The Chrysler M Platform (or "M-Body") was an intermediate-sized

automobile platform A car 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 cars, often from different, but somewhat related, marques. It is pract ...

used by

Chrysler Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...

motors from 1977 to 1989. It was a successor to the F-body, as used on the Dodge Aspen/ Plymouth Volare. The M-body was also the successor to the short-lived R-body, as the

Chrysler New Yorker The Chrysler New Yorker is an automobile model that was produced by Chrysler from 1940 until 1996, serving for several decades as the brand's flagship model, or as a junior sedan to the Chrysler Imperial luxury brand. A trim level named the "Ne ...

and

Plymouth Gran Fury The Plymouth Gran Fury is a full-sized automobile that was manufactured by Plymouth (automobile), Plymouth from 1975 to 1989. The nameplate would be used on successive Downsize (automobile), downsizings, first in 1980, and again in 1982, through ...

moved to it following the R-body's demise in 1981. The M platform was the final production passenger car with a solid rear axle mounted on Hotchkiss-style, parallel semi-elliptical

leaf springs A leaf spring is a simple form of spring commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles. Originally called a ''laminated'' or ''carriage spring'', and sometimes referred to as a semi-elliptical spring, elliptical spring, or cart spring, it ...

sold in the U.S. The M-cars were built at

St. Louis, Missouri St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the Greater St. Louis, ...

and

Newark, Delaware Newark ( )Not as in Newark, New Jersey. is a small city in New Castle County, Delaware, New Castle County, Delaware, United States. It is located west-southwest of Wilmington, Delaware, Wilmington. According to the 2010 United States Census, ...

with initial debut (LeBaron/Diplomat series) in spring 1977 as 1977 1/2 models, with production shifting to

Windsor, Ontario Windsor is a city in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on the south bank of the Detroit River directly across from Detroit, Michigan, United States. Geographically located within but administratively independent of Essex County, it is the souther ...

through 1983, then moving to Fenton, MO. Beginning in February 1987 and ending with 1989 model year, the

American Motors American Motors Corporation (AMC; commonly referred to as American Motors) was an American automobile manufacturing company formed by the merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and Hudson Motor Car Company on May 1, 1954. At the time, it was the ...

Main plant in

Kenosha, Wisconsin Kenosha () is a city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin and the seat of Kenosha County. Per the 2020 census, the population was 99,986 which made it the fourth-largest city in Wisconsin. Situated on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan, Kenos ...

was utilized for assembly. By 1983–84, it became clear that most private buyers preferred the equally roomy but cheaper and more fuel-efficient K-cars; however, the M's long-proven traditional engineering, handling, and V8 engine availability appealed to

police The police are a constituted body of persons empowered by a state, with the aim to enforce the law, to ensure the safety, health and possessions of citizens, and to prevent crime and civil disorder. Their lawful powers include arrest and t ...

and

taxi A taxi, also known as a taxicab or simply a cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice ...

fleets, allowing the car's continued existence until the end of the decade. In mid-1988, the Chrysler M-bodies received a driver side air bag. After the M-bodies were discontinued in mid-1989, Chrysler Corporation didn't build a rear wheel drive car outside of trucks and specialty models until LX based cars. Vehicles on this platform include: * 1977-1989

Dodge Diplomat The Dodge Diplomat is an American mid-size car that was produced by Dodge from 1977 to 1989. At launch, it shared a common design with the Chrysler LeBaron and for much of its later production run was the counterpart of the Chrysler Fifth Avenu ...

* 1977-1981

Chrysler LeBaron The Chrysler LeBaron, also known as the Imperial LeBaron, is a line of automobiles built by Chrysler from 1931-1941 and from 1955-1995. The model was introduced in 1931, with a body manufactured by LeBaron Incorporated, LeBaron, and competed wit ...

* 1978-1981

Chrysler Town & Country The Chrysler Town & Country is a minivan that was manufactured and marketed by Chrysler from 1990 to the 2016 model years. The third of the Chrysler minivans introduced, the 1990 Town & Country shared its nameplate with the flagship Chrysler st ...

station wagon * 1978-1979

Dodge Coronet The Dodge Coronet is an automobile that was marketed by Dodge in seven generations, and shared nameplates with the same bodyshell with varying levels of equipment installed. Introduced as a full-size car in 1949, it was the division's highest tri ...

