Chrysler K platform

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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. Based on their passenger space, the K-cars were placed in the same "midsize" category by the United States EPA as Chrysler's significantly larger and heavier M-body cars^[1]

The K cars have been categorized as compact for their external size and small front-wheel drive layout. The K cars technically include only the Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant, second generation Chrysler LeBaron, and the Dodge 400 used the K platform. The rest of the K-derivatives, as well as Chrysler's minivans, were based on the K platform with adaptations and modifications to suit vehicles of different size and intended usage. These vehicles had modified suspensions and were longer and heavier than the original K-cars, but all had the same basic chassis architecture: a solid beam rear axle, independent front suspensions with MacPherson struts, and front wheel drive (except for the AWD minivans.

The actual K-cars ( Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant, Chrysler LeBaron, and Dodge 400) sold very well, selling between 280,000 and 360,000 every year from 1981 to 1988, and edging over 100,000 in their final year, 1989. The manual transmission provided a 0-60 if 10 seconds, while the automatic was between 13 and 14 seconds, similar to or better than most competitors, while gas mileage was rated by the EPA at 26 city, 41 highway with the manual transmission. All had a 100.1 inch wheelbase. The overall length of the two and four-door models was 176 inches. The wagon was 0.2 inches longer. The vehicles had a 13-gallon fuel tank. The coupe and sedan had approximately 15 cubic feet of luggage space; the wagons, 35 cubic feet with rear seat up and about 70 feet when folded. ^[2]

They were also initially very profitable, and Lee Iaccoca credited them with allowing Chrysler to pay off its loans early.

The K-derivatives offered a large variety of engines depending on year and model. Four cylinder engines were initially equipped with carburetors; fuel injection was phased in beginning in the mid-1980s. Engine output ranged from 86 hp (64 kW) to 224 hp (167 kW). Most vehicles had the 2.2 L or 2.5 L Chrysler-designed four-cylinder engine, though from 1981-1986 a 2.6 L Four and from 1987-1995 a 3.0 L V6, both made by Mitsubishi, were offered.

Chrysler economized greatly across the K-derivative models with standardized parts, so that many parts (aside from sheet metal) are easily interchanged across the lines, leading to owners upgrading by using higher-power or sportier K-derivatives' parts^[2],^[3],^[4]

However, in the 1990s, lack of investment in the K-derivative models coupled with the effects of too much cost-cutting and standardization^{[citation needed]} led to a reliance on heavy rebates to sell the vehicles. Along with inefficiencies in Chrysler's management and manufacturing^{[citation needed]}, this caused Chrysler to sell many of these vehicles at a loss^{[citation needed]}. Their replacements, though sometimes not selling as well, were profitable due to changes in the engineering and production processes, and innovative designs^{[citation needed]}.

Though the K-derivatives did not generally have a strong reputation for performance, several were notable, particularly the Dodge Spirit R/T, which could reach 60 mph (97 km/h) in under six seconds, and the Daytona R/T.

Use of a common platform is a common practice for reducing the number of parts and engineering time, and Chrysler, when creating the K platform, was building vehicles from a small number of common platforms (e.g. F/J/M and R)^[5]. Lee Iaccoca claimed that the huge number of parts in inventory and the complexity of building many completely different versions of vehicles was one reason Chrysler was losing money, and directed the engineers to focus on making a large number of common parts where they would not be visible to customers; this was already common practice in Japan and Germany and would help to make the K-cars profitable even at low prices^[6]

Chrysler applied nameplates somewhat capriciously, so that there could be an E-body New Yorker at the same time a C-body New Yorker was sold; there were also numerous, very different LeBarons for sale at the same time^[7]. While there were no Jeep- or Eagle-branded K-derivatives made, at least one Rubicon-ready prototype was made^[8].

References

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