Two very different, open-top Chrysler products of a similar era. 🇺🇸

Plymouth Reliant

In this Aug. 7, 1980, file photo, Chrysler Corp. Chairman Lee Iacocca with the first K Car, a Plymouth Reliant, in Detroit. Former Chrysler CEO Iacocca became a folk hero for rescuing the company. Lee Iacocca and Joe Czar (Production Manager at right) drove the first K Car offline at the Chrysler Jefferson Plant. The Chrysler K platform was developed just as the company faltered in the market, at first underpinning a modest range of compact/mid-size sedans and wagons—and eventually underpinning nearly fifty different models, including all-wheel drive variants. The right car at the right time. They were initially very profitable, and Iacocca credited them with allowing the company to pay off its bankruptcy loans early.

Following the 1973 oil crisis, compounded by the 1979 energy crisis, American consumers began to buy fuel-efficient, low-cost automobiles built in Japan. With the market for large V-8 engined cars declining, American domestic auto manufacturers found themselves trying to develop compact vehicles that could compete with the Japanese imports of Toyota, Honda, and Nissan in price and finish. The K-cars (Dodge Aries, Plymouth Reliant, Chrysler LeBaron, Dodge 400, and, in Mexico, Dodge Dart) sold over 2 million vehicles from 1981 to 1988

1978 Chrysler LeBaron

Chrysler LeBaron Town & Country, 1978. This was the first time the LeBaron name was used on a Chrysler model, previously LeBarons had been Imperials. The new M-body was an up-market version of the F-body created for the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré. Thus the LeBaron Town & Country combined two historic Chrysler Corp model names on a mid-size woody wagon (it was also available without the fake wood). For 1978 21,504 station wagons were sold but sales fell away with only 6,123 finding homes in 1981, the M-body T&C’s final year

Chrysler Lebaron Coupe Sport Concept

What if.. Chrysler went back a few drawing boards and introduced this luxury touring coupe? This would bring back and reinvigorate older monikers that may have been deprecated for the new age. In this Scenario, the Lebaron would be a luxury coupe to rival the SC with the fun factor of a Miata. Equipped with the Hurricane I-6 and the sport model getting the turbo version, it would sure to draw some consumers to it. While not as fully sport oriented as it's kin the Crossfire, this would have more comfort oriented in the cabin with Alcantara headliner and full digital infotainment and instrument cluster.

US Vogue May 1984

Allison Houtte is wearing an evening dress. Blue, black and white silk print. By Oscar de la Renta. The car, the 1984 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible, Mark Cross Edition.

Allison Houtte porte une robe de soirée. Imprimé de soie bleu, noir et blanc. Par Oscar de la Renta. La voiture, le cabriolet Chrysler LeBaron de 1984, édition Mark Cross.

Photo Eddy Kohli

vogue archive

1985 Chrysler Lebaron Town And Country

From the car files: ad for the 1983 Chrysler LeBaron series with rich, Corinthian leather.

Three photos a Chrysler cars from a Rolph-McNally North American Road Atlas 

1985 Chrysler LeBaron convertible **Not my pics**

Why did everything have to be wood paneled in the mid 80s? And according to the ad, only 594 were manufactured.

1985 Chrysler LeBaron

1978 Chrysler LeBaron

1987 Chrysler LeBaron Indy Pace Car