Chrysler Newport
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The Newport was a name used by the Chrysler division of the Chrysler Corporation used as both a hardtop body designation and for its entry level model between 1961 and 1981. Chrysler first used the Newport name on a 1940 showcar of which five actual vehicles were produced.
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[edit] 1940s
The first Newport, known as the Chrysler Newport Phaeton, was produced from 1940 to 1941, and was a low-production roadster that used an I8 engine coupled to a 3-speed manual transmission. The Newport was based upon the Chrysler New Yorker of the time, and designed by Chrysler designer Ralph Roberts. Only 5 were built. Actress Lana Turner owned a Newport Phaeton, as did Chrysler founder Walter P. Chrysler, who used it as a personal car.
The Newport Phaeton served as the pace car for the 1941 Indianapolis 500 race.
[edit] 1950s
The Newport name was used in the 1950s to designate the 2-door hardtop body style in Chrysler's lineup. Each Chrysler series, the Windsor, Saratoga and the New Yorker received a hardtop Newport model. The redesigned 1949 Chrysler Town and Country was first proposed as a hardtop, however the body style only appeared in the model's final year in 1950.
[edit] 1961–1964
Chrysler revived the Newport name for their new, full-size entry-level model for 1961. At a base price of US$2,964, the Newport was intended to fill the price gap between Chrysler and Dodge that was created when DeSoto was discontinued. While the Newport was very successful and comprised the bulk of Chrysler production, the base Newport sedans were detrimmed versions of Chrysler's traditional upmarket models, featuring hubcaps unstead of full-wheel covers, plain interiors and a minimal amount of exterior trim. The perception of an inexpensive Chrysler hurt the marque in the long run by cheapening the brand's caché.
In 1961, the Newport was available as a 2-door convertible, 2-door hardtop, 4-door sedan, 4-door hardtop and 4-door station wagon. The base engine for the Newport was the 361 in³ V8 engine rated at 265 hp, although most were equipped with the 305 hp 383 in³ V8. 1962 Chryslers continued to use the 1961 body, but were shorn of their trademark fins.
The Newport was restyled alongside the New Yorker and Chrysler 300 for 1963, with this body style continuing for 1964.
[edit] 1965–1978
For 1965, the Newport was redesigned on the then-new Chrysler C platform. Also for 1965, the Newport station wagon was renamed the Chrysler Town and Country. The Newport was redesigned again for 1969, and featured the "Fuselage Styling" that would become symbolic of Chrysler's full-size cars until the end of the 1973 model year.Newport convertibles were discontinued after 1971. Production of the C-body Newport ended in 1978 along with the Chrysler New Yorker. Related Dodge and Plymouth C-body cars had been dropped the previous year. The 1978 Newport offered the American car industry's last true two-door and four-door hardtops.
[edit] 1979–1981
In 1979, a new downsized Newport appeared on the Chrysler R platform, a derivative of the circa 1962 Chrysler B platform. Initial 1979 sales were strong, but Chrysler's unsteady financial condition, combined with tightening oil and gasoline supplies hurt sales of the redesigned vehicle, and all of the R-body models were discontinued after a short run of 1981 models, as Chrysler began its shift toward smaller front-wheel drive cars. The Newport was replaced by the 1983 Chrysler Fifth Avenue.
[edit] External links
- Information on the Newport Phaeton
- Allpar.com page on the Chrysler C-body
- 1969–1973 Chrysler Newport at Fuselage.de site
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