also to compete with midsize car like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont....
Mid-size LeBaron sedan

1977-1981

Although the LeBaron name had been used before on Imperials

Imperial (automobile)

Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation's prestige automobile brand between 1955 and 1975, with a brief reappearance in 1981 through 1983.The Chrysler Imperial had been the company's most luxurious model, and in 1955 when the company decided to introduce a separate luxury brand, Imperial was the natural choice for the nameplate of the ne...
, this was the first time the name was used on its own. This first Chrysler LeBaron was a rear-wheel drive M-body

Chrysler M platform

The M-Bodies were Chrysler Corporation's successor to the Chrysler F platform Dodge Aspen. In fact, the platform is almost identical to the F. It was introduced in 1977 and was the basis for some mid-sized Chrysler models throughout the 1980s until its demise in 1989....
, a rebadged

Badge engineering

Badge engineering is a term that describes the badge of one product as another. Due to the high cost of designing and engineering a totally new model, or establishing a new brand , it is often more cost-effective to rebadge a single product multiple times....
Dodge Diplomat

Dodge Diplomat

The Dodge Diplomat was a mid-size car and it was manufactured from 1977 to 1989 by the Chrysler Corporation's Dodge brand and practically identical to the Chrysler LeBaron of 1977, the Plymouth Caravelle sold in Canada, and the Plymouth Gran Fury from 1982....
with deluxe trim and equipment sold from 1977 to 1981. The LeBaron model name was moved to a new front-wheel drive

Front-wheel drive

Front-wheel drive is a form of Internal combustion engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only....
car for the 1982 model year, when the Chrysler-branded rear-drive M-body was renamed New Yorker Fifth Avenue

Chrysler Fifth Avenue

Fifth Avenue was a name used by Chrysler Corporation on its largest models from 1979 to 1993....
for the 1983 model year.

LeBarons were available in coupe

Coupé

A coup? or coupe is a closed car body style, the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time. Coup?s are often hardtopped sports cars or sporty variants of sedan body styles, with doors commonly reduced from 4 to 2, and a Close-coupled sedan interior offering either two seats or 2+2 seating ....
s, sedans and station wagon

Station wagon

A station wagon in American English, Australian English, Canadian English and New Zealand English usage and an estate car in British English usage, is a passenger automobile with a car body style similar to a sedan but with the roofline following the full, sometimes extended rear cargo area, i.e. ending with a more vertical door...
s. A Police version was available in 1981 only. The wagons arrived in 1978. All wagons had the Town & Country wood panelling until a plain base wagon was added in 1980-81. See Town & Country

Chrysler Town and Country (pre-1990)

The Chrysler Town and Country was introduced by Chrysler Corp. in 1941. This was a debute of the first woodie station wagon with an all-steel roof....
section for more info.

1982-1988

For 1982, the LeBaron moved to the front-wheel drive

Front-wheel drive

Front-wheel drive is a form of Internal combustion engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only....
Chrysler K platform

Chrysler K platform

The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact Chrysler F platform Aspen and Volar?, but also to compete with midsize car like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont....
, where it became an upscale version of the Dodge Aries

Dodge Aries

The Dodge Aries is an automobile sold by the Chrysler Corporation from 1981 to 1989. It replaced the Dodge Aspen as Dodge's family car with "mid-size room" in a size and front-wheel drive format commonly associated with compact cars....
and Plymouth Reliant

Plymouth Reliant

The Plymouth Reliant was one of the first two so-called "Chrysler K platforms" the Chrysler Corporation, introduced for the 1981 model year....
. It was available in sedan, coupe

Coupé

Convertible

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different car body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form....
version, bringing to the market the first open-topped domestic vehicle since the 1976 Cadillac Eldorado

Cadillac Eldorado

The Eldorado model was part of the Cadillac line from 1953 to 2002. The Cadillac Eldorado was the longest running American personal luxury car as it was the only one sold after the 1998 model year....
. A station wagon version called the Town and Country was added as well. A special Town and Country convertible

Convertible

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different car body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form....
was also made from 1983 to 1986 limited quantities (1,105 total), which, like the wagon, featured simulated wood paneling that made it resemble the original 1940s Town and Country

Chrysler Town and Country (pre-1990)

The Chrysler Town and Country was introduced by Chrysler Corp. in 1941. This was a debute of the first woodie station wagon with an all-steel roof....
.

