Here's how the Aries and Reliant K-cars brought Chrysler back from the dead 

And yet, Chrysler is still teetering at the edge of extinction.

When I was a little kid K Cars and Chrysler mini vans were everywhere

These were decent, competent cars. They weren't fancy, but they got the job done. They provided a lot of value for the money, and it was ingenious the way Chrysler was able to churn out so many 'different' models from the same parts.

It's wild how such a mundane car had such an impact on a company

The K Car platform made several models including the Dodge Caravan which Lee Iacocca introduced 40 years ago for the 1984 model year

‘89 Reliant was our first car; wife learned to drive in it. Roomy, super efficient and trouble free. We shipped it to both Europe and Asia on military moves.

I had a 1983 Reliant beat the heck out of it,, was a GREAT car.. Id buy another one,, but now own a 2019 300 and a 2018 Ram,,, love them.

Had a 600 for a while. Loved that car! The seats were like sitting on a comfy couch. Sadly, got t boned by a dump truck and the car was totaled.

I owned a 80s model Aries. Best car ever.

I remember working at an auto salvage yard in the early eighties,and with every 2.6,and K-Kar automatic transaxle we sold we would say a little prayer that they would make to the end of the 90 day warranty.

Nicely done video! Ford and GM were selling badge engineered cars long before the K car arrived.

*I liked Iacocca's Mini-Van commercials when he said **_"Buy American."_** While his Vans were built in Canada with Mitsubishi Engines shipped in crates from Japan. His Omni/Horizon utilized German VW crate motors.*

They were the car of choice for suburban high school principals for sure.

Safe to say that Chrysler improved upon the hemi engine since the days of the K car

CAFE standards and cash for clunkers are 2 of the worst things to ever happen to the auto market.

I live out in the Southwest Triangle and the kids it here are scooping up these K cars, especially the wagons and building budget JDM style cars out them.

Good video. I was waiting for you to mention the 1990's Imperial and New Yorker and New Yorker Fifth Avenue. You did at the end. Chrysler lived on the K car chassis for years and did it successfully too. They had a bunch of cars off that platform. The US Government bought a lot of those K cars too. I used to see them parked at the recruiting office and near government places. They were used in a lot of films as you shared. Things changed with LH cars which got its chassis from the Eagle/AMC Premier and the rear drive Chrysler 300 and Charger and Challenger which got its platform from Mercedes Benz.

Thank you for reminding me yakoof smirnov was a thing

These cars were an essential part for middle class folks to afford, so good on Chrysler ❤.

Thanks for the Ferris Bueller clip!

Here for John Voight 👀

That last clip is very timely with the new one coming out soon! C:

The K cars were nice drivers and incredibly comfortable

How about the gm w bodies? Olds Cutlass Supreme and Chevrolet Lumina, etc.

Can you do a video on the 1987-1993 Dodge Dynasty. I had 3 Dynasty a 1988 1992 1993 and all were cheap and easy to fix and peppy as well.

Chrysler was actually pushing Dodge as its performance division since the early 1980s. I recall the "America's Driving Machines" ad campaign from those days.

I had a 1985 dodge omni with 2.2 mis engine w/5sp trans. Put 300k w/1 clutch change. 1st new car i ever bought. Would do it all over again.😊

I miss the music

I Love K-Cars Since Before I Was Born In ‘96 NY! 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

Remember seeing Omnis and Horizons in the fall of 78 as 79 models. Looked pretty good, saw many of them. The Omni 024 had some very sharp styling for its' day. Have you done one on the Ford Fairmont? Sure would like to see one. Thanks!

For more than a decade all of their front wheel drive vehicles were based on the same platform, yes that includes the minivan

It looks like a car designed in Minecraft.

I guess I’ll have to sing the music to myself… 😗

Every k car at the time I saw, brand new. Had the rear suspension down for some reason, as if there was 400lb in the trunk

These cars are often nothing more than punch lines nowadays, but as a Chrysler fan/loyalist/historian, I really appreciate them. Without Iacocca, the K, and the minivans, Chrysler would have been dead by '81. These were instrumental in the successful reinvention of Chrysler Corporation. So many of these were seen as throwaway cars and trashed and beat on as a result. A true staple of American roads in the 80s, as common as the Camry is today, it's crazy to realize there aren't that many left, and even fewer in any sort of above average or even average condition. I've always wanted a 2 door or a wagon with the 2.5 Chrysler K engine. If I could ever find a clean one, which is next to impossible, I'd buy it on the spot. Great video as always.

Havent seen a Oldsmobile Firenza in maybe 30 years. A relative of mine had one new and what a piece of s*** it was. Got rid of it at less than 50,000 miles. If there isn't a video on that I'd like to see one.

6:49 GM did that with the windows on Malibu.

You missed that George Costanza had a K car that he bought because he was told that it belonged to Jon Voight.

