Plymouth Reliant, Dodge Aries, and Chrysler LeBaron K-Cars
Originally written by Aaron Gold. Modifications suggested by Michael Swern, whose 140,000 mile 1985 Reliant Wagon was still going strong when we heard from him in 2004; LeBaron added by Anthony Forte. See the "every extended K-car" (EEK) forum!
In praise of the K-car (by Stephen Lyons)
The original K-cars, the Dodge Aries and the Plymouth Reliant, had a smartly integrated front wheel drive layout that represented a new breed of American automobile. The American public clearly liked the new vehicles, quickly buying hundreds of thousands of them in Plymouth, Dodge, and even Chrysler form. In their nine years, the original K-cars were quite a success story — and that’s not even to mention all their siblings with slightly altered wheelbases and suspensions.
The K-car’s angular styling was the norm in the early 1980s, and with its long hood and short rear deck, it had good proportions; its performance was more than adequate compared with the other cars of the day, and with the average car of the muscle-car era, which was more likely to have a straight-six or economy V8 than a Hemi or big-block.
The K-car platform proved eminently flexible, being stretched, compressed, and reconfigured to produce such diverse vehicles as the famed minivan and the exotic two seat Chrysler's TC by Maserati grand tourer.
One factor that is often overlooked in assessing the K-car and its spawn is how well designed and amenable to modification the original 2.2 liter four cylinder powerplant and its associated transmissions proved to be. Except for a substandard average head gasket life [fixed in later years], these are reliable units. Unlike many other small overhead cam engines, it is a noninterference design so that if the timing belt slips or breaks, the pistons and valves do not thrash each other into oblivion in a matter of moments. And aside from the starter's location (tucked up underneath the back side of the block), routine repair and servicing is a breeze, with everything readily accessible. For those who preferred a Japanese sourced engine, a 2.6 liter four made by Mitsubishi was available as well, but it was had lower power relative to its displacement.
Chrysler seemed determined to bring turbocharging to the masses during the 1980s, a trend that in this present era of more sophisticated fuel injection and electronic controls has not persisted. But the technique, especially when coupled with intercooling, allowed for some very high performance variants, such as the Dodge Shelby Daytona and the Chrysler LeBaron GTC/GTS versions. Styling of these K-car derivatives was more aerodynamic and exciting than their Aries/Reliant ancestors, too.
Tweaking even more horsepower out of the intercooled, turbocharged 2.2 liter four wasn't any problem. Factory supplied engine controllers were available to up the ante to 200 ponies, and another 20 could be eked out with modest intake/exhaust modifications. This got you up to the "holy grail" of one horsepower per 10cc displacement. By the end of the decade, turbocharged 2.5 liter four cylinder powerplants and normally aspirated Mitsubishi produced 3.0 liter V-6s were available throughout the various model lines, although their performance potential remained largely unrealized as compared to that of the original 2.2 liter unit. The basic Reliant, Aries, and LeBaron, however, never got any powerplant more powerful than the 100 horsepower 2.5 liter single-injector four; even with those, if equipped with a stick-shift, the K-cars were quite sprightly. A fast-opening throttle gave garden-variety Reliants and such a feeling of power, even with an automatic transmission.
While garden variety Aries, Reliant, LeBaron, and other K-car types are unlikely to prove collectible any time soon, there are some low production cars that could prove a fair investment at today's "used car" pricing levels. The aforementioned Chrysler's TC by Maserati is one, as is the LeBaron Mark Cross (especially if equipped with the Town & Country optional trim) convertible. The Chrysler Executive Sedans and Limousines were never made in large quantities. The Shelby Daytonas, while more common, are a good bet, too, if for no other reason than their connection with their namesake.
Performance and drivetrains
- 2.2 liter: originally 84 hp, 111 lb-ft. Went to 94/117 in 1983, then to 93/122 with fuel injection in 1986.
