Dodge Lancer
Encyclopedia
The Dodge Lancer is a passenger car
from the Dodge
division of Chrysler Corporation. Dodge used the Lancer name on three different vehicles over the years.
Dodge used the Lancer name from 1955 to 1959 to designate both two and four door pillarless hardtop models in the Coronet
, Royal and Custom Royal lines. The Custom Royal Lancer was a hardtop only and top of the line model for Dodge in 1959. There were 6278 2 door hardtops made and 5019 4 door hardtops made in 1959. Only 11,397 Custom Royal Lancers were made. The Custom Royal Lancer featured a big block engine 361 cubic inches at 305 horsepower. A D-500 option was available which was a 383 cubic inch engine with a single Carter 4 barrel carburetor rated at 320 horsepower and a Super D-500 engine option, a 383 cubic inch engine with dual 4 barrel carburetors rated at 340 horsepower. The Custom Royal Lancer also featured padded dashboard, steering wheel, Lancer emblems on the fenders, steering wheel, hubcaps and glove box, foot operated wind sheild wipers, dual radio antennas, deluxe side trim and thick chrome eyebrows. Optional equipment included power windows, brakes, air conditioning and swivel seats. The Lancer designation was dropped for 1960.
, Dodge applied the Lancer nameplate to its higher-priced, upmarket badge-engineered
clone of Chrysler's very popular Valiant
compact. The model was introduced when Chrysler
officially assigned the Valiant to Plymouth
division for 1961, leaving Dodge dealers without a compact to sell. All the same body variants available on the Valiant were also available on the Lancer: 2- and 4-door sedans, 2-door coupes, and 4-door wagons.
and a full-width grille, instead of the Valiant's cat's-eye taillights and central grille. For 1961, trim levels were the basic 170 and the premium 770. In 1961, the 2-door hardtop was marketed as the Lancer 770 Sports Coupe, essentially a "performance appearance package". For 1962, the Sports Coupe was given the more concise model name of GT and carried premium trim; 2-tone paint was available and instead of the front bench seat, there were two bucket seats.
Also for the 1962 model, "Lancer GT" medallions were mounted on the doors' interior trim panels below the vent window and on the sides of the front fenders just aft of the headlamp
s. "GT" emblems were placed on the hood, the deck lid, and on the vinyl dash pad. The headlamp bezels and the grille's horizontal slats were blacked-out. The GT also lacked certain ornamentation found on the 170s and 770s such as the "Lancer" door scripts, the slanted chrome hash marks on the lower quarter panels, and the hook-ended stainless steel
door-to-fender spears.
engine. The base engine was the 170 cu in (2.8 l) unit, rated at 101 bhp. The optional power package consisted of the larger 225 cu in (3.7 l) engine, rated at 145 bhp. After the start of the 1961 model year, a die-cast
aluminum version of the 225 engine block was made available. The aluminum 225 weighed 45 pounds (20 kg) less than the iron 170 and 80 pounds (36 kg) less than the iron 225. Any of the available engines could be equipped at the dealer with Chrysler's Hyper Pak parts kit for a significant power upgrade: the 170 Hyper Pak's published output was 148 bhp, while the 225 Hyper Pak's was 196 bhp. The Hyper-Pak shaved more than four seconds off the 0 to 60 mi/h time versus the standard 225, and was over a second quicker and seven miles per hour faster in the quarter mile. With the Hyper Pak, a 225 Lancer could go from 0 to 60 mi/h in 8.6 seconds and turn in a standing quarter mile time of 16.4 seconds.
Transmission options were a Chrysler-built A903 3-speed manual with the shifter on the floor in 1961 and on the steering column in 1962, or a pushbutton-operated A904 Torqueflite
3-speed automatic.
Lancer sales did not meet expectations and sold about half as well as the Valiant. As a late part of the total redesign of Dodge's compact car for 1963, the Lancer name was discontinued. Dodge compacts for 1963 through 1976 were named Dart
, a name that had previously been assigned to a larger car produced by Dodge from 1960 to 1962.
, a right hand drive version of the Lancer was sold from 1961 through 1963, badged as the DeSoto Rebel not very long after the DeSoto
name was discontinued in the U.S. All Rebels were equipped with the 170 cu in (2.8 l) Slant 6
engine, and most were equipped with the 3-speed manual transmission. As with the Australian RV1 and SV1 Valiants, the Rebel used the instrument cluster from the US 1961 Plymouth Valiant
. White reflectors were mounted to the front bumper, in compliance with South African vehicle equipment regulations. The Rebel name was re-introduced by Chrysler South Africa in 1967 as the economy-priced Valiant
Rebel.
