Chrysler Australia
Encyclopedia
Chrysler Australia is the importer of Chrysler
, Jeep
and Dodge
vehicles for sale in the Australia
n marketplace. However, there had previously been a "Chrysler Australia Ltd" which had operated as a vehicle manufacturer in Australia from 1951 until 1980.
During the 1950s and 1960s, Chrysler made a substantial investment in Australian manufacturing facilities, including opening a new assembly plant at Tonsley Park in 1964 and an engine foundry at Lonsdale
in 1968. During this time, Chrysler Australia established its position as the third of the "Big 3" Australian motor manufacturers behind General Motors-Holden's and Ford Australia
.
Initially, Chrysler Australia assembled North American Chrysler passenger cars and trucks. Their most popular car in the 1950s was the US sourced badge engineered trio: Plymouth Cranbrook
, Dodge Kingsway
and De Soto Diplomat, each based on the 1954 US Plymouth. A coupe utility variant was also developed by Chrysler Australia and this was marketed in nine different versions; the Plymouth Cranbrook, Savoy & Belvedere, the Dodge Kingsway Custom, Kingsway Crusader & Kingsway Coronet and the De Soto Diplomat Custom, Diplomat Regent & Diplomat Plaza. The Plymouth sedan was a popular choice for taxicab usage however the rise in popularity of the Holden during this decade led to the decline of this range of cars.
In 1957, Chrysler Australia consolidated each of the badge-engineered marques in one car—the Chrysler Royal
. This was a facelifted version of the 1954 Plymouth, and it was to continue in production until 1963. The Royal was an automotive curiosity. Starting life as a side valve 6 cylinder manual, with 3 speed manual column gearchange, it was progressively modified, with the addition of US sourced engineering features such as power steering
, the push button "Powerflite" automatic gearbox and an OHV V8. On the styling front US "Forward Look" style tailfins were grafted on the rear of the car, while the front end gained dual (vertically stacked) headlights. These changes failed to arrest the slide in sales, as General Motors-Holden came to dominate the Australian market, and the Royal was viewed as being outmoded and expensive. Production ceased in 1963.
The saving grace for Chrysler at this time was the French Simca Aronde
—a popular 4-cylinder compact car which Chrysler Australia assembled from CKD
kits at their Keswick factory. Local engineers developed an Aronde station wagon unique to Australia, with a then-novel wind-down rear window and tailgate. (Chrysler USA had acquired an interest in Simca
in 1958, the basis for sourcing of this car). The assembly and marketing of Simca Aronde and Vedette
models by Chrysler Australia was announced on 1 July 1959.
In August 1959 Chrysler Australia released Plymouth Belvedere
, Dodge Custom Royal and DeSoto Firesweep
models which were imported from the US in CKD
form and assembled at Chrysler’s Adelaide
facilities. The Plymouth was fitted with a 318 cubic inch V8 engine and the Dodge and de Soto models featured a 361 cubic inch V8.
Chrysler Australia also produced the American-sourced Dodge Phoenix from 1960 to 1973.
, marketed as the Valiant by Chrysler. By 1963, they had developed a local version, the AP5 Valiant, with distinctive styling giving the car a separate identity from the US Plymouth and Dodge variants. The reason for developing different styling was concern that the local manufacturer could not afford to make substantial styling changes as quickly as in the US. Hence, a modified appearance would minimise the risk of accusations that Australia was selling "last year's model".
Through the 1960s, Chrysler expanded the Valiant range, with 2-door hardtop, long wheelbase (VIP) and sporty (Pacer) variants.
Also, in 1966, with the Chrysler USA acquisition of the British Rootes Group, Chrysler Australia took over the Rootes Australia
as well as the operation of their Port Melbourne factory. The principal Rootes model sold in Australia was the Hillman Hunter
and this car became a steady seller for Chrysler until 1973.
