The Dodge Lancer was a model of the Dodge division of the Chrysler Corporation. Dodge used the Lancer name to denote models three times in its history before the creation of DaimlerChrysler in 1998.
1955-59
1956 Dodge Custom Royal Lancer
Dodge used the Lancer name from 1955 to 1959 to designate both two and four door pillarless hardtop models in the Coronet, Royal and Custom Royal lines. The Lancer designation was dropped for 1960. 1961-62
For the 1961 model year, Dodge applied the Lancer nameplate to its higher-priced, upmarket badge-engineered clone of Chrysler's very popular Valiant compact. The model was introduced when Chrysler officially assigned the Valiant to Plymouth division for 1961, leaving Dodge dealers without a compact to sell. All the same body variants available on the Valiant were also available on the Lancer: 2- and 4-door sedans, 2-door coupes, and 4-door wagons. Styling & trimThe Lancer wheelbase and body shell were identical to those of the Valiant, but interior and exterior trim were fancier on the Lancer. Lancers featured round taillights and a full-width grille, instead of the Valiant's cat's-eye taillights and central grille. For 1961, trim levels were the basic 170 and the premium 770. In 1961, the 2-door hardtop was marketed as the Lancer 770 Sports Coupe, essentially a "performance appearance package". For 1962, the Sports Coupe was given the more concise model name of GT and carried premium trim; 2-tone paint was available and instead of the front bench seat, there were two bucket seats.
A 1962 Lancer GT grille
PowertrainsThe Lancer used the slant-6 engine. The base engine was the 170 in³ (2.8 L) unit, rated at 101 hp. The optional power package consisted of the larger 225 in³ (3.7 L) engine, rated at 145 hp. After the start of the 1961 model year, a die-cast aluminum version of the 225 engine block was made available. The aluminum 225 weighed 45 pounds less than the iron 170 and 80 pounds less than the iron 225. Any of the available engines could be equipped at the dealer with Chrysler's Hyper Pak parts kit for a significant power upgrade: the 170 Hyper Pak's published output was 148 hp, while the 225 Hyper Pak's was 196. With the Hyper Pak, a 225 Lancer could go from 0 to 60 mph in 8.6 seconds and turn in a standing quarter mile time of 16.4 seconds[1]. Transmission options were a Chrysler-built A903 3-speed manual with the shifter on the floor in 1961, on the steering column in 1962, or a pushbutton-operated A904 Torqueflite 3-speed automatic. Drag strip & sales competitionAlthough the bigger Dodges were beginning to appear at drag strips around the country, the Golden Lancer of Dode Martin and Jim Nelson was just about the fastest compact on the strips in 1962. Stuffed into the engine compartment was a 413 in³ (6.8 L) Chrysler V8 engine modified by the Chrysler engineers' Ramchargers racing team. The Golden Lancer raced successfully in A/FX class and could do the quarter mile in 12.68 seconds at 113 mph[1]. Unfortunately, Lancer sales did not meet expectations and sold about half as well as the Valiant. As a late part of the total redesign of Dodge's compact car for 1963, the Lancer name was discontinued. Dodge compacts for 1963 through 1976 were named Dart, a name that had previously been assigned to a larger car produced by Dodge from 1960 to 1962. South African marketIn South Africa, a right hand drive version of the Lancer was sold from 1961 through 1963, badged as the DeSoto Rebel not very long after the DeSoto name was discontinued in the U.S. All Rebels were equipped with the 170 in³ (2.8 L) Slant 6 engine, and most were equipped with the 3-speed manual transmission. As with the Australian RV1 and SV1 Valiants, the Rebel used the instrument cluster from the US 1961 Plymouth Valiant. White reflectors were mounted to the front bumper, in accordance with South African vehicle equipment regulations. The Rebel name was re-introduced by Chrysler South Africa in 1967 as the economy-priced Valiant Rebel with a 225 in³ engine equipped with a single-barrel carburetor. 1980s
The Dodge Lancer was re-introduced in 1985 as a mid-sized 5-door hatchback. It was a clone to the Chrysler LeBaron GTS and was based on the Chrysler H platform, a stretched version of the Chrysler K platform. The Lancer eventually slotted between the Aries and the 600. All Lancers were built in Sterling Heights, Michigan. Production ended on April 7, 1989, replaced by the Spirit. Lancer ShelbyNot to be confused with the 1987 Shelby Lancer is the 1988 to 1989 Lancer Shelby. This was a factory appearance and handling package and included upgraded sway bars, shorter springs, and quicker steering along with an assortment of comfort and convenience features. The intercooled Turbo II engine with the manual transmission provided 175 hp (130 kW) and a flat torque curve. The automatic made do with the 146 hp (109 kW) Turbo I. Although not a limited edition, Lancer Shelbys are rare. Just 279 were produced in 1988 and 208 in 1989. References
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