The General Motors X platform (also called X-body) is an

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 ...

designation that was used for

compact cars Compact as used in politics may refer broadly to a pact or treaty; in more specific cases it may refer to: * Interstate compact * Blood compact, an ancient ritual of the Philippines * Compact government, a type of colonial rule utilized in British ...

with

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 ...

. Developed by

Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ous ...

, the architecture was produced from the 1962 to 1979 model years. During the 1970s, the platform was used by multiple GM divisions as the company expanded its use of compact model lines. For 1980, the platform was discontinued and the X-body designation was reused for its downsized successor, the first front-wheel drive compact car architecture produced by General Motors.

Overview

The X-platform is a rear-wheel drive architecture that was introduced by Chevrolet for 1962 as a more conventional alternative to both the Y-platform compacts of Buick, Pontiac, and Oldsmobile, and the Z-platform

Chevrolet Corvair The Chevrolet Corvair is a compact car manufactured by Chevrolet for model years 1960–1969 in two generations. A response to the Volkswagen Beetle, it remains the only American-designed, mass-produced passenger car with a rear-mounted, air- ...

, with Chevrolet debuting the architecture for 1962 with the Chevy II compact sedan. Using a semi-unibody configuration, the X-platform body was a unitized body from the firewall rearward with frame rails bolted on to support the powertrain and front suspension. Initially introduced with 4 and 6-cylinder engines, the X-body was fitted with a wide variety of powerplants through its production, ranging between a 2.5L I4 and a 6.6L V8. From 1962 to 1967, the X-body used a 110-inch wheelbase (-inch longer than the

Ford Falcon Ford Falcon is an automobile nameplate applied to several vehicles worldwide. * Ford Falcon (North America), an automobile produced by Ford from 1960 to 1970. * Ford Falcon (Argentina), a car built by Ford Argentina from 1962 until 1991. * Fo ...

); for 1968, the platform wheelbase was extended to 111 inches (an inch shorter than the A-body). Sharing largely unchanged chassis underpinnings throughout its 17 model-year production, the X-body underwent body redesign for 1966, 1968, and 1975. The architecture was produced across an extensive range of body styles, including a 2-door sedan, hardtop, and convertible, a 3-door hatchback (among the largest ever produced by GM), and a 4-door sedan and station wagon. The hardtop, convertible, and station wagon are exclusive to the Chevy II before 1968, with the Nova and its counterparts offered as a two-door sedan, three-door hatchback, and four-door sedan.

Variants

The rear-wheel drive X-body and its semi-unibody design would serve as a basis for two GM platforms through its production. The first two generations of the

GM F platform The F platform, or F-body, was General Motors' rear-wheel drive pony car automobile platform from 1967 until 2002. It was based partially on the GM X platform, which was used for compact applications instead of the sporting intent of the F-Body. The ...

(Chevrolet Camaro/Pontiac Firebird) shared a number of chassis components. Along with the F-platform, the rear-wheel drive

GM K platform The General Motors K platform (commonly called the K-body) was the basis of the Cadillac Seville The Seville was manufactured by Cadillac from 1975 to 2004 as a smaller-sized, premium model. It was replaced by the STS in 2004. Origin of the ...

(Cadillac Seville) shared its steering linkage and front suspension with the X-body; the F-body was shortened to a 108-inch wheelbase while the K-body was lengthened to a 114.3-inch wheelbase. The X-body would use two steering linkage designs. From 1968 to 1974, the steering linkage was placed behind the steering gear ("rear steer"—also shared with the 1967–1969 F-body). From 1975 to 1979, the steering linkage was moved forward of the steering gear ("front steer"—shared with the 1970–1981 F-body and 1973–1977 A-body; the control arms and steering knuckle were also common to the 1977–1996 B-body)

Vehicles

Exclusive to Chevrolet during the 1960s, the Chevy II (renamed the

Chevrolet Nova A nova (plural novae or novas) is a transient astronomical event that causes the sudden appearance of a bright, apparently "new" star (hence the name "nova", which is Latin for "new") that slowly fades over weeks or months. Causes of the dramati ...

for 1968) would serve as the successor to the Corvair in the compact segment. In Canada, the model line was also sold as the

Acadian The Acadians (french: Acadiens , ) are an ethnic group descended from the French who settled in the New France colony of Acadia during the 17th and 18th centuries. Most Acadians live in the region of Acadia, as it is the region where the de ...