In 1970, they introduced the unique-to-Australia "Hemi" 6-cylinder engine—launched with an endorsement from Stirling Moss
. Billed as being "Right—for all the right reasons", this engine went on to become the most powerful 6-cylinder engine produced in Australia (equipped with triple Weber carburettors). Though this engine was based on a US engine design for trucks, it was never produced in North America.
The Valiant was a good seller, but never quite gained the level of market acceptance as its major competitors—the Holden and the Falcon
.
In 1971, Chrysler Australia released its most memorable car—the Valiant Charger. This was a short-wheelbase (105-inch) two-door hardtop version of the standard Valiant. The car had distinctive sporty styling, including an integrated rear spoiler.
The base model Charger was A$2750, and the range extended upwards with high-performance and luxury models.
Charger won the "Wheels
" magazine Car of the Year
award in 1971. It was also a winner in the sales stakes, capturing the imagination of the Australian public in the same way as the Ford Mustang did in the US and the Ford Capri did in the UK.
By the mid 1970s, sales of the Valiant range stalled, as a combination of factors worked against Chrysler Australia:
In 1975, Chrysler introduced the Centura
with a choice of a 2-litre (4-cylinder) and 3.5-litre or 4-litre (6 cylinder) engines, and two trim levels—XL and GL. This was a medium-sized competitor for the Holden Torana
and the Ford Cortina
.
The Centura was based on the European Chrysler 180
(which had been introduced in Europe in 1970), with facelifted front and rear styling (reputedly based on the intended design for a Sunbeam
version of this car, which never reached production).
The launch of Centura was delayed by several years as a result of embargoes placed on French imports which impeded the supply of parts (the embargoes were due to France conducting Pacific nuclear bomb tests).
By the time the car arrived in Australia, its appearance was dated and, as a result, the Centura did not generate significant market interest. It quietly disappeared from the market in 1978.
. With a range of 4-cylinder "Silent Shaft" engines, competitive pricing, "Japanese" style and the availability of a luxurious "SE" version, with optional leather trim (an innovative sales approach in its era), the Sigma marked Chrysler's sales comeback. Sigma soon became market leader in its class.
In 1979 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation each acquired a one sixth equity in Chrysler Australia and in April 1980 the two companies purchased the remaining shares in the company from the US Chrysler Corporation. The company name was changed to Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited on 1 October 1980. Mitsubishi continued to build the Valiant models with Chrysler badging until August 1981 and production of the Sigma range continued under the Mitsubishi name until 1987. Colt
, Magna
, Verada and 380
models were subsequently produced before production of passenger vehicles was discontinued in March 2008. The company continues to operate today as one of Australia's major importers of road vehicles.
, then expanding the range to include the Chrysler Neon
(discontinued in 2002) Grand Cherokee
, Jeep Commander
, PT Cruiser
, Crossfire
, 300C
, Voyager
and Dodge Caliber
. Initially, the attraction of the Jeep range was "value for money" although the first cars became known for poor quality of construction.
In the 2000s, a range of vehicles was imported from the United States
, Canada
, Mexico
, and Austria
. The Chrysler 300C
found a successful niche as an alternative to Australian prestige cars—generally extended-wheelbase versions of traditional Australian family cars—the Holden Statesman/Caprice and Ford Fairlane/LTD
.
In 2011, the lineup consists of:
Chrysler:
Dodge:
Jeep:
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
, Jeep
Jeep
Jeep is an automobile marque of Chrysler . The first Willys Jeeps were produced in 1941 with the first civilian models in 1945, making it the oldest off-road vehicle and sport utility vehicle brand. It inspired a number of other light utility vehicles, such as the Land Rover which is the second...
and Dodge
Dodge
Dodge is a United States-based brand of automobiles, minivans, and sport utility vehicles, manufactured and marketed by Chrysler Group LLC in more than 60 different countries and territories worldwide....
vehicles for sale in the Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
n marketplace. However, there had previously been a "Chrysler Australia Ltd" which had operated as a vehicle manufacturer in Australia from 1951 until 1980.
