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GM J platform
 
 
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The J platform, or J-body, was General Motors' inexpensive 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....
 automobile platform
Automobile platform

An automobile platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of automobiles, often from different, but related marques....
 from the 1980s and 1990s. The platform replaced the GM H platform
GM H platform

The H Platform, or H-body, name has been used twice by General Motors Corporation. The 1970s H-body was an inexpensive rear-wheel drive compact car automobile platform from the 1970s....
. The first J-body car was the Chevrolet
Chevrolet

Chevrolet is a brand of automobile, produced by General Motors . It is the top selling GM marque, with "Chevrolet" or "Chevy" being at times synonymous with GM....
 Cavalier, which was released on March 21, 1981 as a 1982 model. The Cavalier was phased out at the end of 2004 in favor of the new Chevrolet Cobalt
Chevrolet Cobalt

The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The Cobalt replaced the Chevrolet Cavalier and the Chevrolet Prizm as Chevrolet's compact car....
. The last surviving J-body car, the Mexican-built Pontiac Sunfire
Pontiac Sunfire

The Pontiac Sunfire was introduced in the 1995 model year as the compact car to replace the Pontiac Sunbird. Not only was the name changed, but dramatic styling changes were included as well....
, ended production in June 2005. There are three generations of the J-body: 1982 to 1987 (or until 1988 or 1989 depending on the model), 1988 to 1994, and 1995 to 2005.

Except for cosmetic differences, engine upgrades and the discontinuation of certain models, the platform remained largely unchanged throughout the years.

Design of the J-body dated back to the mid-1970s.






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The J platform, or J-body, was General Motors' inexpensive 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....
 automobile platform
Automobile platform

An automobile platform is a shared set of common design, engineering, and production efforts, as well as major components over a number of outwardly distinct models and even types of automobiles, often from different, but related marques....
 from the 1980s and 1990s. The platform replaced the GM H platform
GM H platform

The H Platform, or H-body, name has been used twice by General Motors Corporation. The 1970s H-body was an inexpensive rear-wheel drive compact car automobile platform from the 1970s....
. The first J-body car was the Chevrolet
Chevrolet

Chevrolet is a brand of automobile, produced by General Motors . It is the top selling GM marque, with "Chevrolet" or "Chevy" being at times synonymous with GM....
 Cavalier, which was released on March 21, 1981 as a 1982 model. The Cavalier was phased out at the end of 2004 in favor of the new Chevrolet Cobalt
Chevrolet Cobalt

The Chevrolet Cobalt is a compact car introduced by Chevrolet in 2004 for the 2005 model year. The Cobalt replaced the Chevrolet Cavalier and the Chevrolet Prizm as Chevrolet's compact car....
. The last surviving J-body car, the Mexican-built Pontiac Sunfire
Pontiac Sunfire

The Pontiac Sunfire was introduced in the 1995 model year as the compact car to replace the Pontiac Sunbird. Not only was the name changed, but dramatic styling changes were included as well....
, ended production in June 2005. There are three generations of the J-body: 1982 to 1987 (or until 1988 or 1989 depending on the model), 1988 to 1994, and 1995 to 2005.

Except for cosmetic differences, engine upgrades and the discontinuation of certain models, the platform remained largely unchanged throughout the years.

Design of the J-body dated back to the mid-1970s. At that time, GM-controlled divisions in different parts of the world manufactured totally different rear-wheel drive C-segment cars - the Chevrolet Vega
Chevrolet Vega

File:71 Vega Panel Express.jpgThe Chevrolet Vega is a four passenger subcompact car that was introduced September 10, 1970 and produced for the 1971 through 1977 model years....
 in America, the Vauxhall Cavalier
Vauxhall Cavalier

The Vauxhall Cavalier was a large family car sold primarily in the United Kingdom by Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of General Motors Corporation , from 1975 to 1995....
/Opel Ascona
Opel Ascona

The Opel Ascona was a mid-size car automobile produced by Opel, the Germany subsidiary of General Motors Corporation. It had three generations produced from 1970 to 1988....
 in Europe, the Holden Torana
Holden Torana

The Holden Torana was a car produced by Holden , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors . The name comes from an Indigenous Australian languages word meaning "to fly"....
 in Australia and the Isuzu Florian
Isuzu Florian

The Isuzu Florian was a mid-size car manufactured by Isuzu in Japan from 1967 to 1983. The Florian's body remained essentially the same through its unusually long life cycle, being afforded only two moderate facelifts....
 in Japan. Some of them were not particularly competitive, so it was decided that a common replacement would be developed to eliminate duplication of engineering effort and ensure parts interchangeability. When the Arab Oil Embargo forced CAFE mandates, and the fear of US$3.00 for a gallon of gasoline
Gasoline

File:GasCan.jpgGasoline or petrol is a petroleum-derived liquid mixture, primarily used as fuel in internal combustion engines.It consists mostly of aliphatic hydrocarbons, enhanced with iso-octane or the aromatic hydrocarbons toluene and benzene to increase its octane rating....
, the J-body was practically produced straight off the drawing board.

The fourth character in the Vehicle Identification Number
Vehicle identification number

A Vehicle Identification Number, commonly abbreviated to VIN, is a unique serial number used by the automotive industry to identify individual motor vehicles....
 for a J-body car is "J".

