The Dodge Polara is an automobile introduced in the United States for the 1960 model year as Dodge's top-of-the-line full-size car. After the introduction of the Dodge Custom 880 in 1962, the Polara nameplate designated a step below the full-sized best-trimmed Dodge model; the Polara that year had been downsized to what was in effect intermediate, or mid-size status. In its various forms, the Polara name was used by Dodge until 1973, when its position in Dodge's line-up was replaced by the Dodge Monaco.
The name Polara is a reference to the Polaris star in a marketing attempt to appeal to the excitement surrounding the Space Race during the early 1960s.
The 1960 Polara and other full-sized Dodges featured styling cues carried over from 1959 models, itself an evolution of Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" cars introduced in 1957. The 1960 model year also marked the first year that all Chrysler models, except for the Imperial, used unibody construction.
The top-of-the-line Polara and Dodge Matador continued to use the 122in (3,099mm) wheelbase of their predecessors, while a new line-up of still full-sized Dodge Darts rode on a shorter 118in (2,997mm) wheelbase. The Polara was available as a two-door convertible, two-door hardtop, four-door hardtop sedan, four-door hardtop station wagon, and conventional (pillared) four-door sedan.
The 1960 full-sized Dodges continued with the make's styling hallmarks of stacked "jet pod" tail lights. However, the size of the lights was significantly increased compared to the previous year's lamps, with the lower lights set into the rear bumper. The design also incorporated Dodge's trademark shortened tail fins, which, on the Polara, included small vertical tail light lenses placed on the vertical surface at the back of the fin. The clipped fin tended to visually exaggerate the length of the "jet pods" that housed the taillights.
The fins on the Darts were shorter both in length and height because unlike the full-sized Dodge's, the Polara and Matador, the Darts were based on the Plymouth and utilized much of the Plymouth's sheet metal form. The Plymouth back door did not include any part of the rear fin, whereas, on the full-sized Dodges, the fin started on the rear door (on the four-door models) and continued to the back of the car. This allowed the fin to start on the door and end sooner, relative to the tip of the round tail light, and still appear as long or longer than on the Dart. The front end featured a small grille of eight stacks of anodized aluminum rectangles nested in a massive chrome front bumper assembly. As the top model in the line-up, the Polara featured better interior fabrics and trim treatments. The Polaras also received more exterior trim that included chrome stone guards aft of the rear wheel housings, a full-length chrome spear, and a broad chrome base to the chrome spear atop the headlight housings.
For 1961, Dodge dropped the Matador, leaving the Polara as the sole "senior" Dodge model. Darts on the shorter wheelbase continued. For 1961, Exner's styling department reversed the car's fins, making them taller as they flowed toward the rear window. As the fins sloped towards the rear of the car, they cut slightly towards the center (to allow the single tail light housing on each side) of the rear of the vehicle, wrapping downward and then back along the side fender to form a C-shaped line accentuated in chrome. The overall effect made the car's rear seem to "pucker" from the angles the design created. The massive front bumper treatments that had been a Dodge hallmark since 1957 were replaced with a simple bar design, above which was a massive concave grille shared with the Dodge Dart.
The 1961 styling overhaul of the Dodge line-up was different from anything else on the US market at that time (save the 1961 Plymouth, and consumers turned away from the 1961 restyle. Sales of full-size Dodges plunged to their lowest levels since the firm's founding in 1914, with only 14,032 units produced in the United States. For the second straight year, the Dart carried the make, with sales of 142,000 units. However, Dodge sales for 1961 were down 53% compared to 1960, dropping the make from sixth in the American market to ninth place.
A total of 1,236 units were part of a special order for the State of California Highway Patrol produced in the 999 trim code. The four-door sedans were essentially low-cost models equipped similarly to Dodge Dart standards, including rubber floor mats, gray vinyl interiors, and limited chrome trim. California officials insisted on a longer wheelbase police pursuit vehicle rather than using the smaller wheelbase Dodge Dart. A 383 high-output V8 provided power with a 413 camshaft and four-barrel Carter carburetor.
The bodyshells that were used for the 1961 Polaras were then reused the following year by the sedan and convertible models of the 1962 Chryslers.[2] These 1962 Chryslers were created by mating the front ends of updated 1961 Chryslers to the corresponding (and now de-finned) 1961 Polara bodies.[2] The 1962 Chrysler station wagons were created similarly, except the body of a full-sized 1961 Plymouth four-door wagon was used instead.[2]
All Dodge models were redesigned with smaller, lighter, sculpted bodies on 116in (2,946mm) wheelbases for 1962. This was the first Chrysler B-Body. This move came after Chrysler's president overheard and misunderstood Chevrolet chief Ed Cole to have said Chevrolet's largest cars would be downsized for 1962. Chrysler designers were forced to take the planned 1962 Dodge full-size line and shorten the design to fit a more compact wheelbase in a last-minute effort to compete with what was supposed to be a smaller new Chevrolet.[3] However, GM was developing a new mid-sized automobile that would become the 1964 Chevelle, but continued to offer its line of traditional full-size cars for 1962. As a result, Dodge and Plymouth were marketing smaller cars that the public and motoring press found stylistically awkward.