. It was a clone to the Chrysler LeBaron GTS
and was based on the Chrysler H platform, a stretched version of the Chrysler K platform
. The Lancer eventually slotted between the Aries
and the 600
. All Lancers were built in Sterling Heights
, Michigan
. Production ended on April 7, 1989, replaced by the Spirit
.
s, shorter springs, and quicker steering along with an assortment of comfort and convenience features including leather seats, power locks, windows, seats, and mirrors, a tilt steering wheel and a two-position cup holder.
The intercooled Turbo II engine with the manual transmission
provided 175 hp. The automatic
variant was equipped with the 146 hp Turbo I. Although it was not planned as a limited edition, only 279 Lancer Shelbys were produced in 1988 and 208 in 1989.
were of spring-hinged rather than rigid design. The engine options included the naturally aspirated 2.2 l (134 cu in) Four, and a turbocharged version of the same engine. From 1989 on, the 2.5 l (152 cu in) Four became available with or without a turbocharger. The 2.2 engine was dropped, except for the Turbo II version that was standard equipment on the Chrysler GTS Shelby, the European sibling of the Dodge Lancer Shelby. A five-speed manual gearbox was standard, with a three-speed automatic transmission as an extra cost option. The GTS Shelby came only with the manual transmission.
The Chrysler GTS had few buyers in Europe; the competition was too hard. Even the comparatively low prices could not help, and sales figures were very low. By the end of 1989, the GTS was replaced by the Saratoga.
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
from the Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
division of Chrysler Corporation. Dodge used the Lancer name on three different vehicles over the years.
1955–1959
Dodge Coronet
The Coronet was a full-size car from Dodge in the 1950s, initially the division's highest trim line but, starting in 1955, the lowest trim line. In the 1960s, the name was transferred to Dodge's mid-size entry.-1949:...
, Royal and Custom Royal lines. The Custom Royal Lancer was a hardtop only and top of the line model for Dodge in 1959. There were 6278 2 door hardtops made and 5019 4 door hardtops made in 1959. Only 11,397 Custom Royal Lancers were made. The Custom Royal Lancer featured a big block engine 361 cubic inches at 305 horsepower. A D-500 option was available which was a 383 cubic inch engine with a single Carter 4 barrel carburetor rated at 320 horsepower and a Super D-500 engine option, a 383 cubic inch engine with dual 4 barrel carburetors rated at 340 horsepower. The Custom Royal Lancer also featured padded dashboard, steering wheel, Lancer emblems on the fenders, steering wheel, hubcaps and glove box, foot operated wind sheild wipers, dual radio antennas, deluxe side trim and thick chrome eyebrows. Optional equipment included power windows, brakes, air conditioning and swivel seats. The Lancer designation was dropped for 1960.
1961–1962
For the 1961 model yearModel year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
, Dodge applied the Lancer nameplate to its higher-priced, upmarket badge-engineered
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
clone of Chrysler's very popular Valiant
Plymouth Valiant
The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. It was created to give the company an entry in the compact car market emerging in the late 1950s...
compact. The model was introduced when Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
officially assigned the Valiant to Plymouth
Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
division for 1961, leaving Dodge dealers without a compact to sell. All the same body variants available on the Valiant were also available on the Lancer: 2- and 4-door sedans, 2-door coupes, and 4-door wagons.
Styling & trim
The Lancer wheelbase and body shell were identical to those of the Valiant, but interior and exterior trim were fancier on the Lancer. Lancers featured round taillightsAutomotive lighting
The lighting system of a motor vehicle consists of lighting and signalling devices mounted or integrated to the front, sides, rear, and in some cases the top of the motor vehicle...
and a full-width grille, instead of the Valiant's cat's-eye taillights and central grille. For 1961, trim levels were the basic 170 and the premium 770. In 1961, the 2-door hardtop was marketed as the Lancer 770 Sports Coupe, essentially a "performance appearance package". For 1962, the Sports Coupe was given the more concise model name of GT and carried premium trim; 2-tone paint was available and instead of the front bench seat, there were two bucket seats.