- 2.2 liter compression ratio: 8.5:1 (1981-82), 9:1 (1983-85), 9.5:1 (EFI) 1986+
- Standard axle ratio: 2.78 (station wagon/optional ratio: 3.02)
- 2.6 liter Mitsubishi engine: 92 hp and 132 lb-ft(?) and 101 hp and 140 lb-ft
- 2.5 liter: 100 hp and 135 lb-ft.
0-60 times (Mike Swern)
| Year | Model | Transmission | Engine | 0-60 | Source |
| 1986 | Aries LE | Auto | 2.5 | 11.4 | Home Mechanix |
| 1982 | Aries SE | Auto | 2.2 | 16.0 | Consumer Reports |
| 1982 | Aries SE | 4-Speed Manual | 2.2 | 12.2 | Car & Driver |
| 1988 | Reliant SE | Auto | 2.2 EFI | 12.9 | Home Mechanix |
| 1981 | Reliant | Auto | 2.2 | 12.5 | Motor Trend |
| 1981 | Reliant | Auto | 2.2 | 14.0 | Motor Trend |
| 1981 | Reliant | Auto | 2.6 | 12.4 | Motor Trend |
| 1988 | Reliant | Auto | 2.2 EFI | 10.6 | Car & Driver |
| 1985 | Aries | Auto | 2.6 | 13.8 | Consumer Reports |
| 1985 | Reliant LE | Auto | 2.2 | 13.4 | Popular Science |
By comparison, the 1984 Toyota Corolla was recorded at 14-16 seconds 0-60, with the “hot” 1985 SR5 AE86 model doing 0-60 in 12 seconds.
Note that we have no tests of the “hot” version - with the five-speed manual transmission and 2.5 liter engine, though we’ve been quoted around ten seconds.Plymouth Reliant - Dodge Aries History (by Aaron Gold)
The K started out as a boxy six-passenger car with a front bench seat, powered by a new 2.2 liter "Trans Four" motor, with a Mitsubishi "Silent Shaft" 2.6 as an option. The sometimes-troublesome Mitsubishi motor was later dropped in favor of a fuel-injected Chrysler 2.5. Thanks to its light weight, none of the engines was too sluggish, even with the common three-speed automatic. Acceleration was similar to many competitors - and better than quite a few (including the Corolla) by good margins. Gas mileage with the stick-shift was admirable: 26 city, 41 highway (EPA estimates; the wagon was 26/40), making it America’s highest-mileage six-passenger car. The engines boasted high torque so they could run well with air conditioning, up hills, and fully loaded, and felt responsive from launch.
The Ks bowed for 1981 as the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant [and, in Mexico, the Dart]. A two door coupe, four door sedan, and four door wagon were available. Base power was a 2.2 (135 cid) in-line-four fed by a 2 barrel electronic feedback carburetor with a progressive opening (opening first the primary bore and then, as the pedal was depressed further, the secondary bore) churning out 82 hp. Transaxles were a 4-speed floorshift manual or a 3-speed automatic. The car did 0-60 in the 13 second range [not bad for the times]. A 2.6 Mitsubishi motor was optional, and cars bearing this motor - for 1981 at least - were adorned with the badge "2.6 HEMI." (Yes, they were hemi-heads!)
The K's boxy shape was functional; in a shot at the Japanese competition, Chrysler ads boasted that the K's front and rear benches seated "six Americans." The trunk was decently sized. Gauges were minimal, with a square speedometer and idiot lights. Steering was light; handling was nimble if dull. With their function-over-form exteriors and their mundane mechanicals, the Ks were worthy sucessors to the 1970s Darts and Valiants, even if they were not quite as bulletproof.
All original Reliants and Aries had a 100.1 inch wheelbase. The overall length of the two and four-door models was 176 inches. The wagon was 0.2 inches longer. The vehicles had a 13-gallon fuel tank. The coupe and sedan had approximately 15 cubic feet of luggage space; the wagons, 35 cubic feet with rear seat up and about 70 feet when folded.