Despite being mechanically identical to the Aries and Reliant, its fascias looked much more like those of the larger E-body

Chrysler E platform

Chrysler used the designation E platform for two separate car ranges.One was used for rear wheel drive cars in the 1970s:* 1970-1974 Dodge Challenger, wheelbase...
sedans. This generation featured Chrysler's Electronic Voice Alert

Electronic Voice Alert

The Electronic Voice Alert, or EVA, was an option available on many Chrysler Corporation K-car-based vehicles in the mid-1980s. Using technology from Texas Instruments similar to what was used in the Speak & Spell , the EVA would automatically lower the radio volume and deliver eleven different spoken warning messages to drivers using...
, a computerized voice which admonished drivers with phrases. A larger LeBaron sedan would arrive for 1990.

1985-1989 LeBaron GTS

The 1985 LeBaron GTS was a somewhat different car than the standard LeBaron and was based on the Chrysler H platform. As a 5-door hatchback still derived from the K-car, the GTS (and the similar Dodge Lancer

Dodge Lancer

The Dodge Lancer is a Automobile from the Dodge division of Chrysler Corporation. Dodge used the Lancer name on three different vehicles over the years....
) was more of a performance vehicle, than the softer-tuned K-car LeBaron sedan. In base configuration, the car was powered by Chrysler's 2.2 liter

Litér

Lit?r is a village in Veszpr?m , Hungary.External links ...
inline-4 engine

Chrysler K engine

The straight-4 engine developed by Chrysler for the Chrysler K platform and Chrysler L platform is sometimes referred to as the K-car engine. After its debut in 1981, it became the basis for all Chrysler-developed 4-cylinder engines until the Chrysler Neon engine was released in 1995....
, later replaced by a 2.5 L TBI

Fuel injection

Fuel injection is a system for mixing fuel with air in an internal combustion engine. It has become the primary fuel delivery system used in gasoline Automobile engines, having almost completely replaced carburetors in the late 1980s....
version generating . A turbocharged 2.2 L engine

Chrysler K engine

Trim levels

Highline - 1985-1989
Premium - 1985-1988
GTS - 1989 (replaced "Premium" after the "GTS" was dropped from the name of the car)

1987-1995 coupé/convertible

After discontinuing the first generation LeBaron coupé and convertible in 1986, Chrysler released a new LeBaron in 1987, built on the J platform

Chrysler J platform

The J platform was a designation used for two automobile platforms from Chrysler Corporation in the 1980s.The first was a rear-wheel drive platform, in production from 1980....
and available as a coupé

Coupé

Hidden headlamps

Hidden headlamps are an automotive styling feature that conceals an automobile's headlamps when they are not in use. Depending on the design, the headlamps may be mounted in a housing that rotates so as to sit flush with the front end as on the Porsche 928, may retract into the hood and/or fenders as on the 1968 - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette, or...
behind retractable metal covers, a waterfall grille, and curved (Coke

Coca-Cola

Coca-Cola is a carbonation soft drink sold in stores, restaurants and vending machines worldwide . It is produced by The Coca-Cola Company in Atlanta, Georgia, and is often referred to simply as Coke or as Cola or Pop....
bottle) style rocker panels. In Mexico, these models were marketed as the Chrysler Phantom.

Available engines

Internal combustion engine

The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs in a combustion chamber inside and integral to the engine. In an internal combustion engine it is always the expansion of the high temperature and pressure gases that are produced by the combustion which apply force to the movable component of the engine, such as...
were the stock 2.2 liter and 2.5 liter, naturally aspirated or turbocharged, and for the 1990 model year a 3.0 liter Mitsubishi

Mitsubishi Motors

is the fifth largest automaker in Japan and the fifteenth largest in the world by global unit sales. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries....
V6 became available, although the Mexican Chrysler Phantom also offered the same 2.2 liter turbo engine as used in the US market Dodge Spirit R/T.

The LeBaron was equipped with a trip & fuel economy computer and full instrumentation. For 1990, the instrument panel was redesigned.