Establishment of Chrysler Australia
Chrysler Australia Ltd was established in June 1951 when the Chrysler Corporation acquired Chrysler Dodge Desoto Distributors (Australia), a company which had been formed in 1935 by 18 independent distributors.During the 1950s and 1960s, Chrysler made a substantial investment in Australian manufacturing facilities, including opening a new assembly plant at Tonsley Park in 1964 and an engine foundry at Lonsdale
Lonsdale, South Australia
Lonsdale is an industrial suburb located south of Adelaide, South Australia, within the City of Onkaparinga.Lonsdale was farmed from shortly after European settlement until the 1950s, when the South Australian Housing Trust acquired much of the land for industrial use...
in 1968. During this time, Chrysler Australia established its position as the third of the "Big 3" Australian motor manufacturers behind General Motors-Holden's and Ford Australia
Ford Australia
Ford Australia is the Australian subsidiary of Ford Motor Company and was founded in Geelong, Victoria, in 1925 as an outpost of Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited. At that time, Ford Canada was a separate company from Ford USA...
.
Initially, Chrysler Australia assembled North American Chrysler passenger cars and trucks. Their most popular car in the 1950s was the US sourced badge engineered trio: Plymouth Cranbrook
Plymouth Cranbrook
The Plymouth Cranbrook was built by the Plymouth division of Chrysler from 1951-1953. It replaced the Special Deluxe when Plymouth changed its naming scheme; it was essentially the same as the Concord and Cambridge, but at a higher trim level....
, Dodge Kingsway
Dodge Kingsway
The Dodge Kingsway is a past-model automobile built by Chrysler Corporation for export markets. The Kingsway name was adopted for the 1946 models. Prior to that, the export models based on Plymouth models had no unique model names....
and De Soto Diplomat, each based on the 1954 US Plymouth. A coupe utility variant was also developed by Chrysler Australia and this was marketed in nine different versions; the Plymouth Cranbrook, Savoy & Belvedere, the Dodge Kingsway Custom, Kingsway Crusader & Kingsway Coronet and the De Soto Diplomat Custom, Diplomat Regent & Diplomat Plaza. The Plymouth sedan was a popular choice for taxicab usage however the rise in popularity of the Holden during this decade led to the decline of this range of cars.
In 1957, Chrysler Australia consolidated each of the badge-engineered marques in one car—the Chrysler Royal
Chrysler Royal (Australia)
The Chrysler Royal is an automobile which was produced by Chrysler Australia from 1957 to 1964.-AP1:The first version of the Chrysler Royal, the AP1, was introduced in February 1957. It was a development of the American Plymouth P25 design of 1953 which had itself been produced by Chrysler...
. This was a facelifted version of the 1954 Plymouth, and it was to continue in production until 1963. The Royal was an automotive curiosity. Starting life as a side valve 6 cylinder manual, with 3 speed manual column gearchange, it was progressively modified, with the addition of US sourced engineering features such as power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
, the push button "Powerflite" automatic gearbox and an OHV V8. On the styling front US "Forward Look" style tailfins were grafted on the rear of the car, while the front end gained dual (vertically stacked) headlights. These changes failed to arrest the slide in sales, as General Motors-Holden came to dominate the Australian market, and the Royal was viewed as being outmoded and expensive. Production ceased in 1963.
The saving grace for Chrysler at this time was the French Simca Aronde
Simca Aronde
The Simca Aronde was a family car manufactured by the French automaker Simca from 1951 to 1963. It was Simca's first original design , as well as the company's first unibody car...