Nice BNL sound bite!

Thank you for the great content.

Really good video as always. The Plymouth Caravelle is actually on the "E" platform. Along with the Dodge 600 and Chrysler E Class and New Yorker. Also, the replacement for the Mitsubishi 2.6 was the Chrysler 2.5, which was a stroked 2.2 liter. The 2.4 came later, in the Stratus, Cirrus, Breeze, Caravan, and Voyager.

I had a 1981 Plymouth Reliant and a 1985 Dodge Aries.

You mentioned a 2.4 liter 4 cylinder. It was actually a 2.5 liter.

At timestamp 5:33 It was also known as the "Semi-Hemi"!!

If it's good enough for Bill Devane and Tina Turner, I'm onboard.🤪

I remember that carnival Barker CEO of Chrysler in the 80s talking about how America is this or America is that; meanwhile he was selling an entire line of cars made by Mitsubishi badged as Colts

Can you do something on the Plymouth arrow with the rotary engine I can remember the commercial

Knew someone with 440 in Reliant Wagon. Had a Gremlin as well. With a 426

I miss the music. ☹️

I swear growing up I thought the K Car was meant only for Mary Kay cosmetics sales people 😂😂😂

I gotta watch Beverly Hills Cop again... The 80s. Great music, great movies....cars....eh...

Lee saved Chrysler, who will save them today. Here's a blast from the past how about a video on the 1981 BMW 320i?

DEAR LORD YES. IVE BEEN WAITIN YEARS

It was the K Minivan the real hero.

2:45 f*** wheel drive? That's a new one. Sounds innovative.

Interesting

Hey! Where is Jon Voight's car that George Costanza bought? 😅

Can you do a video on the Nissan sx cars?

Can you cover the 1990 Buick Regal?

can you do a video about the malaise era explaining the effects on the big three and AMC during the oil crisis of the 70s

Ha! Edward Rooney!

The 84 Caravan was the last, best Chrysler I owned.

Seems like the two-door sedans were rare, I saw tons and tons and tons of the four-door K cars. Wagons must have been rare also

The K car looks like a Ford Fairmont.

Good video 🥰

We had a Reliant and an Aries. They were both pretty "meh".

The 2.5L replaced the Mitsubishi 2.6.

i am begging you to make a video on the volkswagen fox please

First car was an 83 Reliant... That thing was a piece....

Nice Barenaked Ladies insert.

The Dodge Omni was a Talbot Horizon from England

Dad drove Chryslers for 30+ years. 86 LeBaron GTS was the final straw before getting a Honda.

The door is ajar! The door is ajar! The door is ajar! The door is ajar! The door is ajar! The door is ajar! The door is ajar! The door is ajar! The door is ajar! When the door pin malfunctioned in the Le Baron.

A blue Reliant Aries was used in the movie I know what you did last Summer 1997

How about the Geo Metro? It has got to be on somebody’s “Worst List” three cylinder and cheap materials Metro was a poor choice

🎶if i had a million dollars, i'd buy you a K-car, a nice Reliant automobile🎶

Nissan Sentra next

Reliant k the band

Thank You

Mitsubishi Diamante???

Look at all the model lines that only lasted one generation. That’s proof positive that American automakers never put much effort into compacts.

You could soak the fenders in salt water and it wouldn't rust. Weatherman forecasts rain, and paint on the rear quarter panels begins to bubble.

🥰

The K car,just slightly better than a Yugo!😂😂😂

Sadly, the K cars were a high water mark for Chrysler. Chrysler quality and reliability dropped in the 1990s and then really fell off a cliff when Fiat took over.

Where’s the music?!😒

hi

Still holding out for the CRX episode

Good stuff Ol Lido was the savior 😊. You might covered it but amc Jeep wagoneer or Eagle wagon

A friend had a Ply. Horizon , great car .

I had an airies. Great car

k cars were cool. lee iacocca still doing a great job.

If i had a million dollars

If you ever wondered how US auto makers dug their own grave, just look at the sheer volume of crappy K cars that they put out one after another the exact same car over and over again

Chrysler was going under. The k-car stopped the bleeding, the minivan made them profitable again

🥝✔️

The Plymouth caravelle came out in 85. For the 83 and 84 years dodge sold the 600 which was on a stretched K platform.with wheelbase of 103.1 inches. Chryslers version of the stretch was sold as the Chrysler E Class for 83 and 84, then Chrysler dropped it and Plymouth came out with the caravelle to follow. The E Class was essentially a New Yorker without the formal padded rear roof.

That looks like Eddie Murphy punching that gas pump.

When a company saved America worker's jobs now going to send to Mexico or even China wat happen to Neon staratus were affordable

I bought a new Dodge Aries in 1981. It was the worst car I've ever had. It was falling apart at 50K miles.