Wagons were on the same wheelbase as other cars, keeping their weight down so acceleration was sprightly and gas mileage was surprisingly good; these were some of the last wagons made by Chrysler until the ill-fated Dodge Magnum, with their place taken first by minivans and then by crossovers. The Reliant wagon was stylish and, with a stick-shift, fleet. Rear seats folded down to form a level platform and to increase cargo space from 35 to 68 cubic feet. On a less critical note, the Reliant LE station wagon had wood-tone bodyside and liftgate appliques with woodtone surround moldings (these could be deleted from a buyer’s order if they were not wanted.)
Numerous improvements to the sound insulation and feel were made in 1983, and indeed, the K-cars were kept refreshed in small ways throughout their run, even though they never gained multiple-point fuel injection or a turbocharger.
In 1985, the K received a pleasant facelift, with a rounded front fascia, smoother hood, and bigger taillights, which brought the car more into the then-fashionable “curvy look” from the boxier styling influenced by larger cars (complete with oversized grille and prominent chrome). A fuel injected 2.2 arrived at last, followed by the 2.5 liter engine, which replaced the Mitsubishi 2.6.
Rear windows used a light plastic gear, saving 60% of the weight of conventional manual height assemblies. The hood used counterbalance springs rather than a prop rod.
Drivetrains
The early 2.2s were not quite as reliable as their slant six predecessors; early models often had cam problems, and many older motors whine with the distinctive note of a replacement timing belt. The feedback carburetors could be temperamental, especially when you wanted to gasp! start a cold motor (mainly due to automatic chokes, a problem on most vehicles of the period). The automatic transaxles (beefed-up versions of the Omni/Horizon TorqueFlites) were rugged, however, and well maintained Ks would continue their existence for many years.
The fuel injected version used a single-point throttle-body fuel injector (though multiple-point fuel injection had become common by then), and turned out 93 HP (129 lb-ft), about 7 hp more than the first carburetor versions. Fuel injection solved the starting and idling woes. (The spark-control computer on the 2bbl engines frequently refused to hold the timing steady as they aged; variations of 2-5 degrees at idle were common, and my mechanic saw one that jumped by 10 degrees. This, along with other factors, resulted in the 2.2s' often uneven idle.)
A 2.5 version of the motor put out 100 HP (135 lb-ft) and made a K-car zippy around traffic. The 2.5 had a longer stroke to lower emissions and generate good low-end power, at the expense of high rpms. It always had fuel injection, and its balance shafts made it somewhat smoother and quieter. However, it was only available with the automatic, at least in 1986.
Chrysler's TBI motors had a steep throttle tip-in, meaning if you tapped the rather stiff gas pedal, you got a lot of revs. Starting an automatic K without jerking your passenger's neck back required a bit of practice; with the 5-speed's clunky shifter and abrupt clutch, driving smoothly was nearly an art form.
Gear ratios for the Torqueflite were 2.69:1, 1.55:1, and 1.00:1; reverse was 2.10:1.
Overall top gear ratio was 2.69 for the manual, 2.78 for the automatic.
K Chrysler LeBaron (Written by Anthony Forte)
The 1982-88 Chrysler LeBaron was a modified K-car, sharing almost all of its parts with the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant, but having quad headlights, more chrome, better wheel covers, padded vinyl roof, a "waterfall" grille with stand-up crystal Pentastar, and different taillights. The name, taken from a company Chrysler acquired long ago, was used on many other cars; when the K-based LeBaron was produced, the name was taken from a rear wheel drive car which became the Fifth Ave. The LeBaron was the only K-car to get a turbocharged engine, the optional 2.2 turbo putting out 146 horsepower, making the car fairly quick despite the added weight of its “luxury” features; both the 2.5 liter and 2.2 turbo could be ordered with either a five-speed manual or three-speed automatic.
