[19][20] Modified by the company in California, the GLHS vehicles were legally sold as Shelbys. Heady stuff in '78. One poor decision, and history has been changed. From 1987 to 1990, the model line was marketed alongside its successor, the Dodge Shadow/Plymouth Sundance hatchback sedan. That was in preparation for the new Colt Wagon (and Eagle Summit), which was based on the Mitsubishi RVR and unrelated to the Colt hatch and old Colt Vista. [5] The C2 project provided multinational Chrysler Europe with a single model line (replacing the outdated Simca 1100 and the Hillman Avenger). The Vista name was retired in Canada after 1992, in favor of the Summit. It was good for 0-60 mph in 8.7 seconds and averaged .83 g in the skidpad handling test. "title": "YouTube video player", Low Retail Value This vehicle would be in mechanically functional condition, needing only minor reconditioning. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Again the cars wore Colt badging but didnt say Dodge or Plymouth on them. A few model years later a 5-speed manual would be offered. Sharing the same powertrain as the Omni and Horizon, the coupes were largely designed for appearance over performance. It was equipped the same way as other Colts and Mirages, as one would expect. Copyright 2008-2022. This vehicle would be in good condition overall. The suspension was upgraded further, receiving stiffer springs, and adjustable Koni struts and shocks, along with larger tires mounted on Shelby-designed wheels. In 1974, Chrysler president Lynn Townsend sent an American management team to Chrysler Europe to find a suitable small-car design to market in the United States, ultimately rejecting a front-wheel drive compact (codenamed C6) as unsuitable to produce for the United States (the design was produced in Europe as the Chrysler Alpine). Now lets talk Eagle (the U.S. one). ), while the DL 4WD asked $11,430 ($25,223 adj.). There was also an elder statesman at Dodge and Plymouth dealerships in the U.S., in the wagon and Vista. Alongside licensed production of the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon hatchbacks, AMC supplemented production of Chrysler M-body sedans (Dodge Diplomat/Plymouth Gran Fury/Chrysler Fifth Avenue). To further develop the C2 project for the American market, Chrysler Corporation purchased nearly 100 Volkswagen Rabbits in the United States for the purposes of reverse engineering.[4]. Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive, "Dodge Omni, Plymouth Horizon, and Friends", "Creating the Chrysler Horizon: the Chrysler Europe Design Team speaks", "Development of the Chrysler - Talbot - Simca Horizon", "Motoring Memories: Dodge Omni/Plymouth Horizon, 1978-1990", "Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon (and Talbot Horizon) engines", "Mopar (Dodge/Plymouth/Chrysler) 2.2 liter engine - TBI or carbureted", "Plymouth Scamp and Dodge Rampage: economy car based pickups", "The Dodge Omni GLH, Dodge Omni GLHS, and Dodge Charger GLH-S", Ram Van/Ram Wagon/Sportsman/Tradesman/B-series van, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Dodge_Omni&oldid=1099405860, Short description is different from Wikidata, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Engine block built by Volkswagen with Chrysler-designed engine heads and final assembly, Simca-designed engine supplied by Peugeot; alternator added by Chrysler, Shared with Chrysler K cars (and later minivans), Dodge Omni GLH (naturally-aspirated); shared with Dodge Shelby Charger, This page was last edited on 20 July 2022, at 16:08. [20] For 1985 and 1986, Shelby offered the GLH with an optional 146hp (109kW; 148PS) 2.2L Turbo I I4 (GLH-T); 1986 vehicles are largely distinguished by their center brake light.[20]. At the time, the front-wheel drive layout was largely reserved for low-volume luxury cars (including the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado).
