Plymouth Sundance

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Plymouth Sundance
Manufacturer	Chrysler Corporation
Also called	Dodge Shadow
Production	1987-1994
Assembly	Sterling Heights, Michigan Toluca, Mexico
Predecessor	Plymouth Turismo Plymouth Horizon
Successor	Plymouth Neon
Class	Compact
Body style	3-door hatchback 5-door hatchback
Layout	FF layout
Platform	Chrysler P platform
Engine	2.2 L K I4 2.2 L Turbo I I4 2.5 L K I4 2.5 L Turbo I4 3.0 L Mitsubishi 6G72 V6
Transmission	5-speed manual 3-speed A413 automatic 4-speed A604 automatic
Wheelbase	97.2 in
Length	171.9 in
Width	67.3 in
Height	53.1 in
Curb weight	2,608 lb (3-door) 2,643 lb (5-door)
Related	Plymouth Duster Shelby CSX
Similar	Ford Escort Geo Prizm Nissan Sentra

The Plymouth Sundance was a compact car produced from 1987 to 1994. It was designed to compete with upmarket compacts such as the Geo Prizm, Ford Escort and the Honda Civic after the life of the Horizon was to be extended.

It and the similar Dodge Shadow came in two body styles, a 3-door hatchback and a 5-door hatchback. Unlike the Dodge Shadow, a convertible model was not offered for the Sundance. This is probably because almost all Plymouths were sold with Chryslers, and Chrysler already sold the LeBaron convertible. Dodges, on the other hand, were sold by themselves, and Dodge had no other convertible. They were both built using a variant of the venerable K-car platform, known as the P-body, which was based on a combination of the Dodge Daytona's suspension with a .1 in shorter wheelbase, and a shortened version of the Dodge Lancer's body which had not gained wide acceptance over the sedan body as a mid-size. While the Sundance looked like a regular sedan or coupe, it was actually a hatchback. Chrysler considered this a special feature: "Hidden hatchback versatility." The relatively large storage capacity of the Sundance was one major selling point. While based on a platform which dated all the way back to 1981, its styling, utility, reliable powertrains, and trim levels(most notably the Duster) made the Sundance popular until it was discontinued.

Because the Sundance was based on a mid-size car with a sporty car's suspension, it offered a combination of comfortable and traditional seating with credible cornering. The Sundance was more tuned for comfort while the Shadow was more tuned for performance, however the difference was not drastic. The Sundance could easily be distinguished by its chrome(body colored for Duster) eggcrate grille which was common on Plymouths of that era. For 1991, the Sundance received a facelift, with the inset headlights being done away with. A new all-chrome grille and new tail-lights were among other changes

Sundances were built in Sterling Heights, Michigan and Toluca, Mexico. The first car rolled off the assembly line on August 25, 1986 and the last on March 9, 1994. It was replaced by the Plymouth Neon for 1995.

[edit] Trim levels & options

When the Sundance was first introduced it was available in two trim levels: the mid-level Highline and high-end RS. For 1991 the stripped-down, entry-level America model was offered. At the time, the Sundance and Shadow were the least-expensive cars on the market with a standard driver's side airbag, which had been made standard on all domestic Chrysler cars in 1990 (excluding trucks and imported cars). For 1992 ,the RS model was dropped. For the 1993 model year the America model was replaced by a better-equipped base model, the Highline would also be dropped for 1993. Another change for 1993 the performance V6 Duster model was offered. Many options were offered on the Sundance, including: Power windows, Power locks, Power adjustable mirrors, Power adjustable seats, Cruise control, antilock brakes, a cassette player, a sunroof, a tilt wheel, rear window defroster, fog lights, and front motorized seatbelts.

1991-1994 Sundance 5-door

[edit] Years for trim levels

• RS - 1987-1991
• Highline - 1987-1992
• America - 1991-1992
• Duster - 1992-1994
• base - 1993-1994

[edit] Engines

1993 Plymouth Sundance Duster (Modified) This car had the original 3.0L V6 removed and replaced by a 2.2L Turbo I4 from a 1988 Shelby CSX.

The Sundance offered a variety of four-cylinder engines, all either of 2.2 or 2.5 L, some turbocharged. Naturally aspirated versions were, except in Mexico, fuel injected. The engines were tuned for torque rather than horsepower, resulting in numbers that appear to be reversed from the Honda Civic - for example, 93 hp and 122 ft·lbf of torque from the base 2.2 L engine. A Mitsubishi-built 3.0 L V6 was added later, which led to the demise of the turbo option. All were available with a five-speed manual transmission (sourced from Getrag on turbocharged and V6 models) and a three-speed automatic based on the venerable TorqueFlite. In 1993, the manual transmission was modified to make shifting into reverse easier; a number of other incremental improvements were also made. In 1994, a motorized seat belt was added to the passenger's side.

[edit] Engines offered

Sundances came with the following engines over the years, although not all engines were available each year:

• 2.2 L I4 - 93 hp and 122 lb-ft of torque
• 2.2 L turbocharged I4 - 146 hp and 170 lb-ft of torque
• 2.5 L I4 - 100 hp and 135 lb-ft of torque
• 2.5 L turbocharged I4 - 152 hp and 185 lb-ft of torque
• 3.0 L V6 - 141 hp and 171 lb-ft of torque

[edit] Safety

The Sundance was a very safe car, especially with the standard driver's side air bag. 1993 NHTSA crash test results gave the Sundance 4 out of 5 stars for the front-impact, driver and 5 out of 5 stars for the front-impact, passenger tests.

[edit] External links

• Allpar Shadow/Sundance section - Dodge Shadow/Plymouth Sundance and Shelby CSX site
• http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/used/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/2090/ - 1990-1994 Plymouth Sundance Reviews
• Turbo Mopar Forums - Theses forums cover all the turbo engines for the Dodge Shadow and other platforms of these years from performance to general repair questions.