The B platform or B-body was the name of
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 automotiv ...
's midsize
rear-wheel drive
Rear-wheel drive (RWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, in which the engine drives the rear wheels only. Until the late 20th century, rear-wheel drive was the most common configuration for cars.
Most rear-wheel ...
passenger car platform from 1962 through 1979, and the name of a later, unrelated
front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
platform used by the
Eagle Premier /
Dodge Monaco from 1988 through 1992.
The 1962-1979 platform underwent significant changes during its lifetime, but all of Chrysler's B-platform cars in a given model year shared the same
chassis
A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of an artificial object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpar ...
, with only styling differences between the Dodge and Plymouth models. The cars were otherwise mechanically identical. Similarly, the 1988-1992 Premier and Monaco models differed only by styling and shared the same
front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitu ...
B-body platform.
The Plymouth B-body series ultimately comprised four cars with nearly identical outward appearances (differing only in trim package, drive train and accessories). These were the
Belvedere Belvedere (from Italian, meaning "beautiful sight") may refer to:
Places
Australia
*Belvedere, Queensland, a locality in the Cassowary Coast Region
Africa
* Belvedere (Casablanca), a neighborhood in Casablanca, Morocco
* Belvedere, Harare, Z ...
,
Satellite
A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioiso ...
,
GTX and
Road Runner. The
Superbird was a Road Runner with an extended nose cone and front fenders borrowed from the Dodge Charger Daytona, and a high-mounted rear wing. The Superbird's unique styling was a result of
homologation
Homologation ( Greek ''homologeo'', ὁμολογέω, "to agree") is the granting of approval by an official authority. This may be a court of law, a government department, or an academic or professional body, any of which would normally work ...
requirements for using the same aerodynamic nose and rear wing when racing the car in the
NASCAR
The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing, LLC (NASCAR) is an American auto racing sanctioning and operating company that is best known for stock car racing. The privately owned company was founded by Bill France Sr. in 1948, and ...
series of the time.
There was more diversity in the outward appearance of the Dodge B-body series. The Dodge models based on the B-body were the
Coronet
A coronet is a small crown consisting of ornaments fixed on a metal ring. A coronet differs from other kinds of crowns in that a coronet never has arches, and from a tiara in that a coronet completely encircles the head, while a tiara doe ...
,
Super Bee and the
Charger. The
Charger Daytona was a Charger with an extended nose and high-mounted rear wing, offered for the same reasons as the Superbird.
1962–1979
Cars using the rear-wheel-drive B platform include:
* 1962
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 ...
* 1962–1964
Dodge Polara
The Dodge Polara is an automobile introduced in the United States for the 1960 model year as Dodge's top-of-the-line full-size car. After the introduction of the Dodge Custom 880 in 1962, the Polara nameplate designated a step below the full-size ...
* 1962–1964
Plymouth Fury
The Plymouth Fury is a model of automobile that was produced by Plymouth from 1955 until 1989. It was introduced for the 1956 model year as a sub-series of the Plymouth Belvedere, becoming a separate series one level above the contemporary Belved ...
* 1962–1964
Plymouth Savoy
The Plymouth Savoy is an automobile model produced from the 1954 through 1964 model years by Plymouth.
Early history
Plymouth used the name Savoy on several automobiles. From 1951-1953, the Savoy name was used on a station wagon, upgrading th ...
* 1962–1970
Plymouth Belvedere
Plymouth Belvedere is a series of American automobile models made by Plymouth from 1954 until 1970.
The Belvedere name was first used for a new hardtop body style in the Plymouth Cranbrook line for the 1951 model year. In 1954 the Belvedere r ...
* 1963–1964
Dodge 220 (Canadian)
* 1963–1964
Dodge 330
* 1963–1964
Dodge 440
* 1965–1974
Plymouth Satellite
* 1965–1976
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 tr ...
* 1966–1978
Dodge Charger
The Dodge Charger is a model of automobile marketed by Dodge in various forms over seven generations since 1966.
The first Charger was a show car in 1964. A 1965 Charger II concept car resembled the 1966 production version.
The Charger has ...