The 1978 Dodge Omni and 1978 Plymouth Horizon also had a more powerful and much larger displacement 4-cylinder engine than the European Horizon. [21] Other auto automotive media reported no problems and described the test did not approximate real-world driving conditions.[11]. 2022 VerticalScope Inc. All rights reserved. The Colt/Mirage took cues on their looks from the larger Galant, which meant the new generation looked a bit more upmarket than before. For 1985 and 1986, the Shelby Charger adopted the 146hp (109kW) engine of the Omni GLH-T. }. The Dodge Omni was the right car at the right time and it helped to save Chrysler from financial destruction. The old 93.7-inch wheelbase grew to 93.9 inches, while the overall length of 157.3 inches (hatch and sedan) grew to 158.7 inches for the hatch and a long 170.1 inches for the sedan. The exterior paint, trim and mechanics are presentable and serviceable inside and out. 2022 J.D. While Chrysler had trailed the AMC Gremlin, Ford Pinto, and Chevrolet Vega to market by eight years, the $2,500 ($10386 in 2021 dollars) Omni/Horizon provided the company an extensive headstart on its American competitors (which were released in 1981 and 1982, respectively) with the adoption of front-wheel drive, transverse-mount powertrains. That year was also the start of the big push toward Eagle, as Chrysler began to step away from Colt. The break-even point of the Omni America was 170,000 cars To offer the vehicle as the lowest-price American-assembled subcompact, Chrysler reduced the number of options to two (air conditioning and a radio, three options if the California emissions package is included), while cutting the profit margin. for the unmarked base model and stepped notably to the GL for $8,194 ($18,082 adj.). All rights reserved. Some vehicles may be considered matching numbers vehicles. Though the Mirage was produced in numerous locations around the world, all hatchback Colts for North America were produced at Mitsubishis plant in Okayama, Japan. I still love that show car. [5], With the exception of grilles, taillamps, and model badging, the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon were largely indistinguishable from one another. While initially struggling against rebounding sales of larger vehicles, nearly 200,000 examples of the combined model line were sold in the first model year. Most usable as-is. And the engine would be the same I guess? After a wave of modernization in 1984-1985 where the first Colt sedan appeared and the range extended into the larger and very forward-thinking Colt Vista, Mitsubishi got in on the Colt action and sold a hatchback with its OEM diamond star up front and Mirage lettering on the back. For 1984, the model line underwent a minor revision. However Shelby didnt stop there he offered a more potent 146 horsepower turbo 2.2 liter 4-cylinder with a mandatory 5-speed manual in the 1985-1986 GLH which was called the GLH-T, it made the regular GLH seem slow by comparison. While visually similar, the American Omni/Horizon would have extensive functional differences from its European counterpart. A 3rd Hatch with Mustang styling, in '78 the Arrow offered the "Fire Arrow" GT model that packaged the big 2.6L Silent Shaft "MCA-Jet" engine, a 5 speed and 4 wheel discs. The ES got a bit more serious about performance and used the 1.6-liter engine along with alloy wheels and four-wheel discs, as well as a sportier suspension setup. Following its launch, the Dodge Omni was awarded the 1978 Motor Trend Car of the Year Award. How about more interior pics and floor pan shots. My view is that EVs are more suited for use as local delivery vehicles - this could be an excellent test of EV tech utilizing a large sample size and, hopefully, distributed into different areas of the country. It was going to be a de Tomaso 2-seat sports car - long before the one that we all know. "alt": "YouTube video player", Following the rejection of "Coyote" by Chrysler, the initials GLH ("Goes Like Hell", the choice of Carroll Shelby) were used instead. The turbocharged engine ended up as an exception rather than the rule, as it was offered only in 1989.
When we last left off in the tale of Dodge, Plymouth, and Eagles various Colt branding adventures, it was the late Eighties. It was Chryslers first American market front-wheel drive car and it beat GMs compact front-wheel drive X-body platform to market by two model years. Engines were simplified over the old model though not necessarily modernized much. One of those cars was the 1984-1986 Omni GLH, which had a 2.2 liter 4-cylinder with 110 horsepower and a mandatory 5-speed manual transmission.