The new Dodge models were sized closer to Ford's new intermediate Fairlane than to Ford's or GM's new "A-body" models. As a result, development was accelerated for a new full-size car, using the front end from the 1961 Dodge Polara and the body from the 1962 Chrysler Newport.[4] This new full-size model became the Custom 880 and was Dodge's top-of-the-line model when it was introduced on January 21, 1962. In 1963, a lower specification version was offered, the Dodge 880.[5]
Among the B-Bodied 1962 Dodges was a bucket-seated sporty model called the Polara 500. It was available as a two-door hardtop and a convertible, and a four-door hardtop was added in December. Standard equipment included a 305hp (227kW; 309PS)361cuin (5.9L) V8 with four-barrel carburetion and dual exhaust. Positioned beneath the Polara 500 in descending order were the Dart 440 and the Dart 330. For the 1962 model year, there was no model named "Polara". These models were marketed in Canada as the Dodge 440 and Dodge 330, and a Canada-only base model Dodge 220 was also offered.
The Dodges were available with optional V8 engines of up to 413cuin (6.8L). These mid-sized Dodges (and similar models from Plymouth) competed successfully as stock cars in NASCAR races and in stock-automatic classes in drag racing, where their smaller size and lighter weight gave them an advantage over the larger cars from Ford and General Motors.
The basic body of the 1962 model continued until 1964, revised and lengthened by the new Chrysler vice president of styling Elwood Engel. The Polara range eventually included a four-door sedan. For 1963 and 1964, the Polara 500 was available only as a convertible or hardtop coupé.
For the 1963 model year, the wheelbase was increased to 119 inches (3,023mm) and the car received new sheet metal. The Dart name was reassigned to Dodge's line of compact cars that had previously been known as the Dodge Lancer. Positioned below the Polara were the 440 and 330 trim models. The 1964 models received a revised front end and new tail lamps to distinguish them from the 1963 cars. The Chevrolet Impala inspired the rear-end treatment, and the Polara models now featured six small, square-shaped taillights (three on each side) surrounded by a bright trim panel. Lower-trimm models mid-size Dodges only had four taillights (two on each side) and lacked the bright trim panel. A new "C" pillar for the hardtop coupes, combined with the revised front and rear-end styling, made the 1964s look new, resulting in a significant increase in sales over 1963.
The Polara 500 continued as Dodge's sporty mid-size model, competing with the full-size Ford Galaxie 500/XL and Chevrolet's Impala Super Sport, featuring an engine-turned anodized aluminum trim strip along the car's flanks as well as bucket seats and deluxe vinyl upholstery.
For the 1965 model year, Chrysler moved the Polara back to the full-sized Chrysler C platform shared with Chrysler and Plymouth models. Once again offered in a full range of bodies (sedans, hardtops, station wagons, etc.), the Polara, in effect, replaced the 880 and remained a step below the Custom 880, and the new Monaco hardtop coupe was now Dodge's top model. The previous mid-sized Dodges that were sold under the names Polara 500, Polara, 440, and 330 continued in production under the name Dodge Coronet, their wheelbase shrinking to 117 inches (2,972mm). These Polaras were criticized for low fuel economy, with owners of 383cuin (6.3L) cars achieving an average of 13.8mpg‑US (17.0L/100km; 16.6mpg‑imp).[6]
In the 1966 model year, the Monaco would replace the Custom 880 as the mid-level model, while a new Monaco 500 would replace the previous 1965 Monaco. The 1967 models received a facelift, and the hardtop coupe adopted a semi-fastback roof style with a reverse-slant rear quarter window. The 1967 models included a new U.S. government-required safety package that featured an energy-absorbing steering column and safety steering wheel, blunt dashboard controls, more interior padding, and a dual-circuit brake master cylinder. The 1968 model year added outboard front shoulder belts and side marker lights, in addition to the 1967 safety equipment.
One constant of the 1965 through 1968 models was square-edged styling that was updated each model year. From 1965 until 1970, the Polara would be the only full-sized Dodge available in the U.S. as a convertible.