* 1967–1971
Plymouth GTX
Plymouth () is a port city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to the west and south-west.
Plymouth' ...
* 1968–1975
Plymouth Road Runner
The Plymouth Road Runner is a mid-size car with a focus on performance built by Plymouth in the United States between 1968 and 1980. By 1968, some of the original muscle cars were moving away from their roots as relatively cheap, fast cars as t ...
* 1975–1978
Plymouth Fury
The Plymouth Fury is a model of automobile that was produced by Plymouth from 1955 until 1989. It was introduced for the 1956 model year as a sub-series of the Plymouth Belvedere, becoming a separate series one level above the contemporary Belved ...
* 1975–1979
Chrysler Cordoba
The Chrysler Cordoba is a full-sized luxury car based on the Chrysler Newport that was marketed during the 1970 model year only and two generations as an intermediate-sized two-door personal luxury model manufactured by Chrysler in North America ...
* 1977–1978
Dodge Monaco
* 1978–1979
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 Canad ...
* 1979
Chrysler 300
The Chrysler 300 is a full-size luxury car manufactured and marketed by Stellantis North America (and its predecessor companies) as a four-door sedan and station wagon in its first generation (model years 2005–2010) and solely as a four-d ...
Five different wheelbases were available:
* 116 in
** 1962
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 ...
** 1962–1964
Dodge Polara
The Dodge Polara is an automobile introduced in the United States for the 1960 model year as Dodge's top-of-the-line full-size car. After the introduction of the Dodge Custom 880 in 1962, the Polara nameplate designated a step below the full-size ...
** 1962–1966
Plymouth
Plymouth () is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in South West England. It is located on the south coast of Devon, approximately south-west of Exeter and south-west of London. It is bordered by Cornwall to ...
wagons
** 1962–1970 Plymouths (except wagons)
** 1963–1964
Dodge 220/
330
__NOTOC__
Year 330 ( CCCXXX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Gallicanus and Tullianus (or, less frequently, year 1 ...
/
440
Year 440 (CDXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Valentinianus and Anatolius (or, less frequently, year 1193 ''Ab urbe ...
* 115 in
** 1971–1979 2-door models
** 1975–1979 Chrysler Cordoba
* 117 in
** 1965–1970
Dodge
Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above P ...
s
** 1967–1974 Plymouth wagons
** 1971–1974 Plymouth 4 doors
* 117.5 in
** 1975–1978 Plymouth and
Dodge
Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above P ...
4 doors and wagons
* 118 in
** 1971–1974
Dodge
Dodge is an American brand of automobiles and a division of Stellantis, based in Auburn Hills, Michigan. Dodge vehicles have historically included performance cars, and for much of its existence Dodge was Chrysler's mid-priced brand above P ...
1988–1992
From 1988 to 1992, the B-body name was used again for the midsize
front-wheel-drive
Front-wheel drive (FWD) is a form of engine and transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longi ...
Eagle Premier sedan, which was originally designed by and was slated to be built by
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 ...
with
Renault
Groupe Renault ( , , , also known as the Renault Group in English; legally Renault S.A.) is a French multinational automobile manufacturer established in 1899. The company produces a range of cars and vans, and in the past has manufactured ...
until Chrysler's buyout of that company in March 1987. The Premier was later joined by the similar
Dodge Monaco for 1990.
Models
* 1988–1992
Eagle Premier
* 1990–1992
Dodge Monaco
See also
*
Chrysler platforms Rear wheel drive cars
Front wheel drive cars
Trucks
See also
*Chrysler
* DeSoto
*Dodge
*Eagle
*Imperial
*Jeep
*Plymouth
*List of Chrysler vehicles
*List of Jeep vehicles
The following is a list of vehicle models / platforms sold und ...
External links
For B Bodies Only Mopar Forum1969 Roadrunner Forumat Lee Herman's
Mopar
Mopar is the parts, service, and customer care division of the former Chrysler Corporation, now owned by Netherlands-based automobile manufacturer Stellantis. It serves as a primary OEM accessory seller for Stellantis brands under the Mopar bran ...
Page (three pages).
B