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Dodge Aspen
The Dodge Aspen, and its badge-engineered variant, the Plymouth Volaré, are compact rear-drive cars manufactured and marketed by Chrysler for model years 1976-1980 in four-door sedan, two-door coupe, and four-door wagon styles.
During the Volaré/Aspen's production, North American automakers were actively "downsizing" their lineups, reducing size and weight for improved fuel economy — and the industry was reclassifying its size nomenclature. The Volaré/Aspen were thus classified originally as compact cars, but as intermediate-sized cars by the time their production ended.
The Volaré/Aspen were discontinued following the 1980 model year prior to the introduction of the front-wheel-drive Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries, known collectively as K-cars. The end of production also marked the demise of Dodge Main Assembly, which was closed the same day.
The Volaré and the Aspen were introduced mid-cycle for model year 1976 as successors to the Chrysler "A-platform" models, the Plymouth Valiant/Plymouth Duster and Dodge Dart. During the 1976 model year, Valiant/Duster models were marketed alongside the Volaré at Chrysler/Plymouth dealerships, and the Dart models were marketed alongside the Aspen at Dodge dealerships. After the 1976 model year, Valiant and Dart models were discontinued.
Chrysler conceived the Volaré and Aspen as modern, fuel-efficient cars, more luxurious than their Valiant and Dart predecessors. They were together named Motor Trend Car of the Year for 1976, and they were noted by Consumer Reports magazine for their modern design and good performance. The Volaré and Aspen ultimately suffered numerous quality problems, frequent product recalls, and early rust damage that seriously damaged the cars' reputation and sales.
During development, the Volaré/Aspen models were extensively wind-tunnel tested to improve their aerodynamics, reduce wind drag and improve fuel economy, improve crosswind stability, reduce wind noise, and increase interior ventilation performance. The testing led designers to soften the front end contours and remove roof-drip moldings, and at the same time improve internal airflow ducting. Body engineering for the Volaré/Aspen implemented computer-aided design and clear plastic stress models to reveal stress points in the design phase before any sheet metal was formed, to reduce weight and improve fuel economy by using thinner glass, lighter side door beams, and high-strength/low alloy steel (HSLA) — four times as strong as conventional mild steel. A reduced number of steel stampings offered improved panel fits with fewer welds. Larger glass areas increased visibility, with a total glass area increase of 25% on two-door models and 33% on sedans.
With the Volare/Aspen twins, Chrysler introduced a new front suspension system using crossed torsion bars mounted transversely beneath the engine (marketed as Isolated Transverse Suspension System), provided a noticeable improvement over Chrysler's long used the longitudinal torsion bar suspension, introduced in 1957. The new torsion bar system, though not geometrically as favorable as its predecessor, saved space and weight — as was marketed as giving a "big car ride" with a softer, fore-and-aft compliance. This allowed the wheels to move rearward, instead of straight up and down, when the tires encountered an object, thereby dampening the blow and "rolling with" the bump rather than resisting it. The two transverse torsion bars were mounted along with an anti-sway bar forward of the front wheels, integrating both into a spring-strut front suspension. These components were attached to a K-shaped structural cross member, which itself was isolated from the unitized car body by four rubber mounts. The steering column was also rubber-isolated. Wheel alignment adjustments such as caster and camber could be made by removing plates over the wheel housings. Chrysler Corporation also employed the Isolated Transverse Suspension System with their M- and J-platform models.
The rear suspension of the Volaré/Aspen was more traditional for Chrysler passenger cars, using a conventional leaf spring (semi-elliptical) suspension system. However, this leaf spring arrangement was also rubber-isolated, which eliminated a metal-to-metal path through which road noise or vibration could be transmitted to the body.
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Dodge Aspen
The Dodge Aspen, and its badge-engineered variant, the Plymouth Volaré, are compact rear-drive cars manufactured and marketed by Chrysler for model years 1976-1980 in four-door sedan, two-door coupe, and four-door wagon styles.
During the Volaré/Aspen's production, North American automakers were actively "downsizing" their lineups, reducing size and weight for improved fuel economy — and the industry was reclassifying its size nomenclature. The Volaré/Aspen were thus classified originally as compact cars, but as intermediate-sized cars by the time their production ended.
The Volaré/Aspen were discontinued following the 1980 model year prior to the introduction of the front-wheel-drive Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries, known collectively as K-cars. The end of production also marked the demise of Dodge Main Assembly, which was closed the same day.
The Volaré and the Aspen were introduced mid-cycle for model year 1976 as successors to the Chrysler "A-platform" models, the Plymouth Valiant/Plymouth Duster and Dodge Dart. During the 1976 model year, Valiant/Duster models were marketed alongside the Volaré at Chrysler/Plymouth dealerships, and the Dart models were marketed alongside the Aspen at Dodge dealerships. After the 1976 model year, Valiant and Dart models were discontinued.
Chrysler conceived the Volaré and Aspen as modern, fuel-efficient cars, more luxurious than their Valiant and Dart predecessors. They were together named Motor Trend Car of the Year for 1976, and they were noted by Consumer Reports magazine for their modern design and good performance. The Volaré and Aspen ultimately suffered numerous quality problems, frequent product recalls, and early rust damage that seriously damaged the cars' reputation and sales.
During development, the Volaré/Aspen models were extensively wind-tunnel tested to improve their aerodynamics, reduce wind drag and improve fuel economy, improve crosswind stability, reduce wind noise, and increase interior ventilation performance. The testing led designers to soften the front end contours and remove roof-drip moldings, and at the same time improve internal airflow ducting. Body engineering for the Volaré/Aspen implemented computer-aided design and clear plastic stress models to reveal stress points in the design phase before any sheet metal was formed, to reduce weight and improve fuel economy by using thinner glass, lighter side door beams, and high-strength/low alloy steel (HSLA) — four times as strong as conventional mild steel. A reduced number of steel stampings offered improved panel fits with fewer welds. Larger glass areas increased visibility, with a total glass area increase of 25% on two-door models and 33% on sedans.
With the Volare/Aspen twins, Chrysler introduced a new front suspension system using crossed torsion bars mounted transversely beneath the engine (marketed as Isolated Transverse Suspension System), provided a noticeable improvement over Chrysler's long used the longitudinal torsion bar suspension, introduced in 1957. The new torsion bar system, though not geometrically as favorable as its predecessor, saved space and weight — as was marketed as giving a "big car ride" with a softer, fore-and-aft compliance. This allowed the wheels to move rearward, instead of straight up and down, when the tires encountered an object, thereby dampening the blow and "rolling with" the bump rather than resisting it. The two transverse torsion bars were mounted along with an anti-sway bar forward of the front wheels, integrating both into a spring-strut front suspension. These components were attached to a K-shaped structural cross member, which itself was isolated from the unitized car body by four rubber mounts. The steering column was also rubber-isolated. Wheel alignment adjustments such as caster and camber could be made by removing plates over the wheel housings. Chrysler Corporation also employed the Isolated Transverse Suspension System with their M- and J-platform models.
The rear suspension of the Volaré/Aspen was more traditional for Chrysler passenger cars, using a conventional leaf spring (semi-elliptical) suspension system. However, this leaf spring arrangement was also rubber-isolated, which eliminated a metal-to-metal path through which road noise or vibration could be transmitted to the body.
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