Plymouth: The Rise and Fall of Chrysler's Low-Price Brand

Plymouth at a glance

Walter Chrysler, the Model Q and the name

Walter P. Chrysler wanted a car to take on the Ford Model A and the Chevrolet. The four-cylinder Chrysler Model 52, which grew out of the old Maxwell, was the starting point. The new Plymouth Model Q appeared at Madison Square Garden on 7 July 1928. It had a 2,794 cc four-cylinder with 34 kW (45 hp) and hydraulic brakes on all four wheels. The car cost a little more than its rivals, but the old 1cars text notes that it was more advanced. The founder's story is told on the Walter Chrysler page.

Sales chief Joe Frazer chose the name. It came from Plymouth binder twine, which farmers trusted, although the Mayflower ship on the badge pointed to Plymouth Rock and the Pilgrims. Production of the Model Q ended on 4 February 1929, with 66,097 cars built in the United States and Canada. For 1929 the Model U dropped the word "Chrysler" from the name.

Plymouth history by era

1928–1945: Floating Power and third place

By 1930, all three Chrysler sales divisions sold the new car. The 1931 Model PA introduced "Floating Power", rubber engine mounts that cut vibration, and the brand moved to third place in US sales. The one millionth Plymouth, a PE model, was built in 1934. In 1939 output reached 417,528 cars, and in 1940–1941 the make came close to passing Ford for second place. During the Second World War the factories made defence products, and car production restarted in 1945.

1946–1959: taxis, Exner and the Forward Look

After the war, buyers took every car they could get, and the division built 569,260 in 1949. The old 1cars text describes the late-1940s cars as solid and well built but plain, popular mainly as taxis. The PowerFlite automatic arrived in 1954. Designer Virgil Exner facelifted the range for 1955, when the first Plymouth V8 also appeared, and output jumped to 746,361.

The Fury arrived in 1956 with a 179 kW (240 hp) 5.0-litre V8. Exner's "Forward Look" of 1957 gave the cars long, low bodies and tall fins. The design sold well at first, but the 1957–1958 cars rusted badly and hurt Chrysler's reputation for years.

1960–1974: Valiant, Barracuda and the muscle years

The compact Valiant began in 1960 as a separate brand and became a Plymouth in the US in 1961. It brought the long-lived Slant-6 engine and unit-body construction. The Plymouth Barracuda fastback followed on 1 April 1964, about two weeks before Ford's Mustang. The GTX arrived in 1967, and the low-cost Plymouth Road Runner in 1968.

The 426 Hemi, rated at 317 kW (425 hp gross), was the top engine of this era. In 1970 the range added the new E-body Barracuda, the compact Duster and the winged Road Runner Superbird for NASCAR. Production reached its all-time peak of about 973,000 cars in 1973. The Barracuda ended on 1 April 1974, as insurance costs and the fuel crisis ended the muscle-car boom.

1975–1989: imports, Horizon, K-cars and the Voyager

The brand lost its identity in the late 1970s. According to the old 1cars text, it sold the British Hillman Avenger as the Plymouth Cricket and several Japanese-built models from Mitsubishi. The front-drive Horizon arrived in 1978. In 1979 Dodge built more cars than its sister brand for the first time: 404,266 against 372,449.

The 1981 Reliant K-car helped save Chrysler, with over 150,000 sold in its first year. The real hit came in 1984: the Plymouth Voyager, one of the first modern minivans, sold alongside the Dodge Caravan. The Laser sports coupé, developed with Mitsubishi, appeared in 1990.

1990–2001: Neon, Prowler and the end

By 1995, the car range was down to three models. The Neon of 1994 replaced the Sundance and Colt, and the Breeze saloon followed in 1996. The retro Prowler roadster of 1997 was the brand's last bold idea. In 1997 the division still built 178,807 cars and 187,347 Voyagers. On 3 November 1999, DaimlerChrysler announced that the brand would end after 2001. The Voyager became a Chrysler in 2000, and the final Neon was assembled on 28 June 2001.

Landmark models

The Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda of 1970 is among the most sought-after models of the brand. Power grew from 34 kW in the Model Q to 317 kW in the Hemi, more than nine times as much by our calculation.

Racing and engineering firsts

The brand's main racing story was NASCAR. Richard Petty drove Plymouths through the 1960s and returned to the brand in 1970 with the Superbird. Its tall rear wing and long nose cone were built for the high-speed ovals, and 1,935 road versions were made so that the car could race. Its road-car firsts were practical: four-wheel hydraulic brakes on a low-priced car in 1928 and Floating Power in 1931. According to the old 1cars text, the 1942 model added interior lights that switched on with the doors.

Ownership, plants and why the brand closed

The brand had no factories of its own. The cars came from Chrysler plants, starting with a new Detroit factory in 1929, according to the old text. The last Neon came from Belvidere, Illinois. The decline was slow. By 2000 Dodge built 459,988 cars against 108,546 for its sister brand. With almost no unique models left, DaimlerChrysler moved its products to Chrysler and Dodge. The Prowler and the PT Cruiser, both planned as Plymouths, carried Chrysler badges.

What replaced the line-up

There is no current line-up. When the brand ended, the Voyager became the Chrysler Voyager, the Prowler became a Chrysler, and the Neon continued as a Dodge. It is one of the American makes covered in the 1cars section on lost car brands. Surviving models with their data are in the Plymouth catalogue.

Output in numbers

From the 1973 peak to the last full year, 2000, output fell by about 89 % by our calculation. Compared with Dodge's 459,988 cars in 2000, the brand built less than a quarter as many. To set the classic Plymouths against their rivals, use the 1cars comparison tool and the 1cars rankings.

Collecting a Plymouth: which to choose

For most classic buyers, a 1968–1970 Road Runner is the best choice: it has the muscle-car look and was built in large numbers, with 81,125 made for 1969 alone. The Barracuda and 'Cuda suit collectors with a bigger budget, and a genuine Hemi car needs a fully documented history. The Valiant and Duster are simpler cars that suit everyday classic use. The Prowler appeals to fans of modern retro design.

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