—a popular 4-cylinder compact car which Chrysler Australia assembled from CKD
CKD
A knock-down kit is a kit containing the parts needed to assemble a product...
kits at their Keswick factory. Local engineers developed an Aronde station wagon unique to Australia, with a then-novel wind-down rear window and tailgate. (Chrysler USA had acquired an interest in Simca
Simca
Simca was a French automaker, founded in November 1934 by Fiat. It was directed from July 1935 to May 1963 by the Italian Henri Théodore Pigozzi...
in 1958, the basis for sourcing of this car). The assembly and marketing of Simca Aronde and Vedette
Simca Vedette
The Simca Vedette is a large car, manufactured from 1954-1961 by the French automaker Simca, at their factory in Poissy, France. It was marketed with different model names according to trim and equipment levels...
models by Chrysler Australia was announced on 1 July 1959.
In August 1959 Chrysler Australia released Plymouth Belvedere
Plymouth Belvedere
The Plymouth Belvedere was an American automobile produced by Plymouth from 1951-1970.-1951–1953:Introduced on March 31, the 1951 Plymouth Belvedere arrived as a two-door pillarless hardtop. It was Plymouth's first vehicle of such design and was built in response to Chevrolet's Bel Air...
, Dodge Custom Royal and DeSoto Firesweep
DeSoto Firesweep
The DeSoto Firesweep was an automobile produced by the Chrysler Corporation and sold under its DeSoto brand from 1957 through 1959.-Interior and exterior description:...
models which were imported from the US in CKD
CKD
A knock-down kit is a kit containing the parts needed to assemble a product...
form and assembled at Chrysler’s Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
facilities. The Plymouth was fitted with a 318 cubic inch V8 engine and the Dodge and de Soto models featured a 361 cubic inch V8.
Chrysler Australia also produced the American-sourced Dodge Phoenix from 1960 to 1973.
The 1960s
Beginning in 1962, Chrysler Australia assembled the American Plymouth ValiantPlymouth Valiant
The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. It was created to give the company an entry in the compact car market emerging in the late 1950s...
, marketed as the Valiant by Chrysler. By 1963, they had developed a local version, the AP5 Valiant, with distinctive styling giving the car a separate identity from the US Plymouth and Dodge variants. The reason for developing different styling was concern that the local manufacturer could not afford to make substantial styling changes as quickly as in the US. Hence, a modified appearance would minimise the risk of accusations that Australia was selling "last year's model".
Through the 1960s, Chrysler expanded the Valiant range, with 2-door hardtop, long wheelbase (VIP) and sporty (Pacer) variants.
Also, in 1966, with the Chrysler USA acquisition of the British Rootes Group, Chrysler Australia took over the Rootes Australia
Rootes Australia
Rootes Australia was the Australian affiliate of the Rootes Group, a British motor vehicle manufacturing company.The company was formed immediately after the Second World War initially operating as an importing and distribution firm. It began assembling Hillman Minx vehicles at Port Melbourne in...
as well as the operation of their Port Melbourne factory. The principal Rootes model sold in Australia was the Hillman Hunter
Hillman Hunter
Rootes Arrow was the manufacturer's name for a range of cars produced under several badge-engineered marques by the Rootes Group from 1966 to 1979. It is amongst the last Rootes designs, developed with no influence from future owner Chrysler...
and this car became a steady seller for Chrysler until 1973.
1970s
Stirling Moss
Sir Stirling Craufurd Moss, OBE FIE is a former racing driver from England...
. Billed as being "Right—for all the right reasons", this engine went on to become the most powerful 6-cylinder engine produced in Australia (equipped with triple Weber carburettors). Though this engine was based on a US engine design for trucks, it was never produced in North America.
The Valiant was a good seller, but never quite gained the level of market acceptance as its major competitors—the Holden and the Falcon
Ford Falcon (Australia)
The Ford Falcon is a full-size car which has been manufactured by Ford Australia since 1960. Each model from the XA series of 1972 onward has been designed, developed and built in Australia and/or New Zealand, following the phasing out of the American Falcon of 1960–71 which had been re-engineered...
.
