European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1980, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pago 10 the stars and stripes monday september 15, 1980 Corner this is the second in a four part series on 1981 Model cars from the big four. Today the Chrysler corp. Vehicles Are Fea tured a British motor journalist who has spent his adult life writing about Auto mobiles said at a grand prix race this  summer thut if someone had predicted to me 10 years ago that Chrysler corp. Would be in financial trouble by 1980 i d have rated the Chap a prime candidate for the loony  Bui incredibly enough that prediction would have been sound. And who would have guessed it thinking  to 1970, or even just seven years ago before the outbreak of the Mideast War in october of 1973, the american motor Industry could t have been healthier. The big cars with their equally big v8 engines were Selling As fast As they could be produced and the Money rolled in. Treading water now. That same Industry is treading a i Ter it Best with some segments of it actually struggling hard for survival. To slay in business the american motors co. Has been forced to borrow heavily from its French shareholder the Renault company retooling now Detroit is retooling for All out Smil Cir production in a world that Pius appear turned upside Down to the Ameri can Auto executives whose philosophy once wan bigger is  this relatively grim background brings us to today s main automotive subject Chrysler cars in Genera and the new front wheel a hic Plymouth reliant Dodge Aries a body cars in particular the series that Chrysler corp. Is counting on to save it from oblivion. The reliant Aries Auto mobiles went into production last month and Chrysler Hopes to sell 600,000 of them on the first year out. So much has already been written about the a body car and most of it favourable that it s not necessary to go into lengthy detail so let s take a general View. Both the Plymouth reliant and Dodge Aries arc practically identical so what is said for one holds for the other. And generally speaking they arc along the same lines As the general motors Froni a Eccl drive a body cars which have gained immediate acceptance from the american Public. Replacing the Dodge Aspen Plymouth Volar series the front wheel drive five six passenger a body cars arc built on a 99.6 Inch . They Are two feet Shorter 800 pounds lighter and 25 percent More efficient on fuel use than the Aspen Volare models. Chrysler says. The reliant ind Aries sedans have achieved 25 Miles per gallon in City driving 41 mpg on the Highway and 30 mpg combined in official Epa fuel Economy testing impressive figures. The Aries reliant Model is powered by an All new in line 2.2-liter 135-cubic-Inch engine featuring an overhead camshaft and a staged two barrel Carburettor. The engine is mounted transversely to gain Interior space. By Sie and weight this is the smallest engine that Chrysler has developed domestically in a 58-year history of Power plants says l. D. Gschwind a top Engi Neer at Chrysler. But right from the Start this k3 horsepower 203-Pound lightweight motor becomes a  2.2 engine Standard the 2.2-liter. 4-Cyiindcr engine is Stan Dard in the Aries and reliant while a 2.6 Lilor 156 cubic Inch displacement 4-Cylin Der silent Shaft motor from the japanese Mitsubishi firm is optional. The Power from these engines is transmitted to the front wheels via the Standard Chrysler designed and manufactured four Speed manual transaxle with integral Over drive fourth gear ratio. A three Speed torque Lite automatic transaxle is also available but Only with the larger 2.6-Litcr Mitsubishi motor. Steering is by rack and Pinion Power steering is optional while the Brake arrangement features discs at front and Drums at rear. The cars will be offered in three body styles two door Sedan four door Sedan and station Wagon. Chrysler said last month that introductory prices for its new a cars will begin at 56,056, about $400 above the Price of the Volar and Aspen compacts they replace. Looking at other 1981 models from Chrysler corp., the firm s Dodge division continues with the sporty Mirada intermediate the full size 4-door St. Regis and the mid size Diplomat both the St. Regis and Chrysler s luxury Imperial a limited production luxury car the Chrysler Imperial is powered by 5.2 liter v-8 engine with electronic fuel injection. The Imperial is so Complete Chrysler says that a Power operated Sun roof is its Only option. The Plymouth horizon the Plymouth horizon above and its Dodge Omni counterpart were the first front wheel drive compact cars from Chrysler corporation and they continue Diplomat in their last year of production. The original from a Eccl drive offering from Dodge division the popular Omni Sedan enters its fourth year and continues with the Volkswagen built 1.7-liter engine As Standard. The Omni also will be marketed with the new 2.2-Liicr engine from the Aries reliant As an option. The Dodge Omni 024 two door Hatchback the sports version of the Omni also continues with Little change. There too. The 2.2-Litcr engine is optional. Dodge imports from Mitsubishi of Japan include the sporty and restyled challenger and the Colt Hatchback of twin stick eight Speed fuel Economy Fame. The Colt gets 37 mpg City 50 mpg Highway and 42 mpg combined. Moving to the Chrysler Plymouth Model division the Chrysler Imperial returns to the Market for 1981 As a limited edition personal luxury car a 2-door Hardtop that is 800 pounds lighter and two feet Shorter than the last two door Imperial which was discontinued in 1975. Chrysler new yorker and Newport mod on the Market with he Volkswagen built 1.7-liter engine As Standard. For the 198 models the Chrysler built 2-Miter engine is offered As an option. Els Are featured in the full size Sedan line the Lebaron continues As the mid size Model All three cars Are in their final Yea while the sporty Cordoba is the personal luxury car offering. At Plymouth the Gran fury also in its last year remains As the family car Model the Basic engine a slant six. Last year s Gran fury Solon meanwhile has been Dis continued. Plymouth s front wheel drive horizon the twin of the Dodge Omni goes  on and so does its Hatchback sports version the horizon tc3. As with the Dodge Omni and o24, the horizon and to models have the 1.7-Litcr Volkswagen built 4-Cylindcr engine As Standard with the new Chrysler made 2.2 liter As optional. The Plymouth division s Mitsubishi in Perls include the Champ same As the Dodge Colt and the Sapporo twin of the Dodge challenger. Next week new models from la Ford motor company. Randy Barnett Dodge Aries in detail a wac pc pm of a in this cutaway drawing shows he Chrys fur six when a front Bench Type seat is lir corporation s new Dodge Aries in used. A Chrysler made 2.2-liter, four Donuil the compact car providing settling Cylinder engine is Standard. The Plymouth reliant the Plymouth reliant a body car twin of the Dodge Aries features front wheel Drite. The reliant is two feel Shorter and 800 pounds lighter than the Plymouth Volare the car it replaces. Shown is the custom 4-door reliant