The new 1969 Polara wore a broad-shouldered streamlined design, called the "fuselage design", which would continue for five model years.[7] New safety requirements included front seat head restraints.
The Polara 500 model was reintroduced for the 1969 model year and positioned between the standard Polara and the top-of-the-line Monaco. The Polara 500 was available as either a convertible or a hardtop coupe. The standard engine was the 225cuin (3.7L)slant-6 with optional 318cuin (5.2L), 383cuin (6.3L), and 440cuin (7.2L) V8s available. The 1969 Dodge Polara models offered a unique "Super-Lite" option, which placed a single quartz auxiliary "turnpike beam" headlamp in the driver-side grille.[8]
The 1969 CHP Polara held the record on the Chrysler test track in Chelsea, MI, until 1994 for the highest top speed achieved by a factory-built four-door sedan - 149.6 miles per hour (241km/h) until a 1994 Chevrolet Caprice broke the record with an LT1 engine.[9]
In 1970, the Polara received new front and rear styling that included a bumper that wrapped around the grille and headlights. The Polara Custom replaced the Polara 500 in hardtop coupe, four-door hardtop sedan, and conventional four-door sedan body styles. There was also a stripped-down Polara Special available as either a four-door sedan or station wagon. 1970 was the last year that the Polara would be available in a convertible body style (with a scant 842 produced, making it extremely rare today), and Dodge would never again offer a full-sized convertible. The early 1970 production featured a "medallion" rear bumper. This bumper was pictured in all of the sales literature, but was discontinued after late August or early September 1969 production and replaced with a plain bumper lacking the center Fratzog medallion. Dodge also discontinued the Super-Lite option at the end of the 1970 model year because of a lack of consumer interest and challenges to its legality in some states. The 1970s also received a new locking steering column which locked the steering wheel and column shift lever when the ignition key was removed.
The Polara Special was discontinued for the 1971 model year with a new sub-series, the Polara Brougham, positioned above the Polara Custom, but below the Monaco. The Polara Brougham was available only as a hardtop coupe or a four-door hardtop sedan. The 360cuin (5.9L) V8 was also introduced for 1971.
The 1972 model year featured a facelift with new sheet metal and the discontinuation of the Polara Brougham model. The 1973 models received new front-end styling (reminiscent of the full-size 1970 Chevrolets) abandoning the wraparound front bumper.
Sales of the Polara were declining. Having been eclipsed by the Monaco, Dodge discontinued the Polara after 1973. The energy crisis in the fall of 1973, spurred on by the Arab/OPEC oil embargo, resulted in a drop in sales of all full-size American automobiles that did not provide good fuel economy. The redesigned 1974 Monaco replaced the Polara.
1969 Dodge Polara sedan
1970 Polara convertible
1971 Polara 2-door hardtop
1971 Polara Custom station wagon
1972 Dodge Polara 4-door sedan police car
In Argentina
A Dodge Polara designed and made in Argentina
In Argentina, the name Polara was used to refer to a series of vehicles developed on the basis of the North American 1967-1969 Dodge Dart. These cars were manufactured between 1968 and 1980 by the subsidiary Chrysler Fevre Argentina[10] in sedan and coupe versions.
While the Argentinian Polara was badged as a Dodge, it was marketed alongside the Argentinian variant of the Plymouth Valiant (derived from the US Plymouth Valiant, the first and second-generation Australian Chrysler Valiant, and third and fourth generation US Dodge Dart). The sedan variant of this line was mainly composed of two models based on the same body, with the basic model sold as the Polara and the deluxe version as the Coronado.[11] The coupe variant's models were also based on the same body, with the basic model known as the Dodge Polara coupe, the sports version as the Dodge Polara R/T, all these models featured the 225cuin (3.7L) slant-six engine, and the deluxe high-performance version was the Dodge GTX. This last model came equipped with a 318cuin (5.2L) V8, considered the most powerful engine ever produced in Argentina. Other models in the production line were the Dodge Valiant, Polara GT, and the Polara diesel, all four-door sedans.[10]
The Dodge Polara line of cars was designed exclusively for the Argentinian market. The interior, especially the dashboard, is similar to that of the early 1970s Dodge Dart–Plymouth Valiant cars.[citation needed] The coupes were not available in large numbers,[citation needed] but are collected by enthusiasts.[citation needed] They were hard to sell as gas consumption is high compared to the 4- and 6-cylinder cars the Argentinian consumer is used to.[citation needed] Several restyling jobs of the whole line with new front and rear ends were carried out within its lifetime.[vague][citation needed]
A Dodge Polara GTX coupé in Argentina with the hardtop option and premium orange paintSpanish-market 3700 GT version
An automobile magazine, Corsa, road-tested a Polara GTX coupé with a V8 rated at 212hp (158kW) at 4,400 rpm, 308lb⋅ft (418N⋅m) at 2,600 rpm and 8.5:1 compression ratio. It reached a top speed of 189km/h (117mph), and reached 0–100km/h (0–62mph) in 10.2 seconds.[12]
There was also a version of this model, built from 1971 to 1978 exported to Spain as a CKD in cooperation with the Barreiros company known as the Dodge 3700.[11]
In Brazil, the Polara nameplate was revived in 1977 for a version of the Chrysler Avenger. They were sold until 1981.
