Plymouth was an automobile brand made by the Chrysler Corporation, a United States automaker. Plymouth was among the most popular and widely recognized U.S. car brands. Plymouths were manufactured from 1928 until 2001. Famous Plymouth models included the Fury, Valiant, and Voyager. For decades, Plymouths were popular choices for police departments and taxi companies throughout the United States.
Walter P. Chrysler, owner of the Chrysler Corporation, developed the Plymouth line to sell for lower prices than other Chrysler cars. The first Plymouth rolled off the assembly line on June 11, 1928. Plymouths quickly became popular, and by 1934, 1 million had been made. During the 1930’s, Plymouth ranked third behind Chevrolet and Ford in total U.S. sales.
During World War II (1939-1945), the U.S. government halted automobile production to focus on wartime needs. From early 1942 to August 1945, Plymouth factories turned out staff cars (cars used for transporting officers), tanks, trucks, and other equipment for the U.S. armed forces.
In 1954, Plymouth followed its competitors with its first automatic transmission, the “PowerFlite.” An automatic transmission, unlike a manual transmission, does not require a driver to operate a gearshift and clutch to change gears (see Transmission ).
The Plymouth Fury, introduced in 1957, became a popular model for many years. The equally popular compact Plymouth Valiant appeared in 1960. The 1964 fastback Barracuda was a sporty version of the Valiant. A fastback is an automobile with a roofline that slopes down the rear. Beginning in 1966, Plymouth joined the era of muscle cars (large cars with powerful engines) with the Belvedere GTX, Road Runner, and Satellite.
New pollution standards and fuel crises in the 1970’s turned the auto industry toward smaller, more fuel-efficient models. Plymouth responded with smaller models such as the Horizon, introduced in 1978. Also during the 1970’s, however, Plymouth’s parent corporation, Chrysler, suffered a failure in the European market and disastrous recalls of faulty cars. In 1980, the U.S. government responded to Chrysler’s pleas for financial assistance to avoid bankruptcy by guaranteeing $1 1/2 billion in private loans to the company.
Lee Iacocca, who had become chairman of the board of Chrysler in 1979, reversed the company’s fortunes. Chrysler K-cars, including the Plymouth Reliant, appeared in 1981. The K-cars were basic, inexpensive automobiles, and they sold well. Chrysler repaid the government-guaranteed loans in 1983, seven years ahead of schedule.
The 1984 Plymouth Voyager minivan was a huge success for the company. However, Chrysler sales declined in the 1990’s. In 1998, the German automaker Daimler-Benz purchased Chrysler, forming DaimlerChrysler, also known as the Chrysler Group. Plymouth then shut down. Its last car—a Neon—was produced in June 2001.
See also Chrysler .