Headlamp
A headlamp is a lamp, usually attached to the front of a vehicle such as a car or a motorcycle, with the purpose of illuminating the road ahead during periods of low visibility, such as darkness or precipitation. Headlamp performance has steadily improved throughout the automobile age, spurred by...
s. "GT" emblems were placed on the hood, the deck lid, and on the vinyl dash pad. The headlamp bezels and the grille's horizontal slats were blacked-out. The GT also lacked certain ornamentation found on the 170s and 770s such as the "Lancer" door scripts, the slanted chrome hash marks on the lower quarter panels, and the hook-ended stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
door-to-fender spears.
Powertrains
The Lancer used the slant-6Chrysler Slant 6 engine
The Slant-6, known within Chrysler as the G-engine, is one of Chrysler's better known automobile engines. The engine is an inline-6 piston engine specifically designed such that the cylinders are inclined at a 30-degree angle from vertical...
engine. The base engine was the 170 cu in (2.8 l) unit, rated at 101 bhp. The optional power package consisted of the larger 225 cu in (3.7 l) engine, rated at 145 bhp. After the start of the 1961 model year, a die-cast
Die casting
Die casting is a metal casting process that is characterized by forcing molten metal under high pressure into a mold cavity. The mold cavity is created using two hardened tool steel dies which have been machined into shape and work similarly to an injection mold during the process...
aluminum version of the 225 engine block was made available. The aluminum 225 weighed 45 pounds (20 kg) less than the iron 170 and 80 pounds (36 kg) less than the iron 225. Any of the available engines could be equipped at the dealer with Chrysler's Hyper Pak parts kit for a significant power upgrade: the 170 Hyper Pak's published output was 148 bhp, while the 225 Hyper Pak's was 196 bhp. The Hyper-Pak shaved more than four seconds off the 0 to 60 mi/h time versus the standard 225, and was over a second quicker and seven miles per hour faster in the quarter mile. With the Hyper Pak, a 225 Lancer could go from 0 to 60 mi/h in 8.6 seconds and turn in a standing quarter mile time of 16.4 seconds.
Transmission options were a Chrysler-built A903 3-speed manual with the shifter on the floor in 1961 and on the steering column in 1962, or a pushbutton-operated A904 Torqueflite
TorqueFlite
TorqueFlite is the trademarked name of Chrysler Corporation's automatic transmissions, starting with the three-speed unit introduced late in the 1956 model year as a successor to Chrysler's two-speed PowerFlite...
3-speed automatic.
Drag strip & sales competition
In the 1962 NHRA Winternatonals, Wayne Weihe took home the win in the C/FX (Factory Experimental) class with his Hyper-Pak-equipped Lancer, clocking in a 15.67 E.T. Although the bigger Dodges were beginning to appear at drag strips around the country, the Golden Lancer of Dode Martin and Jim Nelson was just about the fastest compact on the strips in 1962. Stuffed into the engine compartment was a 413 cubic inches (6.8 l) Chrysler RB V8 engine modified by the Chrysler engineers' Ramchargers racing team. The Golden Lancer raced successfully in A/FX class and could do the quarter mile in 12.68 seconds at 113 mph.Lancer sales did not meet expectations and sold about half as well as the Valiant. As a late part of the total redesign of Dodge's compact car for 1963, the Lancer name was discontinued. Dodge compacts for 1963 through 1976 were named Dart
Dodge Dart
The Dodge Dart is an automobile built by the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1960-1976 in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart was introduced as a lower-priced, shorter wheelbase, full-size Dodge in 1960 and 1961, became a...
, a name that had previously been assigned to a larger car produced by Dodge from 1960 to 1962.
South African market
In South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, a right hand drive version of the Lancer was sold from 1961 through 1963, badged as the DeSoto Rebel not very long after the DeSoto
DeSoto (automobile)
The DeSoto was a brand of automobile based in the United States, manufactured and marketed by the Chrysler Corporation from 1928 to 1961. The DeSoto logo featured a stylized image of Hernando de Soto...
name was discontinued in the U.S. All Rebels were equipped with the 170 cu in (2.8 l) Slant 6
Chrysler Slant 6 engine
The Slant-6, known within Chrysler as the G-engine, is one of Chrysler's better known automobile engines. The engine is an inline-6 piston engine specifically designed such that the cylinders are inclined at a 30-degree angle from vertical...
engine, and most were equipped with the 3-speed manual transmission. As with the Australian RV1 and SV1 Valiants, the Rebel used the instrument cluster from the US 1961 Plymouth Valiant
Plymouth Valiant
The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. It was created to give the company an entry in the compact car market emerging in the late 1950s...