There was also a version of this model in sedan and station wagon built in the 1970s in Argentina of the same car known as the Dodge 1500 until Volkswagen took over Chrysler Fevre Argentina SAIC, including the tooling for the car, in 1980. From then until 1988, the car was sold in Argentina as the Volkswagen 1500 (not to be confused with the Type 3, also sold as the Volkswagen 1500 in most markets, including a similar version with 1600 engine in Brazil).
In Canada
Chrysler of Canada marketed the Polara as its full-size model starting with the 1964 model year, and all Canadian Polaras were based on the U.S. full-size Dodge platforms. For 1964, the Polara was the top-of-the-line big Dodge. 1965 and 1966 included the Polara 880 and Polara 440 models, with 1966 adding a new base series called, Polara. From 1967 through 1969, the Polara line included a deluxe Polara 500 and a base Polara. (Starting in 1965, Dodge of Canada also offered the top-of-the-line Monaco, similar to the U.S. market Monaco). Starting in 1970, model names were the same as their U.S. counterparts.
Related Research Articles
Plymouth was a brand of automobiles produced by Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler. The brand was launched in 1928 to compete in what was then described as the "low-priced" market segment that was dominated by Chevrolet and Ford. It became a high-volume seller for the automaker until the late 1990s. Plymouth cars were marketed primarily in the United States. The brand was withdrawn from the marketplace in 2001. The Plymouth models that were produced up to then were either discontinued or rebranded as Chrysler or Dodge.
The Chrysler New Yorker is an automobile model that was produced by Chrysler from 1940 until 1996, serving for several decades as either the brand's flagship model or as a junior sedan to the Chrysler Imperial, the latter during the years in which the Imperial name was used within the Chrysler lineup rather than as a standalone brand.
The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile which was marketed by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation in the United States from the model years of 1960 through 1976. It was created to give the company an entry in the compact car market emerging in the late 1950s. The Valiant was also built and marketed, without the Plymouth brand, worldwide in countries including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Finland, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Sweden and Switzerland, as well as other countries in South America and Western Europe. It became well known for its excellent durability and reliability, and was one of Chrysler's best-selling automobiles during the 1960s and 1970s, helping to keep the company solvent during an economic downturn.
The Dodge Dart is a line of large passenger cars produced by Dodge from the 1959 to 1976 model years in North America, with production extended to later years in various other markets.
The B platform or B-body was the name of two of Chrysler's midsize passenger car platforms – at first rear-wheel drive, from 1962 through 1979; and the later, unrelated front-wheel drive platform, used by the Eagle Premier / Dodge Monaco, from 1988 through 1992.
The Dodge Diplomat is an American mid-size car that was produced by Dodge from 1977 to 1989. At launch, it shared a common design with the Chrysler LeBaron and for much of its later production run was the counterpart of the more upscale Chrysler Fifth Avenue and lower priced Plymouth Gran Fury. It was also sold in Mexico between 1981 and 1982 as the Dodge Dart, and in Colombia as the Dodge Coronet. The Diplomat was initially offered in a coupe and a sedan; in 1978, station wagons were added as replacements for the discontinued full-sized C-body wagons.
The Dodge Monaco is an automobile that was marketed by the Dodge division of Chrysler Corporation. Introduced as the flagship of the Dodge product line, the Monaco was introduced for 1965 to replace the Custom 880, then later joining as a sub-model of the Dodge Polara. During its production, the Monaco was offered in multiple body configurations, including two-door and four-door hardtop sedans, four-door sedans, two-door convertibles, and station wagons.
The Dodge Coronet is an automobile that was marketed by Dodge in seven generations, and shared nameplates with the same bodyshell with varying levels of equipment installed. Introduced as a full-size car in 1949, it was the division's highest trim line and moved to the lowest level starting in 1955 through 1959. The name was reintroduced on intermediate-sized models from the 1965 until 1976 model years. Muscle car versions were available starting in 1965 with the 383 and 426 wedge cu in Chrysler RB engine, followed in 1966 by the powerful 426 cu in Chrysler Hemi. Other performance models included the "Superbee", and featured, the 383 cu in Magnum, among other engine options. The nameplate "coronet" is a type of crown worn by royalty.