(South America) * 1978-1982

Plymouth Caravelle The Plymouth Caravelle is a mid-size sedan that was introduced by Plymouth as a 1983 Canadian model. The Caravelle came to the United States in 1985 to replace the Chrysler E-Class. It was essentially identical to the concurrent Dodge 600. It ...

(Canada) * 1980-1981

Dodge Dart Dodge Dart is a line of automobiles marketed by Dodge from the 1959 to 1976 model years in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets. The Dart name originally appeared on a 1956 Chrysler show car featuring ...

(Mexico) * 1981-1982

Dodge Magnum The Dodge Magnum is a nameplate used by several Dodge vehicles, at different times and on various markets. The name was first applied to a large Chrysler B platform-based 2-door coupe marketed from 1978 to 1979 sold in the United States and Cana ...

5.9L (Mexico) * 1982-1989

* 1982

* 1983

Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue The Chrysler Fifth Avenue was a trim level/option package or model name used by Chrysler (division), Chrysler for its larger sedans from 1979 to 1993. The Fifth Avenue name was no longer used after 1993 when Chrysler introduced its new LH-platform ...

* 1983-1989

Plymouth Caravelle Salon The Plymouth Caravelle is a mid-size sedan that was introduced by Plymouth (automobile), Plymouth as a 1983 Canadian model. The Caravelle came to the United States in 1985 to replace the Chrysler E-Class. It was essentially identical to the con ...

(Canada) * 1984-1989

Chrysler Fifth Avenue The Chrysler Fifth Avenue was a trim level/option package or model name used by Chrysler for its larger sedans from 1979 to 1993. The Fifth Avenue name was no longer used after 1993 when Chrysler introduced its new LH-platform New Yorker and simil ...

*1979-1980

Monteverdi Sierra The Monteverdi Sierra is a Swiss luxury car produced by Monteverdi based on the underpinnings of the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volare. From 1977 to 1980, around 20 cars were built. History The Monteverdi Sierra was a car built between 1977 and 198 ...

Convertible Three body styles offered: * 2-door

coupe A coupe or coupé (, ) is a passenger car with a sloping or truncated rear roofline and two doors. The term ''coupé'' was first applied to horse-drawn carriages for two passengers without rear-facing seats. It comes from the French past parti ...

- 1977-1981 * 4-door sedan - 1977-1989 * 4-door

station wagon A station wagon ( US, also wagon) or estate car ( UK, also estate), is an automotive body-style variant of a sedan/saloon with its roof extended rearward over a shared passenger/cargo volume with access at the back via a third or fifth door ( ...

- 1978-1981 Two wheelbases used: * 108.7 in - 1980-1981 2-door * 112.7 in - 1977-1979 2-door, 1978-1981 Station Wagon and 1977-1989 4-door https://www.xr793.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1981-Chrysler-Lebaron.pdf Engines used with this platform include: * 225 Slant 6 (1977-1983) * 318 V8 (1977-1989) * 360 V8 (1977-1979)

References

;Inline {{Reflist ;General *http://www.allpar.com **https://www.allpar.com/threads/dodge-diplomat-plymouth-gran-fury-caravelle-and-chrysler-lebaron-new-yorker-and-fifth.228725/#post-1085222823 (''By Ed Hennessy and by Frank Billington'') **http://www.allpar.com/model/rwdbodies.html (''Mopar Body Types By Ed Hennessy Date 1998'') **https://gazeo.com/automotive/vehicles/Chrysler-M-body-LPG-blast-from-the-past,article,6712.html (''Chrysler M-body LPG - Blast from the Past By Robert Markowski Date 2-13-2013 '') **http://www.angelfire.com/ca/mikesspot/history.html **http://www.policecarwebsite.net/policepackage/mbody.html **http://blog.consumerguide.com/goodbye-gran-fifthlomat-the-chrysler-m-body-cars-of-1989/ (''Goodbye Gran Fifthlomat: The Chrysler M-Body Cars of 1989 By Tom Appel Date 4-29-2014'') M

See also

References