. White reflectors were mounted to the front bumper, in compliance with South African vehicle equipment regulations. The Rebel name was re-introduced by Chrysler South Africa in 1967 as the economy-priced Valiant
Chrysler Valiant
The Chrysler Valiant is a passenger car which was introduced by Chrysler Australia in 1962 with production ceasing in 1981. Initially a rebadged locally assembled Plymouth Valiant from the U.S., the Valiant range was sold throughout Australia and New Zealand, as well as South Africa...
Rebel.
1980s
The Dodge Lancer was re-introduced in 1985 as a mid-sized 5-door hatchbackHatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
. It was a clone to the Chrysler LeBaron GTS
Chrysler LeBaron
The Chrysler LeBaron was originally a classic luxury car of 1930s manufactured by Chrysler which competed with other luxury cars of the era such as Lincoln and Packard....
and was based on the Chrysler H platform, a stretched version of the 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 F-body Aspen and Volaré, but also to compete with intermediates like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont...
. The Lancer eventually slotted between the Aries
Dodge Aries
The Dodge Aries is an automobile sold by the Chrysler Corporation from 1981-1989. 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 the 600
Dodge 600
The 600 was Dodge's version of the Chrysler E-Class luxury car of the 1980s. It was introduced in 1982, as a 1983 model, as a small mid-size car on the Chrysler E platform and was discontinued after the 1988 model year. It was Chrysler's attempt to compete with the GM A-body, whereas the M-body...
. All Lancers were built in Sterling Heights
Sterling Heights, Michigan
Sterling Heights is a city in Macomb County of the U.S. state of Michigan, and one of Detroit's core suburbs. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 129,699...
, Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
. Production ended on April 7, 1989, replaced by the Spirit
Dodge Spirit
The Dodge Spirit is a mid-size 5- or 6-passenger sedan that was introduced in January 1989 as a replacement for the similarly sized Dodge 600. The Spirit was Dodge's version of the Chrysler AA platform, a stretched variation of the Chrysler K platform...
.
Lancer Shelby
The 1988 to 1989 Lancer Shelby was a factory appearance and handling package including upgraded sway barSway bar
A sway bar or anti-roll bar or stabilizer bar is a part of an automobile suspension that helps reduce the roll of a vehicle that is induced by cornering or road irregularities. It connects opposite wheels together through short lever arms linked by a torsion spring...
s, shorter springs, and quicker steering along with an assortment of comfort and convenience features including leather seats, power locks, windows, seats, and mirrors, a tilt steering wheel and a two-position cup holder.
The intercooled Turbo II engine with the manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
provided 175 hp. The automatic
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
variant was equipped with the 146 hp Turbo I. Although it was not planned as a limited edition, only 279 Lancer Shelbys were produced in 1988 and 208 in 1989.
European market
In April 1988, Chrysler started offering some models on the European market. One of them was the Chrysler GTS, a rebadged version of the Dodge Lancer ES. Due to European vehicle regulations, the exterior appearance was slightly different. The rear turn signals were amber rather than red, the front sidemarkers and the centre hight mount stop lamp (CHMSL) were blanked off, small round repeaters were installed into the front fenders, and the sideview mirrorsWing mirror
A wing mirror is a mirror found on the exterior of motor vehicles for the purposes of helping the driver see areas behind and to the sides of the vehicle, outside of the driver's peripheral vision .Although almost all modern cars mount their side mirrors on the doors, normally at the "A" pillar,...
were of spring-hinged rather than rigid design. The engine options included the naturally aspirated 2.2 l (134 cu in) Four, and a turbocharged version of the same engine. From 1989 on, the 2.5 l (152 cu in) Four became available with or without a turbocharger. The 2.2 engine was dropped, except for the Turbo II version that was standard equipment on the Chrysler GTS Shelby, the European sibling of the Dodge Lancer Shelby. A five-speed manual gearbox was standard, with a three-speed automatic transmission as an extra cost option. The GTS Shelby came only with the manual transmission.
The Chrysler GTS had few buyers in Europe; the competition was too hard. Even the comparatively low prices could not help, and sales figures were very low. By the end of 1989, the GTS was replaced by the Saratoga.