The Plymouth Acclaim was a four-door, front-engine, front-drive mid-size sedan sold for the 1989–1995 model years. It replaced both the E-body Caravelle and the K-body Reliant, and it was the Plymouth member of Chrysler’s AA-body triplet, alongside the Dodge Spirit and the Chrysler LeBaron sedan.
Plymouth Acclaim at a glance
| Maker | Plymouth (Chrysler Corporation) |
|---|---|
| Production | 1989–1995 model years, to December 1994 |
| Body | four-door sedan, front engine, front drive |
| Platform | AA-body, developed from the extended K-car |
| Sister cars | Dodge Spirit, Chrysler LeBaron sedan, Chrysler Saratoga (export) |
| Replaced | Plymouth Caravelle and Plymouth Reliant |
| Replaced by | Plymouth Breeze, 1996 |
| Base engine | 2.5 L four, 100 hp |
| Optional engines | 3.0 L Mitsubishi V6, 141 hp; turbo 2.5 L, 150 hp |
| Trims | base, LE and LX to 1992; one base model from 1992 |
| Built | just under half a million |
Based on one source, the English Wikipedia article on the Acclaim.
History of the Plymouth Acclaim
The Acclaim arrived for 1989 as Plymouth’s mainstream mid-size sedan. It was one of the last derivatives of Chrysler’s K-car family: the AA-body was an evolutionary development of the company’s extended K-car platform, and the Acclaim shared it with the Dodge Spirit, the Chrysler LeBaron sedan and the export-market Chrysler Saratoga. Like the K-body and E-body cars it replaced, the Acclaim and the Spirit were marketed as the mainstream versions, while the LeBaron was pitched as the luxury variant, although a fully loaded Acclaim came close to a base LeBaron in both equipment and price.
Position and equipment
The Acclaim differed from its siblings mainly in wheel choices, bodyside moulding and fascias, with its own taillights and the corporate Plymouth eggcrate grille. At launch there were three trim levels: the entry-level base model, the mid-range LE and the high-end LX. The LE and LX added premium cloth seating, power windows and locks, premium sound systems, bodyside cladding, extra exterior brightwork and, on the LX, 15-inch lace-spoke aluminium wheels. Even so, the base model accounted for nearly 85 percent of Acclaim sales. Unlike the Dodge Spirit, the Acclaim never received a sport-oriented model.
Changes through the years
For 1992 the three trim levels were consolidated into a single base model, which could be ordered with packages and stand-alone options that had previously come with the LE and LX. The car was mildly facelifted for 1993 with a new radiator grille, minor trim changes and a chrome Pentastar hood ornament; from that year a Gold Package added gold pinstripes, gold bodyside trim and gold-accented alloy wheels.
In 1994 US-market cars received a motorised shoulder belt for the front passenger to meet the passive-restraint requirement of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208. The belt did not comply with Canadian rules, so Canadian cars kept a manual belt and 1994–1995 Acclaims could not legally be imported in either direction. For its final year the 2.5-litre engine got a slightly revised cylinder head, while the four-speed A604 automatic and the anti-lock brakes were dropped. Production ended in December 1994 after a short run of 1995 models, and the Plymouth Breeze replaced the Acclaim for 1996.
Design and features
- AA-body platform: the last mainstream Plymouth sedan built on a development of the K-car.
- Badge engineering: same structure as the Dodge Spirit and Chrysler LeBaron sedan, with Plymouth fascias and grille.
- Three engines: a 2.5-litre four as standard, a Mitsubishi V6 and, until 1992, a turbocharged four.
- Comfort at low cost: the base car was by far the most popular, with the LE and LX adding the luxury equipment.
Plymouth Acclaim versions
- Base (1989–1995): the volume model, with the 2.5-litre four and a choice of manual or automatic gearboxes.
- LE (1989–1992): mid-range trim with premium cloth and power equipment.
- LX (1989–1992): top trim, with the 3.0-litre V6 as standard and 15-inch aluminium wheels.
- Turbo (1989–1992): a 150 hp turbocharged 2.5-litre four on base and LE cars.
- Flexible-fuel (1993–1995): a 107 hp 2.5-litre able to run on fuel with up to 85 percent ethanol.
The Acclaim replaced the Reliant and the Caravelle, and it was itself replaced by the Breeze. More cars are in the Plymouth collection.
Video: Plymouth Acclaim 1992 for SALE
Video by Rolliespollies on YouTube.
Sources
- Plymouth Acclaim, English Wikipedia: platform, trims, engines, model year changes
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