| Dodge Division
Chrysler Corporation Detroit, Michigan |
| Engine |
290-hp, 383
cu. in. V-8 |
| Transmission |
3-speed automatic |
| Steering |
Standard |
| Suspension |
Standard |
| Brakes |
Drum F, Drum R |
Check
list |
| Engine |
| Throttle Response |
Very
Good |
| Noise Insulation |
Very
Good |
| Drive
train |
| Shift Linkage |
Very
Good |
| Shift Smoothness |
Good |
| Steering |
| Effort |
Fair |
| Response |
Very
Good |
| Handling |
| Predictability |
Very
Good |
| Evasive Maneuverability |
Very
Good |
| Brakes |
| Directional Stability |
Very
Good |
| Fade Resistance |
Good |
| Interior |
| Ease of Entry/Exit |
Good |
| Driving Position |
Good |
| Front Seating Comfort |
Very
Good |
| Rear Seating Comfort |
Good |
| General |
| Vision |
Good |
| Heater/ Defroster |
Excellent |
| Weather Sealing |
Very
Good |
| Trunk Space |
Very
Good |
|
It really doesn't
make a lot of sense. In the corporate scheme of things, Plymouths
are supposed to be slightly smaller and less expensive than
Dodges, but something went haywire somewhere. The Fury III is
built on the same basic body as Dodge's Monaco and Polara, while
the Dodge Coronet shares the same body with Plymouth's Belvedere.
Now it would stand to reason that the Plymouths would dominate
the cheaper intermediate field, and the Dodges the full-size
field. But it ain't so; the Fury III decisively outsells the
Polara and Monaco combined, while the intermediate Coronet is
much more successful than the Belvedere. Why
the Coronet is so successful in what would appear to be a
Plymouth market becomes obvious when the car is driven. The
Coronet 500 hardtop, with the 383 cu. in. 4-bbl. engine and
TorqueFlite automatic, is a right-sized, well-behaved sharply-appointed
family car that drives a lot better than it looks. This is
not to say the car isn't pretty, but its coke-bottle rear
fenders showed up on GM cars two years ago, and, as always,
the Dodges look a bit dated.
In stock trim, the Coronet is
as roadable as any intermediate on the market, though its
standard 318 cu. in. V-8 is a trifle weakhearted for anyone
with a normal pulse-rate. Forget the extra gas and get the
383. |