The Plymouth Fury is a model of automobile that was produced by Plymouth from 1955 until 1989. It was introduced for the 1956 model year as a sub-series of the Plymouth Belvedere, becoming a separate series one level above the contemporary Belvedere for 1959. The Fury was a full-size car from 1959 until 1961, then a mid-size car from 1962 until 1964, again, a full-size car from 1965 through 1974, and again, a mid-size car from 1975 through 1978. From 1975 until 1977, the Fury was sold alongside the full-size Plymouth Gran Fury. In 1978, the B-body Fury was the largest Plymouth, and by 1979, there was no large Plymouth. This product gap was filled in 1980 with the R-body Gran Fury, followed by the M-body Fury in 1982. Production of the last V8, RWD Plymouth Fury ended at the Kenosha Main assembly plant in Kenosha, WI, on December 23, 1988. Unlike its sibling brand, Dodge, Plymouth would not live to see the resurgence of the large, V8/RWD sedan.
The Plymouth Belvedere is a series of American automobile models made by Plymouth from 1954 until 1970.
The Dodge Matador is a full-sized automobile which was produced for the 1960 model year by Dodge. The Matador was the base model, positioned below the top trim level Dodge Polara that also used the 122-inch (3,099 mm) wheelbase platform of the Chrysler Windsor and Chrysler Newport models.
The Chrysler Windsor is a full-size car which was built by Chrysler from 1939 through to the 1960s. The final Chrysler Windsor sold in the United States was produced in 1961, but production in Canada continued until 1966. The Canadian 1961 to 1966 Windsor model was for all intents and purposes the equivalent of the Chrysler Newport in the United States.
The Dodge Mayfair was an automobile built by Chrysler Corporation of Canada Ltd. This vehicle was produced solely for the Canadian market from 1953 to 1959. Its American equivalent was the Plymouth Belvedere. It was based on the Plymouth.
The Ford Fairlane is an automobile model that was sold between the 1955 and 1970 model years by Ford in North America. Taking its name from the Dearborn, Michigan estate of Henry Ford, the Fairlane nameplate was used for seven different generations of vehicles. Through its production, the model line would be marketed in a wide variety of body styles, including two-door and four-door sedans, two-door and four-door hardtops, station wagons, and both traditional and retractable-hardtop convertibles.
The Chrysler Town & Country is an automobile which was manufactured by Chrysler from 1940 to 1942 and from 1945 to 1988 with production interrupted during World War II. Primarily produced as a luxury station wagon, the Town & Country was also available in "woodie" four-door sedan, two-door hardtop and convertible body styles from 1947 to 1950, 1968 to 1969 and from 1983 to 1986. The 1988 model year was the last for the station wagon until the 1990 model year when Chrysler reintroduced the Town & Country nameplate as the rebadged variant Chrysler Town & Country minivan.
The Plymouth Gran Fury is a full-sized automobile that was manufactured by Plymouth from 1975 to 1989. The nameplate would be used on successive downsizings, first in 1980, and again in 1982, through what would originally have been intermediate and compact classes in the early 1970s, all with conventional rear-wheel drive layouts. By the time Chrysler ended M-body production in December 1988, they were Chrysler's last remaining rear-wheel drive cars, with a V8 and carburetor, a configuration used since the mid-1950s. Plymouth did not have another rear-wheel drive car until the 1997 Prowler roadster.
The Newport was a name used by Chrysler for both a hardtop body designation and also for its lowest priced model between 1961 and 1981. Chrysler first used the Newport name on a 1940 show car, of which five vehicles were produced. From 1950 to 1956, the Newport name was then used to designate any Chrysler model with a hardtop body style. In 1961, Chrysler introduced the Newport as a new, low-priced model, offering large, comfortable two- and four-door Chrysler models that were modestly priced compared with the Chrysler 300, the Chrysler New Yorker and the Imperial. For 1961, the Newport was priced below the Chrysler Windsor in the Windsor's final year.
The Dodge Custom 880 is an automobile that was marketed by Dodge from 1962 through the end of the 1965 model year. It was to fill Dodge's product offer in the mid-price full-size market segment, as well as to help fill the void in Chrysler's lineup left by the discontinuation of DeSoto in 1961.
The Dodge Phoenix is an automobile which was produced by Chrysler Australia from 1960 to 1972.
The Dodge 440 is a mid-size car that was marketed by Dodge from 1962 to 1964.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