In 1971, Chrysler Australia released its most memorable car—the Valiant Charger. This was a short-wheelbase (105-inch) two-door hardtop version of the standard Valiant. The car had distinctive sporty styling, including an integrated rear spoiler.
The base model Charger was A$2750, and the range extended upwards with high-performance and luxury models.
Charger won the "Wheels
Wheels magazine
Wheels is an Australian automotive magazine published monthly by ACP Magazines. The publication is well-renowned by Australian car enthusiasts...
" magazine Car of the Year
Wheels Car of the Year
Wheels magazine has announced its Car of the Year every year since 1963, with the exception of 1972, 1979 and 1986 when no cars were considered worthy of the honour . It is considered Australia's most prestigious automotive award...
award in 1971. It was also a winner in the sales stakes, capturing the imagination of the Australian public in the same way as the Ford Mustang did in the US and the Ford Capri did in the UK.
By the mid 1970s, sales of the Valiant range stalled, as a combination of factors worked against Chrysler Australia:
- The Oil Crisis1973 oil crisisThe 1973 oil crisis started in October 1973, when the members of Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries or the OAPEC proclaimed an oil embargo. This was "in response to the U.S. decision to re-supply the Israeli military" during the Yom Kippur war. It lasted until March 1974. With the...
led to the rise of smaller economical 4-cylinder cars; - Japanese competitors made significant inroads into the Australian marketplace, and 4-cylinder cars were their forte;
- Valiant was increasingly perceived as being outmoded—notwithstanding a major facelift in 1971 (billed as an "all-new" model) with a new body surrounding the existing mechanicals—the styling rapidly dated compared with other new cars, and the body was only lightly facelifted in 1973 and 1975. A significant facelift in 1976 arrested the slide in sales, and the Valiant continued to sell steadily until 1981.
In 1975, Chrysler introduced the Centura
Chrysler Centura
The Chrysler Centura was a midsize car built by Chrysler Australia, based on Chrysler Europe's Chrysler 180 but also available with larger Australian made Hemi Sixes...
with a choice of a 2-litre (4-cylinder) and 3.5-litre or 4-litre (6 cylinder) engines, and two trim levels—XL and GL. This was a medium-sized competitor for the Holden Torana
Holden Torana
The Holden Torana is a car which was produced by General Motors–Holden's , the Australian subsidiary of General Motors from 1967 to 1980. The name comes from an Aboriginal word meaning "to fly". The first Torana appeared in 1967 and was a four-cylinder compact vehicle that had its origins in the...
and the Ford Cortina
Ford Cortina
As the 1960s dawned, BMC were revelling in the success of their new Mini – the first successful true minicar to be built in Britain in the postwar era...
.
The Centura was based on the European Chrysler 180
Chrysler 180
The Chrysler 180 was the base name for a series of large saloon cars produced by Chrysler Europe. Resulting from joining development efforts of Rootes Group and Simca, the car was produced from 1970 to 1975 in Poissy, France, and later in Chrysler's subsidiary Barreiros' factory in Spain...
(which had been introduced in Europe in 1970), with facelifted front and rear styling (reputedly based on the intended design for a Sunbeam
Chrysler Sunbeam
The Chrysler Sunbeam is a small supermini 3-door hatchback manufactured by Chrysler Europe at the former Rootes Group factory in Linwood in Scotland. The Sunbeam's development was funded by a British government grant with the aim to keep the Linwood plant running, and the small car was based on the...
version of this car, which never reached production).
The launch of Centura was delayed by several years as a result of embargoes placed on French imports which impeded the supply of parts (the embargoes were due to France conducting Pacific nuclear bomb tests).
By the time the car arrived in Australia, its appearance was dated and, as a result, the Centura did not generate significant market interest. It quietly disappeared from the market in 1978.