(by Pontiac/Buick dealers in place of the Pontiac Tempest) from 1962 to 1971. After exiting the compact segment following the 1963 model year, Pontiac introduced an X-body model line for 1971, with Buick and Oldsmobile following suit for 1973. Following the introduction of the Oldsmobile Omega, Pontiac Ventura, and Buick Apollo alongside the Chevrolet Nova, the X-body was also colloquially referred to as the "NOVA" chassis, in reference to the first letter of each model name (Nova, Omega, Ventura, Apollo). As the 1970s progressed, Buick and Pontiac would rename its X-body model lines (shifting nameplates from the A-body intermediates). For 1974, Pontiac downsized the GTO to the X-body (for its final model year before 2004). For 1975, Buick reintroduced the Skylark to replace the two-door and hatchback Apollo, replacing the Apollo entirely for 1976. For 1977, the Pontiac Phoenix was introduced, replacing the Ventura for 1978.

Model list (1962-1979 X-body)

Acadian (Canada) *

(1962-1971) ** Acadian Invader (1962-1971) ** Acadian Beaumont (1962-1963; replaced by stand-alone

Beaumont Beaumont may refer to: Places Canada * Beaumont, Alberta * Beaumont, Quebec England * Beaumont, Cumbria * Beaumont, Essex ** Beaumont Cut, a canal closed in the 1930s * Beaumont Street, Oxford France (communes) * Beaumont, Ardèche * ...

brand based on Chevrolet Chevelle) ** Acadian Canso (1964-1971; equivalent to Nova) Buick *

Buick Apollo The Buick Apollo is a compact car that was manufactured from 1973 to 1975 by Buick. It was based on the GM X platform along with the Oldsmobile Omega, Chevrolet Nova, and the Pontiac Ventura. The car was named for the Greek god Apollo. It w ...

(1973–1974; 1975 sedan only) *

Buick Skylark The Buick Skylark is a passenger car formerly produced by Buick. The model was made in six production runs, during 46 years, over which the car's design varied dramatically due to changing technology, tastes, and new standards implemented over ...

(1975 coupe only; 1976–1979) Chevrolet *

Chevrolet Chevy II The Chevrolet Chevy II/Nova is a compact car, small automobile manufactured by Chevrolet, and produced in five generations for the 1962 through 1979, and 1985 through 1988 model years. Nova was the top car model, model in the Chevy II lineup thro ...

(1962–1968) *

(1968–1979; Chevy II trim level from 1962-1967) Oldsmobile *

Oldsmobile Omega The Oldsmobile Omega is a compact car manufactured and marketed from 1973-1984 by Oldsmobile, as the brand's most affordable, entry level vehicle — across three distinct generations. The first two generations of the Omega used rear-wheel ...

(1973–1979) Pontiac *

Pontiac Ventura The Pontiac Ventura was an automobile model that was produced by Pontiac. As was common practice at the time, its name was derived from Ventura, California, joining other similarly derived models such as the fellow Pontiac Catalina, the Chevrolet M ...

(1971–1977) ** Pontiac Ventura II (1971-1972) *

Pontiac GTO The Pontiac GTO is an automobile that was manufactured by American automaker Pontiac from 1963 to 1974 for the 1964 to 1974 model years, and by GM's subsidiary Holden in Australia for the 2004 to 2006 model years. The first generation of the G ...

(1974) *

Pontiac Phoenix The Pontiac Phoenix was a compact car that was sold from 1977 to 1984 by Pontiac. There were two generations of the Phoenix, both based on popular Chevrolet models, and both using the GM X platform designation. It was named for the mythological ...

(1977–1979)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gm X Platform X