In 1993, the LeBaron's exterior was slightly restyled. The hidden headlamps

Hidden headlamps

Hidden headlamps are an automotive styling feature that conceals an automobile's headlamps when they are not in use. Depending on the design, the headlamps may be mounted in a housing that rotates so as to sit flush with the front end as on the Porsche 928, may retract into the hood and/or fenders as on the 1968 - 2004 Chevrolet Corvette, or...
of the 1987-1992 models were deleted in favour of less costly aerodynamic replaceable-bulb headlamp

Headlamp

A headlamp is a lamp , usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a automobile, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation ....
s, new wheel

Wheel

A wheel is a circular device that is capable of rotating on its axis, facilitating movement or transportation whilst supporting a load , or performing labour in machines....
styles were made available, and all models got the amber rear turn signals

Automotive lighting

The lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides and rear of the vehicle....
introduced on the deluxe 1992 models. New for 1994, was the "Bright LX" decor package. It included a "bright" chrome grille, "bright" chrome badging, and "bright" chrome molding inserts, as opposed to being body-colored on the GTC. Available engines were naturally-aspirated 2.5 L and turbocharged 2.2 and 2.5 L versions of Chrysler's I4

Straight-4

The straight-4 or inline-4 engine is a four cylinder internal combustion engine with all four cylinder mounted in a straight line along the crankcase....
, and the 3.0 L Mitsubishi V6

Mitsubishi 6G7x engine

The Mitsubishi 6G7 or Cyclone V6 engine is a series of V6 piston engines from Mitsubishi Motors. Five displacement variants have been produced with both SOHC and DOHC overhead camshaft layouts....
. The coupé was discontinued after 1993, and the convertible in 1995, to make way for the new Chrysler Sebring

Chrysler Sebring (coupe)

The Chrysler Sebring Coupe was a mid-size coupe made by Mitsubishi Motors for the Chrysler Corporation and later DaimlerChrysler, from 1995-2005....
coupé

Coupé

Chrysler Sebring (convertible)

The Chrysler Sebring convertible is a mid-size convertible manufactured by Chrysler, as a replacement for the Chrysler LeBaron and now in its third generation — currently available as both a retractable hardtop and softop....
, for 1995 and 1996 respectively.

Trim levels: 1987-1995

Throughout its lifetime, the LeBaron convertible/coupé was available in many trim levels. For its first year, the LeBaron was available in Highline and Premium, typical Chrysler trims at the time. The number of trims grew, peaking in 1990, with six available. After that, the number decreased until just one trim level remained for 1995.

1987

Highline
Premium

1988

Highline
Premium
GT

1989

GT Turbo
GTC Turbo
Highline
Premium

1990

GT
GT Turbo
GTC Turbo
Highline
Highline Turbo
Premium

1991

GTC
GTC Turbo
Highline
Highline Turbo
Premium LX

1992

base
Turbo
GTC
GTC Turbo
LX

1993

base
GTC
LX

1994

GTC
Bright LX

1995

GTC

1990-1994 sedan

The last LeBaron sedan was built on the front wheel drive AA platform

Chrysler A platform

Chrysler's A platform was the basis for smaller rear wheel drive cars in the 1960s. These cars are sometimes referred to as A-body cars....
, another K

Chrysler K platform

The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact Chrysler F platform Aspen and Volar?, but also to compete with midsize car like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont....
derivative, as an upmarket mid-size sedan. It differed from the Dodge Spirit

Dodge Spirit

The Dodge Spirit is a mid-size 5- or 6-passenger sedan introduced in January 1989 as a replacement for the similarly-sized Dodge 600. The Spirit was Dodge's version of the Chrysler A platform, a stretched variation of the Chrysler K platform....
and Plymouth Acclaim

Plymouth Acclaim

The Plymouth Acclaim is a mid-size sedan produced from the 1989 to 1995 model years. The Acclaim was first introduced by Plymouth as the successor to the discontinued, but similarly-sized extended-K Plymouth Caravelle....
, as well as the Europe