Many vehicles used this platform including the following American nameplates:
  • 1982 Pontiac J2000
  • 1982–1988 Cadillac Cimarron
    Cadillac Cimarron

    The Cadillac Cimarron was a compact car built by Cadillac based on the GM J platform. It was first introduced in 1981 for the 1982 model year, and sold through 1988....
  • 1982–1988 Oldsmobile Firenza
    Oldsmobile Firenza

    The Oldsmobile Firenza was a compact car produced by the Oldsmobile division of General Motors from 1982 to 1988. It was based on the front-wheel drive GM J platform, which was shared with the Buick Skyhawk, Cadillac Cimarron, Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunbird....
  • 1982–1989 Buick Skyhawk
    Buick Skyhawk

    The Buick Skyhawk was Buick's compact car offering in the 1970s and 1980s, replacing the Opel Manta that was sold by Buick dealers. It is the only sub-compact automobile ever built by the division....
  • 1982–2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
    Chevrolet Cavalier

    The Chevrolet Cavalier was a compact automobile produced from 1982 to 2005 by General Motors. Built on the company's GM J platform, the Cavalier was one of the best-selling cars in the United States throughout its life....
  • 1983 Pontiac 2000
  • 1984 Pontiac 2000 Sunbird
    Pontiac Sunbird

    The Pontiac Sunbird is an automobile produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors. First introduced as part of Pontiac's subcompact offering for the 1976 model year....
  • 1985–1994 Pontiac Sunbird
    Pontiac Sunbird

    The Pontiac Sunbird is an automobile produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors. First introduced as part of Pontiac's subcompact offering for the 1976 model year....
  • 1995–2005 Pontiac Sunfire
    Pontiac Sunfire

    The Pontiac Sunfire was introduced in the 1995 model year as the compact car to replace the Pontiac Sunbird. Not only was the name changed, but dramatic styling changes were included as well....


International J-bodies include:
  • 1982–1988 Opel Ascona
    Opel Ascona

    The Opel Ascona was a mid-size car automobile produced by Opel, the Germany subsidiary of General Motors Corporation. It had three generations produced from 1970 to 1988....
     C (Europe and South Africa)
  • 1982–1988 Vauxhall Cavalier
    Vauxhall Cavalier

    The Vauxhall Cavalier was a large family car sold primarily in the United Kingdom by Vauxhall Motors, the British subsidiary of General Motors Corporation , from 1975 to 1995....
     Mk II (United Kingdom)
  • 1983–1989 Isuzu Aska
    Isuzu Aska

    The Isuzu Aska was a nameplate used by Isuzu of Japan to denote their midsize car sedan s from 1983 to 2002. Originally, the Aska was a version of General Motors Corporation GM J platform produced by Isuzu, but later, after Isuzu pulled out of manufacturing passenger cars, the nameplate was applied to badge engineering Subaru Legacy and Hond...
     (Japan) (originally called Florian Aska)
  • 1982–1989 Holden Camira
    Holden Camira

    The Holden Camira was a mid-size car produced by Holden, the Australian subsidiary of General Motors between 1982 and 1989. It was Holden's version of GM's GM J platform family of cars?GM's third "global" Automobile platform....
     (Australia and New Zealand)
  • 1982–1996 Chevrolet Monza
    Chevrolet Monza

    File:77 monza mirage.jpgThe Chevrolet Monza was a rear-wheel drive subcompact sporty Coupe introduced in the fall of 1974 as a 1975 model, along with H Body varients the Oldsmobile Starfire and the Buick Skyhawk....
     (Brazil)
  • 1995–2000 Toyota Cavalier (Japan)
  • 1990-1997 Daewoo Espero
    Daewoo Espero

    The Daewoo Espero is a mid-size car produced by the South Korean company GM Daewoo from 1990 to 1997. It was technically based on the GM J platform and had the distinction of a body designed by Bertone....
     (South Korea)


Bodystyles included;
  • 2-door sedan - North America (until 1987), Brazil, Europe
  • 2-door 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 ....
     - North America (from 1988)
  • 4-door sedan - all markets
  • 3-door hatchback
    Hatchback

    Hatchback is a term designating an automobile design, containing a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind the vehicle by a single, top-hinged tailgate or large flip-up window....
     - North America (until 1987)
  • 3-door hatchback - Brazil (NOTE: these are two different bodies, the Brazilian version had a more upright roofline than the USDM one)
  • 5-door hatchback - Europe
  • 5-door 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...
     - North America (until 1994), Australia (exported to the UK)
  • 2-door 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....
     - subcontracted to American Sunroof Corporation
    American Specialty Cars

    American Specialty Cars is an automobile supplier of highly engineered and designed roof systems, body systems and other specialty-vehicle systems for the world?s automakers....
     in North America and Baur
    Baur

    Baur can refer to:* Erwin Baur, German geneticist and botanist ;* Esperanza Baur, Mexican actress, 2nd wife of John Wayne ;* Ferdinand Christian Baur, German theologian and leader of the T?bingen school of theology ;...
     in Europe; German market convertibles made by two different coachbuilders: Keinath
    Keinath

    Keinath Automobilbau was a German coachbuilder and converted 50 Opel Monza into convertibles. Along with Hammond & Thiede and Voll, Kienath produced their convertible version of the Opel Ascona in the 1980s....
     and Hammond & Thiede. Brazilian convertibles made by Envemo and Sulam


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