While Ford and also GM confirmed to have completely deep pockets to develop their very own US-market subcompacts for the fuel-starved 1970s, Chrysler needed to want to its abroad stations to develop such a cars and truck. Resorting to Simca, which had actually entered into Chrysler Europe after Chrysler’s absorption of the Rootes Team, a promising hatchback concept was become both a European-market version and alsoa significantly different American-market version Today’s Junkyard Gem is an instance of the last kind, located in a Denver-area self-service boneyard last summer season.
The initial of these autos came off the Belvidere Assembly line in Illinois as 1978 versions (regretfully, Stellantis simply shuttered Belvidere in February). The Dodge-badged variation was the Omni, while the Plymouth version was the Horizon; the common term for this automobile is hence Omnirizon
The Omnirizon was an excellent success for Chrysler, and also numerous various other lorries were based upon its system. Among others participants of the prolonged Omnirizon family members: the 1982-1987 Dodge Charger, the Dodge Rampage/Plymouth Cheat minitrucks, and also alsothe Plymouth Turismo of Cocaine Factory fame Astoundingly, manufacturing proceeded completely through 1990, which suggested that these extensively 1970 s autos stayed enough time to get airbags as standard equipment.
Equally As held true with the Mitsubishi-built Dodge and also Plymouth Colts, there never ever were any kind of substantial distinctions– rates or otherwise– in between the Dodge Omni and also Plymouth Perspective.
The Omnirizon obtained an interesting variety of engines throughout its initial half-decade or two. For 1978 with 1980, it obtained the very same 1.7-liter Volkswagen straight-four that entered into US-market Rabbits, Sciroccos, Jettas and alsoAudi 4000s This set was ranked at 77 horse power and also 90 pound-feet.
Chrysler started bolting in its domestic 2.2-liter four-banger beginning with the 1981 Omnirizons, with the happily fast Omni GLH and also GLHS obtaining turbocharged variations a couple of years later on. From the 1983 with 1986 version years, thrifty Americans might get their base-model Omnirizons with 1.6-liter Peugeot-built Simca engines supplying 62 French steeds to the front wheels.
This Perspective is definitely crammed by the criteria of late-1970 s economic situation autos. The MSRP was simply $4,278(regarding $18,843 in 2023 bucks), however this transmission would certainly have included one more $319 to the expense ($ 1,405 today). The base transmission for 1979 was a four-on-the-floor manual.
When you’ve invested that much for clutch-free driving, why not springtime for chilled air? The A/C in this automobile expense $507($ 2,233 currently).
The 1979 Omnirizon included an AM radio as base devices, which was no place near a given up low-cost autos of that period, however this set has the optional AM/FM stereo radio. The expense: 141 dollars, or 621 dollars after rising cost of living.
After that we have actually obtained the bucket seats, sport steering wheel and also every little thing else. By the time the dirt worked out, the out-the-door expense for this automobile need to have been more than 6 grand. To place that right into point of view, a brand-new Cordoba noted at $6,306 that year. Gas lines and rationing scared car shoppers in 1979.
It has actually fender-mounted turn-signal indications, similar toa 1971 Chrysler New Yorker These lights were consisted of with the optional Light Bundle and also Popular Tools Team, valued at $46 and also $279, specifically ($203 and also $1,229 currently).
The very best aspect of this automobile is the “Premium Woodgrain Package,” which set you back $331($ 1,458 in 2023 bucks).
Of training course that plan consisted of a “timber” change handle.
It shows up that this automobile’s normal auto parking location had the motorist’s side encountering to the south, which permitted the intense Colorado sunlight to bleach the “timber” to near-invisibility.
This automobile was well-cared-for throughout its 43 years when driving, and also it outlived the majority of its Honda Civic and also Datsun 210 rivals.
The Omnirizon obtained less expensive and also less expensive (in actual terms) as Chrysler made its manufacturing much more reliable. By 1990, the sticker price for a brand-new Dodge Omni was $6,995, which involves around $16,518 in today’s cash.
Front-wheel-drive was what you required for those vet emergency situations. Publication advertisements of the period pitched this car as the Blizzard Wizard.