Chrysler Australia and Mitsubishi Motors Australia
Chrysler Australia's parent company began working closely with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation after they acquired a 15 percent interest in the company in 1971, with the result that Chrysler Australia began building the Mitsubishi-designed Chrysler Valiant Galant. The association with Mitsubishi also gave Chrysler Australia another winner—the 1977 Chrysler SigmaChrysler Sigma
The Chrysler Sigma is a version of the Mitsubishi Galant automobile that was built by Chrysler Australia in Adelaide from 1977. When Mitsubishi Motors Australia took over Chrysler Australia's manufacturing facilities in 1980, they renamed the vehicle the Mitsubishi Sigma...
. With a range of 4-cylinder "Silent Shaft" engines, competitive pricing, "Japanese" style and the availability of a luxurious "SE" version, with optional leather trim (an innovative sales approach in its era), the Sigma marked Chrysler's sales comeback. Sigma soon became market leader in its class.
In 1979 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation each acquired a one sixth equity in Chrysler Australia and in April 1980 the two companies purchased the remaining shares in the company from the US Chrysler Corporation. The company name was changed to Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited on 1 October 1980. Mitsubishi continued to build the Valiant models with Chrysler badging until August 1981 and production of the Sigma range continued under the Mitsubishi name until 1987. Colt
Mitsubishi Colt
The Mitsubishi Colt is a vehicle built by Mitsubishi Motors since 1962. It was first introduced as a series of kei cars and subcompact cars in the 1960s, and then as the export version of the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback in the 1980s and 1990s...
, Magna
Mitsubishi Magna
The Mitsubishi Magna was a mid-size car offered between May 1985 and September 2005 by Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited . Manufactured at the Tonsley Park assembly plant, Magna spanned three generations before being replaced by the Mitsubishi 380...
, Verada and 380
Mitsubishi 380
The Mitsubishi 380 is a mid-size car that was produced by Mitsubishi Motors Australia between 2005 and 2008. It was the successor to the Mitsubishi Magna/Verada line of vehicles first introduced in 1985. The company spent over A$600 million developing and producing the car, which is heavily based...
models were subsequently produced before production of passenger vehicles was discontinued in March 2008. The company continues to operate today as one of Australia's major importers of road vehicles.
Chrysler returns to Australia
Chrysler re-entered the Australian marketplace in 1994, initially selling the Jeep CherokeeJeep Cherokee (XJ)
The Jeep Cherokee is a unibody compact SUV. It shared the name of the original full-size SJ model, but without a body-on-frame chassis, it set the stage for the modern SUV. Its innovative appearance and sales popularity spawned important imitators as other automakers began to notice that this...
, then expanding the range to include the Chrysler Neon
Dodge Neon
The Plymouth/Dodge Neon, sold in Europe, Mexico, Canada, and elsewhere outside the United States as the Chrysler Neon, is a compact front wheel drive car introduced in January 1994 for the 1995 model year by Chrysler Corporation's Dodge and Plymouth brands...
(discontinued in 2002) Grand Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee
The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a Mid-size SUV produced by the Jeep division of Chrysler. While some other SUVs were manufactured with body on frame construction, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has always used a unibody chassis.- Development :...
, Jeep Commander
Jeep Commander
The Jeep Commander is a mid size SUV produced from 2006 to 2010. The first use of the Commander name on a passenger vehicle was the popular Studebaker Commander which was produced from the 1920s through 1966....
, PT Cruiser
Chrysler PT Cruiser
The Chrysler PT Cruiser is a retro styled compact automobile launched by Chrysler as a 5-door hatchback in early 2000 and as a 2-door convertible in early 2005 ....
, Crossfire
Chrysler Crossfire
The Chrysler Crossfire is a rear-wheel drive sports car marketed by Chrysler as both coupé and roadster and was built for Chrysler by Karmann of Germany.-Design:...
, 300C
Chrysler 300
The Chrysler 300 is a full-size upscale car first shown at the 2003 New York Auto Show as a concept car. Sales in the U.S. began in the spring of 2004 as an early 2005 model year car. Designed by Ralph Gilles, the new 300 was built as a high-end sedan while the SRT-8 model was designed to be the...
