Are you the first Buyer of Homeowner’s Insurance Plan?
A rather different ’95 newcomer was the Sebring coupe, a luxury edition of the year-old Dodge Avenger. The Sebring coupe was also American-made, built exclusively for the U.S. Replacing the J-body LeBaron coupe, it wasn’t technically an American car, as its foundation was the Japanese-designed 1994-98 Mitsubishi Galant sedan platform with 103.7-inch wheelbase. Illinois factory that Chrysler set up with Mitsubishi in 1989 as Diamond-Star Motors. But the snazzy two-door body was styled with Chrysler input, and the base LX model came with a Chrysler’s own 2.0-liter four as used in the small 1994-95 Dodge/Plymouth Neon.
Toward that end, chairman Iacocca was finally persuaded to step down, something he’d resisted for years. He came directly from GM Europe, which had recently come back strong under his command, condo rent bangkok – visit our website – (more tips here) and his low-key manner made a nice contrast with the often outspoken Lutz. Though Lutz was the obvious heir apparent, Iacocca got in one last surprise by handing the job to Robert Eaton in early 1993. Eaton was a shrewd choice.
By 1965, Newport’s annual sales were exceeding 125,000. The ’61 carried a 265-bhp 361 V-8; Windsor and New Yorker retained their previous engines. Nevertheless, the company’s general sales difficulties hastened a management shakeup that had an immediate effect on products. Though Highland Park’s fortunes were shaky in these years, Chrysler Division actually improved its volume and industry rank. After sinking to 12th with over 77,000 cars for 1960, it finished 11th on better than 96,000 units for ’61. At the end of July 1961, a beleaguered “Tex” Colbert retired as president, a role he had resumed in 1960 when William Newberg quit the post after two months amid allegations of having financial interests in several Chrysler suppliers.
Handling and performance were nothing special, but these were merely traditional luxury cars of a trimmer, more-efficient sort — really, no bad thing to be. Other new features for the New Yorker nameplate’s 50th year included options such as antitheft alarm system, power front seatback recliners, and two-position “memory” power driver’s seat, plus a revised electronic instrument cluster. Plymouth’s new 1989 Acclaim compact implied an upscale Chrysler version. And Chrysler made them better for 1989 with standard all-disc brakes and a new four-speed automatic transaxle that gave Highland Park another industry first with its fully adaptive electronic shift control. Sure enough, it arrived in January 1990 to take over for the departed LeBaron hatchback.
Included were the expected leather upholstery and full power assists, but also all-disc antilock brakes, manual soft top with heated-glass rear window, and a removable hardtop (made of sheet-molding compound). Despite all this, the TC bombed. Adding injury to insult, the announced $30,000 base sticker was hiked $3000 within three months. The last had a nostalgic styling touch: rear-quarter portholes, recalling the ’56 Thunderbird and the earliest days of Iacocca’s career at Ford. Its similarity to the much cheaper LeBaron convertible was too obvious; and handling, refinement, and performance were undistinguished for a car of its price. Thus did trade weekly Automotive News name the TC its 1988 “Flop of the Year,” the same “honor” it accorded Cadillac’s Allanté the previous year.
Not since the ’50s had Chryslers changed so much in just one year — or so much for the better. A new link with Chrysler’s past appeared on 1995 models, as the corporate pentastar gave way to the make’s original “rose” emblems, revived after a 41-year absence. LHS added an optional power moonroof during the ’94 run. The 207s carried into 1995 essentially unchanged. But with sales still greatly favoring LHS, Chrysler decided to drop the New Yorker after a short 1996-model run, thus ending a veteran American nameplate after 57 eventful years. New Yorker got a standard premium audio system and touring suspension for ’95.
