Dodge · 1976–1980

Dodge Aspen

The Dodge Aspen is a compact car that was marketed by Dodge from the 1976 to 1980 model years. Deriving its name from the tree and the ski-resort city, the Aspen was the successor to the 1960–1976 Dodge Dart. The Plymouth division sold the model line as the Plymouth Volaré (Volare = "to fly" in Italian), replacing the Plymouth Valiant. The model line marked the debut of the all-new Chrysler F platform, which became the ground-up redesign of the Chrysler compact line since its 1960 debut. While the two-door coupe lost the hardtop roofline of the Dart/Valiant, the Aspen/Volaré were also offered as a four-door sedan and a five-door station wagon (marking the return of the Chrysler compact wagon for the first time since 1966). The Aspen and Volaré were both released during a period when the American Big Three were actively downsizing their entire product lines: full-size to compact vehicles were affected. As model redesigns reached production, the central factor behind them was reduction of both exterior footprint and curb weight to improve fuel economy, with the industry reclassifying the size nomenclature of existing model lines. While considered a compact car upon its 1976 launch, the 1980 Dodge Aspen (otherwise identical in size) was considered an intermediate car (a precursor of the modern mid-size car); it is longer than the full-size LX/LY Dodge Charger. During its production, the Aspen and Volaré were assembled by Chrysler in its Newark Assembly (Newark, Delaware) and Dodge Main Assembly (Hamtramck, Michigan) facilities; the end of production marked the demise of the latter facility, which closed the same day. After the 1980 model year, the Chrysler F platform vehicles were replaced directly with its front-wheel drive K-Cars: the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant.

Text from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Predecessor: Dodge Dart · Successor: Dodge Aries

All Dodge Aspen data: UK builds, safety, recalls, model years →

Background

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.

Production history

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 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 damping 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-str

International markets

Between 1977 and 1979, the small Swiss specialty automaker Monteverdi built 20 modified versions of the Volaré/Aspen called the Sierra to compete in Europe's luxury car market. The "Dart" name (rather than "Aspen") was applied to Dodge-branded F-platform cars in Mexico and Colombia, corresponding to the local Chrysler-branded F-platform cars badged as "Valiant Volarés". F-body Volaré models were not marketed under the "Plymouth" brand in Mexico because that brand was dropped after 1969. During 1981 and 1982, Dart coupes built for the Mexican market used an M-platform Diplomat coupe that was fitted with a 1980 Volare header panel. Chrysler de México also sold less-expensive versions of the American K-cars: The Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries (in 1982–1987) and Plymouth Caravelle (1988) as "Chrysler Volarés". The 1988 Chrysler Volaré E (an inexpensive version of the 1988 Plymouth Caravelle modified with a 1986–1988 Plymouth Reliant front end) served as Mexican Highway Patrol units from 1988 to 1990. They used Chrysler Turbo II 2.2 L engines and three-speed automatic transmissions (arm shifter on the steering columns, like U.S. patrol cars). In Mexico, they were known as "turbo-patrols". The Volaré also became known as the "Volaré Duster" in Canada.

Recalls and reputation

The Volaré/Aspen were recalled numerous times; for the 1976 model year, there were at least eight serious recalls alone. They included: Potential failure of a component in the front suspension, which could cause the suspension to detach from the front subframe under hard braking; Possibility that the secondary hood latch could not properly hold the hood closed; Front brake lines, routed underneath the battery, that could corrode from spilled battery acid and lead to brake failure; Seat belts that could unlatch during hard deceleration (such as an accident or hard braking), thereby preventing them from protecting the occupant; Misrouted fuel vapor line that could rub against the alternator drive belt, possibly resulting in a fire; Replacement of front fenders that corroded prematurely (sometimes in less than a year) because of an ill-advised cost-saving decision not to install front inner fender shields; At least one recall to address chronic stalling and drivability problems. Chronic problems with stalling and poor drivability led to a horrible reputation that the Volaré/Aspen quickly gained as new buyers were to discover for themselves; premature rusting problems soon followed. In 1977, 1,300,000 Chrysler Corporation models were recalled for these drivability problems. It is possible that much of the product-defect difficulty with the Volaré/Aspen models could have been avoided if Chrysler Corporation had taken more time to fully develop the cars before offering them to the market, but in an effort to boost sales and get a badly needed infusion of cash, Chrysler Corporation launched the Volaré/Aspen models as quickly as possible. This reputation for poor-build quality led to a decline in sales as the Volaré/Aspen twins became the most-recalled automobile models to tha

Replacements for the Volaré/Aspen

In 1980, the Volaré/Aspen cars were replaced with the front-wheel drive Plymouth Reliant and Dodge Aries for the 1981 model year. However, a new class of the F-platform emerged as the M-Body vehicles that included the Dodge Diplomat and Plymouth Gran Fury four-door sedans, which were very similar in structure, size, and engineering with the Aspen and Volaré. The Aspen model name was revived in 2007 for the Chrysler Aspen luxury sport utility vehicle (SUV).

Sections adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0); text is shortened. Read the full article for the complete history and citations.

Specifications

name: Dodge Aspen, Plymouth Volaré
Manufacturer: Chrysler Corporation
Production: 1976–1980
Model years: 1976–1980
Class: Compact
Layout: FR layout
Platform: Chrysler F platform
Assembly: United States: Hamtramck, Michigan (Dodge Main Assembly), United States: Newark, Delaware (Newark Assembly), Mexico: Mexico City (Lago Alberto Assembly), Colombia: Bogotá
Body style: 5-door station wagon, 4-door sedan, 2-door coupe
Engine: 225 CID Slant-6, 318 CID LA V8, 360 CID LA V8
Transmission: A230 3-speed manual, A904 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic, A998/A999 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic, A833 4-speed OD manual
Predecessor: Plymouth Valiant / Dodge Dart
Successor: Dodge Aries / Plymouth Reliant, Dodge 400/Chrysler LeBaron (1982)
aka: Chrysler Valiant Volaré (Mexico), Dodge Dart (Mexico and Colombia)
Wheelbase: 108.7 in (coupe), 112.7 in (sedan & wagon)
Kerb weight: 3200 lb (base coupe)
Length: 198.8 in (coupe), 201.2 in (sedan & wagon)
Width: 73.3 in
Height: 53.3 in (coupe), 55.3 in (sedan), 55.7 in (wagon)
Related: Dodge Diplomat, Plymouth Gran Fury, Plymouth Caravelle, Chrysler Fifth Avenue

Specification summary from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Measured facts from Wikidata (CC0). Check the linked sources for citations.

More photos

Sources

Wikidata — https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q766692CC0 1.0 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dodge_AspenCC BY-SA 4.0 · Text © Wikipedia contributors; revision 1375305562 · retrieved 2026-10-01
Wikimedia Commons — https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dodge_Aspen_2-door_sedan_brown.jpgPublic domain · Photo: CZmarlin — Christopher Ziemnowicz, releases all rights but a photo credit would be appreciated if this image is used anywhere other than Wikipedia. Please leave a note at Wikipedia here. Thank you! · retrieved 2026-10-01
Car Model Index — https://models.autoculturesociety.com/Compiled record. Sources that do not permit reuse are not copied; this index is credited instead.