, Voyager
Chrysler Voyager
The Chrysler Voyager or Chrysler Grand Voyager is a minivan sold by the Chrysler division of American automobile manufacturer Chrysler Group LLC...
and Dodge Caliber
Dodge Caliber
The Dodge Caliber was a compact car produced by the Dodge division of Chrysler. It replaced the Neon, and it went on sale in the spring of 2006 as a 2007 model year vehicle...
. Initially, the attraction of the Jeep range was "value for money" although the first cars became known for poor quality of construction.
In the 2000s, a range of vehicles was imported from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
, and Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. The Chrysler 300C
Chrysler 300C
The Chrysler Corporation has used the designation Chrysler 300C to refer to two different vehicles, which are described in separate articles.* The 1957 Chrysler 300C, that year's version of the Chrysler 300 "letter series"; a large, high-performance luxury coupe sold in very limited numbers.* The...
found a successful niche as an alternative to Australian prestige cars—generally extended-wheelbase versions of traditional Australian family cars—the Holden Statesman/Caprice and Ford Fairlane/LTD
Ford Fairlane (Australia)
The Ford Fairlane and LTD are full-size luxury vehicles that were produced in a series of models by Ford Australia between 1959 and 2007....
.
In 2011, the lineup consists of:
Chrysler:
- Chrysler 300CChrysler 300CThe Chrysler Corporation has used the designation Chrysler 300C to refer to two different vehicles, which are described in separate articles.* The 1957 Chrysler 300C, that year's version of the Chrysler 300 "letter series"; a large, high-performance luxury coupe sold in very limited numbers.* The...
Sedan
- Chrysler Grand Voyager
Dodge:
- Dodge CaliberDodge CaliberThe Dodge Caliber was a compact car produced by the Dodge division of Chrysler. It replaced the Neon, and it went on sale in the spring of 2006 as a 2007 model year vehicle...
- Dodge NitroDodge NitroThe Dodge Nitro is a compact SUV from the Dodge division of Chrysler. Launched for the 2007 model year, the Nitro shares its platform with the second generation Jeep Liberty. It is assembled at the Toledo North Assembly Plant in Toledo, Ohio. The Jeep facility is part of an automobile complex...
- Dodge JourneyDodge JourneyThe Dodge Journey is a mid-size crossover SUV built by the Dodge division of Chrysler.-First generation :Unveiled first at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, and later appearing at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Journey identified internally as the JC49, has an almost identical wheelbase as the...
Jeep:
- Jeep CherokeeJeep LibertyInspired by styling from the Dakar and Jeepster concept cars, the Liberty was intended as a replacement for the discontinued Jeep Cherokee . Three trim levels were initially offered; the top end Limited, a more rugged looking Renegade and the base Sport. All were made available with either 2WD or 4WD...
- Jeep Grand CherokeeJeep Grand CherokeeThe Jeep Grand Cherokee is a Mid-size SUV produced by the Jeep division of Chrysler. While some other SUVs were manufactured with body on frame construction, the Jeep Grand Cherokee has always used a unibody chassis.- Development :...
- Jeep PatriotJeep PatriotThe Jeep Patriot is a compact crossover SUV introduced in early 2007 for the 2007 model year by the Jeep marque of Chrysler. It debuted publicly in April 2006 at the New York Auto Show and slots between the Compass and Liberty in the Jeep lineup...
- Jeep WranglerJeep WranglerThe Jeep Wrangler is a subcompact four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle and an off-road vehicle manufactured by American automaker Chrysler, under its Jeep marque – and now in its fourth generation. It is a successor to the famous World War II 'Jeep' vehicle by way of the Willys civilian...
Further reading
- David Brimble, Chryslers Before The Chrysler Royal, A look at Dodge Plymouth De Soto manufactured in Australia between 1953 and 1957, Restored Cars magazine No 87, July/August 1991, pages 14-15