Europe

Europe is, conventionally, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally divided from Asia to its east by the water divide of the Ural Mountains, the Ural , the Caspian Sea, and by the Caucasus Mountains to the southeast....
an Chrysler Saratoga

Chrysler Saratoga

The Chrysler Saratoga was a full-sized automobile produced by the Chrysler Corporation. Chrysler first used the Saratoga nameplate on its 1939 models, and continued to use the name off and on until 1960 when it retired the product name for the US markets....
mostly in detail and trim choices. Theoretically, the Acclaim was supposed to be the more mainstream version, while the Spirit was the sportier version, and the LeBaron was the luxury version. In reality, however, there was considerable overlap amongst the three in available trim, equipment and features. The top-line LeBaron Landau model offered a padded vinyl half-roof with smaller "formal" backlight. All LeBaron sedans came with a standard driver's side airbag

Airbag

An airbag is a Automobile safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly in an automobile collision, to prevent vehicle occupants from striking hard interior objects such as steering wheels....
, could seat up to six passengers, and had a relatively large trunk. In 1993 the LeBaron sedan received new rear lights

Automotive lighting

The lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides and rear of the vehicle....
, which incorporated the reversing lamps previously located in the bumper fascia. The LeBaron sedan was discontinued after the 1994 model year, and was replaced in 1995 by the "Cloud Car"

Chrysler JA platform

The JA platform was Chrysler's smaller complement to the Chrysler LH platform which were larger than the K's, and a direct size replacement for the last extended Chrysler K platform, the Acclaim and Spirit....
Chrysler Cirrus

Chrysler Cirrus

The Chrysler Cirrus is a mid-size 4-door Luxury Vehicle sedan , marketed by Chrysler in the United States, Canada, Mexico and Brazil from 1995 to 2000....
.

Trim levels

base - 1990-1992
LX - 1992
Landau - 1992-1994
LE - 1993-1994

Mexican market

The Phantom was the Mexican-market sports version of the LeBaron Coupe. Phantoms were sold with the same options as the Lebarons in the U.S., and sometimes at a higher trim level.

Main versions include:

1988-1990 Luxury Version: 2.2 Turbo I engine, Speaking module, leather seats & interiors, digital dashboard cluster, premium Chrysler sound system. Three-speed automatic transmission

Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manual transmission....
.

1991-1993 Luxury Version: 2.5 Turbo I Engine, leather seats & interior, Chrysler Premium sound system or a six-speaker Infinity

Infinity

Infinity comes from the Latin infinitas or "unboundedness." It refers to several distinct concepts – usually linked to the idea of "without end" – which arise in philosophy, mathematics, and theology....
sound system also available with cassette or compact disk player. Electronically-controlled four-speed automatic transmission

Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manual transmission....
.

1992-1993 Special Edition: 2.2 Turbo III DOHC 16-valve engine & Getrag

Getrag

Getrag is a leading manufacturer of automobile manual transmissions. The company was founded on 1 May, 1935 in Ludwigsburg, Germany by Hermann Hagenmeyer as the Getriebe- und Zahnradfabrik Hermann Hagenmeyer AG ....
5V manual transmission

Manual transmission

A manual transmission is a type of Transmission used in automotive applications. It generally utilizes a driver-operated clutch operated by a pedal or lever, for regulating torque transfer from the engine to the transmission, and a gear-shift either operated by hand or by foot ....
. The same engine and transmission were used on the U.S.-market Spirit R/T

Dodge Spirit

Automatic transmission

An automatic transmission is an automobile gearbox that can change gear ratios automatically as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manual transmission....
. Leather seats, digital dashboard cluster, automatic climate control, roof console with compass & temperature display. Single driver airbag

Airbag

Anti-lock braking system

An anti-lock braking system, or ABS is a safety system which prevents the wheels on a motor vehicle from locking while brake.A rotating road wheel allows the driver to maintain steering control under heavy braking by preventing a skid and allowing the wheel to continue interacting Traction with the road surface as directed by driver...
. Additionally for 1994, an analog dashboard cluster, passenger-side airbag, and a power sunroof where available.

Safety

1994 NHTSA crash test results gave the LeBaron a 4 out of 5 for the front-impact, driver and a 3 out of 5 for the front-impact, passenger tests.