The front drive LeBaron came out in 1982 in sedan, wagon, or coupe, and a convertible was added soon after. The coupe and convertible were restyled and given a different body in 1987.
In 1985 the LeBaron received a minor freshening; in 1988 the power steering ratio went to 16:1 and tires were upgraded, and some features were made standard, including rear window and outside mirror defrosters). In 1988, the K-based Lebaron sedan and wagon were dropped. The LeBaron GTS, a five-door hatchback identical in most respects to the Dodge Lancer, was made with different styling, from 1985 to 1988.
Andrew wrote: “The LeBaron has always been an underrated car. It has decent handling, a comfortable ride, a well-trimmed interior, and good acceleration with the 2.5.”
Plymouth Relient and Dodge Aries Overview
By the time the K finished its run in 1989, it had become a pleasant car to drive; LE models had plush cloth interiors, good sound insulation, nice digital radios, and, frequently, the 2.5/auto combination. They were quiet, plush and smooth-running, compared to the early models. And the prices were still rather cheap.
The Ks were great products. They were cheap, reasonably reliable, and delivered what they promised - economical transportation for six people. The value of the overall package, when compared with the traditional rear wheel drive compact cars, could not be denied: they achieved similar acceleration as the 318-powered Gran Fury, and though they were a full two feet shorter on the outside, legroom was only about two inches less (combining front and rear), while hip room was actually higher, and headroom was under an inch less, and the trunk was nearly as large. In short, for much less money, one could have a vehicle only a little smaller than the “now big” Gran Fury, with similar performance and interior space but considerably better gas mileage —indeed, for many, gas mileage would double with the move to the “four bangers.”*
The K platform spawned almost all of Chrysler's products for the 1980s, and sales of the car were strong enough to bring Chrysler back from the brink of bankruptcy. They were simple and humble but they did their job. And in the wake of the rather disastrous tenure of GM's X-bodies, they led the American automotive world into an era of small, space- and fuel-efficient FWD cars, a tradition that continues on GM, Ford, and Chrysler showrooms today.
Two of the more interesting facets of the K line were the Executive Sedan and Limousine... (not to mention the planned turbine version).
Key dimensions
| (inches unless noted; 1986 figures) | Two-door | Four-door | Wagon | 1982 Reliant | 1986 Gran Fury* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wheelbase | 100.3 | 100.3 | 100.4 | 99.9 | 112.6 | |
| Length | 178.6 | 178.6 | 179.0 | 176 | 204.6 | |
| Width | 68.0 | 68.0 | 68.0 | 68.6 | 72.4 | |
| Height | 52.5 | 52.9 | 53.2 | 52.3 - 52.7 | 55.1 | |
| Track (max) | 57.6 | 57.6 | 57.6 | 57.6 | 60.5 | |
| Turning diameter | 35.2’ | 35.2’ | 35.2’ | 34.6 | 40.7’ | |
| Headroom, F/R | 38.2 / 37.0 | 38.6 / 37.8 | 38.6 / 38.5 | 39.3 / 37.7 | ||
| Legroom, F/R | 42.2 / 35.1 | 42.2 / 35.4 | 42.2 / 34.8 | 42.5 / 36.6 | ||
| Hiproom, F/R | 55.7 / 54.3 | 55.6 / 56.2 | 55.6 / 56.2 | 53.5 / 53.2 | ||
| Trunk capacity, cubic feet | 15.0 | 15.0 | 34.9 | 15.0/34.2** | 15.6 | |
| Cargo, second seat down, c.f. | 67.7 | 69.2 | ||||
| Gas tank (gallons) | 13 | |||||
| Gas mileage (2.2 manual) | 25 mpg city /35 highway* | 29/41** | 16/21* | |||
| Power, 2.2 liter engine (Gran Fury: 318) |
97 hp @ 5,200 rpm 122 lb-ft @ 3,200 rpm |
84 hp @4800 111 lb-ft @2,400 |
140@3,600 265@1,600 |
|||
| Power, optional engine ( 1986: 2.5 / 1982: MMC 2.6) |
100 hp / 136 lb-ft | 92 hp @4,500 131 lb-ft@2,500 |
||||
* 25/35 corrected for 2008 standards = 22/32!