It was a pile of iron dust in about 6 years in salty South Florida. It was (finally) time to wave a tearful goodbye to the Omni and Horizon hatchbacks that had cluttered roads with their slowness since 1978. Volkswagen 4-speed manual; Chrysler A404 3-speed automatic, 4/5-speed manual; Chrysler A413 3-speed automatic, While sharing a visually similar appearance with its Chrysler Europe counterpart, the Omni/Horizon shares almost no body commonality. It could be an older restoration or a well-maintained original vehicle. A new Colt four-door sedan was also imported, but for branding reasons was only offered as a Colt in the Canadian market. The sixth-generation Colt was more rounded than its predecessor and looked as though engineers had finally accepted the principle of aerodynamics. Adding to the market mix-ups, while Canadians enjoyed Colt badging on the sixth-generation hatchback and sedan, the sedan was sold in America as the Eagle Summit. 
[8] The 1.7L engine was paired with a 4-speed manual transmission or a 3-speed automatic. In response, Chrysler made modifications that included a steering damper and a lighter-weight steering wheel. Using an L-body chassis (shortened to a 96.6-inch wheelbase), the 024/TC3 coupes shared no external bodywork with the five-door hatchbacks. It was supplemented by another carryover, the 1.6-liter 4G61 Sirius family engine, with DOHC technology and an output of 123 horses. The Mirage entered initial production in 1987 as a three-door hatchback, and in 1988 a sedan and five-door liftback joined the range. It was still priced like a subcompact though, which made the sedan somewhat of a bargain. In 1990 the Colt hatchback lineup started at $7,136 ($15,747 adj.) When determining a value for a daily driver, it is recommended that the subscriber use the low retail value. The Arrow was a stylish and good performing car with absolutely zero rust protection from the factory. Following the retirement of Townsend, Chrysler management decided to develop an American-market version of the C2 project, working in tandem with Chrysler Europe. Those old models persisted in Canada only through the 1992 model year, as economy cars for the cheapskate buyer. JavaScript is disabled. Colt became a more important asset to Chrysler after 1990, as there was a change to the companys core lineup. Following the introduction of the five-door Omni/Horizon, Chrysler introduced several additional versions of the L-body platform, including the Dodge 024/Plymouth TC3 three-door hatchbacks (later the Dodge Charger/Plymouth Turismo) and the Dodge Rampage/Plymouth Scamp coup utility pickup truck. You can add Ozzy there too with his crazy family to represent British "culture". The final 1000 Dodge Shelby Chargers were built as Shelby Charger GLHS vehicles with a 175hp (130kW) 2.2L Turbo II engine, upgraded transmission, brakes, and suspension, and the deletion of all Dodge badging. ), and the four-wheel-drive trim was $13,452 ($29,686 adj.). 15 minutes could save you 15% or more on car insurance. The most expensive Colts for 1990 were the Vista wagons, where a front-drive version asked $12,226 ($26,980 adj. They all had A/C buttons even if it wasn't installed. In North American specification it managed 135 horsepower. Omni, Horizon, and other L-bodies engines page, California Shelby Rampage (often called the "Direct Connection Rampage"), FCA: great finances in US, not so much elsewhere, Luxury Ram, Mopars win over Texans, Stellantis logo, and new books, Durango Hellcat about to go on sale (maybe not for long), VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. North America received its new Colt after all body styles were available, as Chrysler wanted a full barn of Colt body styles. After the almost immediate discontinuation of the five-door in favor of the Omni/Horizon that Chrysler developed themselves, the remaining Colt sedan, regular wagon, and larger Vista wagon filled out the lineup. The 1978 Omni with the 1.7 liter produced 75 horsepower and produced 70 horsepower when sold in the California market. ), while the ES asked $11,552 ($25,493 adj.).
Note: This column does not represent a 100 Point or # 1 vehicle*. They are reality show TV stars. From 1983-1986 there was a less powerful more fuel efficient Peugeot sourced 1.6 liter 4-cylinder engine available. In 1982 Chrysler introduced the Dodge Rampage and the, I worked on a great show car with Ken Mack - sort of an underground program. The model line is equipped with power-assisted front disc brakes and rear drum brakes and a rack and pinion steering system. Middling LX examples were $10,703 ($23,619 adj. So versus the 124 you'd get arguably better styling (although I think the 124 looked fine) and a higher price for a dead vehicle segment from a brand very few consumers recognize. The Summit and Colt sedans were known for their interior space, and meant with four doors the car moved up a size class to compact.