16/21 corrected for 2008 standards = 15/20 - required premium!
** 15.0 for sedans, 34.2 for wagon. 40 mpg highway for wagon.
Other Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant pages
- Kronology: Detailed history of the K-car
- Executive and Limousine models
- K-Car Build Statistics
- Allpar (Chrysler enthusiast site)
- Chrysler FAQ
- EEK! - The Everyday Extended K-Car Mailing List (includes repair tips)
- Other K-Car Links
- 2.2 and 2.5 liter engines
Comparison to other Dodge and Plymouth cars of the time
The K-cars provided nearly the same interior space and ride as the M-body Gran Fury and Diplomat, at much lower cost, with much better mileage; and they afforded a five-speed manual transmission option to get quicker acceleration and even better gas mileage.
The Gran Fury was a full two feet longer, but legroom was only 1.5 inches better in the rear seat, and a mere .3 inches longer in the front. The trunk capacity was similar - .6 cubic feet better in Gran Fury. The Gran Fury was actually narrower inside than the K-car, while managing to be four inches wider outside. And the K-cars didn't have transmission humps inside.
Yes, the Gran Fury had its strengths - a tough structure, loads of torque, and a plush, attractive interior - but its dated engineering, which dated back to the 1950s with major updates roughly every ten years until the mid-1970s, and the basic architecture limited its attractiveness to the average buyer, as did the frankly unaerodynamic shape.
Reliant and Aries trim levels
- 1981-1984: standard, custom, special edition.
- 1985: Base, SE, LE.
- 1986: Base, LE.
- 1987-88: America plan (fewer options, lower price, more standard features).
- 1989: America only; no wagons
The Ultimate K-Car (by Stephen Lyons)
Nearly a decade after their introduction, Chrysler gave the venerable Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries a makeover, extending their wheelbase and updating their suspension and drivetrain. The resulting Plymouth Acclaim and Dodge Spirit sedans lost much of the sharp edged, angular look of their predecessors, but the underpinnings remained firmly rooted in K-car technology, right down to the base engine, the stroked 2.5 liter derivative of the original 2.2 liter four introduced with the K-cars back in 1981. In fact, in 1990, Dodge decided to plug the 2.2 liter powerplant back into the Spirit as an option for the 1991 model. Ho-hum, huh?
Hardly! This was the Spirit R/T, and the 2.2 liter engine under the hood, with a Lotus designed dual overhead camshaft, 16 valve head installed, with a Garrett intercooled turbocharger, puts out an astounding 224 horsepower at 6000 rpm, and even better, 210 ft-lb of torque at just 2800 rpm. The bottom end was upgraded as well, most notably by the addition of twin balancing shafts that smooth out all this output. Power is transmitted to the suitably large wheels (15 inchers, big for a car of this size back then) by a 5 speed manual transmission for which the extra robust gearsets were sourced from Gertrag. Braking is via 4 wheel disc ABS, and suspension has been suitably stiffened and upgraded.
The exterior is understated, devoid of garish striping or outsized spoilers, and the cloth upholstered interior was no giveaway to all the mechanical goodies lurking underneath. The seemingly obligatory ground effect lower bodywork modifications are in evidence, though. The car qualifies as a "sleeper" in the boulevard wars, and make no mistake about it, it will suck the doors off of a lot of supposedly "hot" cars, and not shame itself in the company of the rest.
Dodge made Spirit R/Ts for just the 1991 and 1992 model years, and in limited quantities. It is an overlooked star in the galaxy of Mopar high-performance vehicles, and worth latching onto should you ever be fortunate enough to have the opportunity to get hold of one.
