Timeline
- 1955: Plymouth first offers a V-8 engine.
- 1956: The automatic three-speed TorqueFlite transmission is introduced on some premium models. The Plymouth Fury is introduced.
- 1957: As with all other Chrysler divisions, the Forward Look design makes its debut on the 1957 Plymouths.
- 1960: Dodge introduces the smaller, lower-priced Dart model that competes directly with Plymouth's offerings. The new compact Valiant is introduced as a marque unto itself.
- 1961: Valiant is repositioned as a Plymouth model for US market; Dodge gets badge-engineered Lancer version. Rambler and then Pontiac assumes third place in industry sales for the remainder of the 1960s.
- 1962: Sales drop dramatically with the introduction of a line of unpopularly styled, downsized full-size models.
- 1964: New Barracuda fastback coupe introduced in April.
- 1965: Plymouth rejoins the full-size car market with the new full-size Fury, based on the Chrysler C-Body. The intermediate B-body model line becomes the Belvedere and Satellite for 1965.
- 1967: The GTX is introduced.
- 1968: The Road Runner enters the Plymouth line-up.
- 1970: Duster coupe introduced in Valiant line for 1970 as is the E-body Barracuda.
- 1971: The British Hillman Avenger is imported as the Plymouth Cricket; it is discontinued in mid-1973. New Valiant Scamp two-door hardtop is a Badge-engineered Dodge Dart Swinger.
- 1973: Plymouth production hits an all-time peak of 973,000. The Plymouth Cricket in Canada is now based on the Dodge Colt.
- 1974: The Dodge Dart and Plymouth Valiant are, for the first time, different only in name and minor trim details as the two cars now share the same 111-inch wheelbase. This badge engineering continues with the Dodge Aspen and Plymouth Volaré and all subsequent volume-production Plymouth models. The car that would ultimately become the Chrysler Cordoba is reassigned to Chrysler from Plymouth. Last year for Barracuda.
- 1975: The car that was to become the 1975 Plymouth Sebring is instead released as the new Chrysler Cordoba.
- 1976: Valiant discontinued; Volaré launched.
- 1977: The large Gran Fury is discontinued.
- 1978: The mid-size Fury is discontinued at the end of the model year. The subcompact Horizon is introduced. Chrysler Canada introduces the Plymouth Caravelle based on the Dodge Diplomat.
- 1979: Plymouth's lineup is reduced to the Horizon and Volaré, and three rebadged Mitsubishi imports.
- 1979–1980: Chrysler makes several thousand more Dodges than Plymouths for the first time. More Plymouths would be made than Dodges for 1981 and 1982, but from then on there will always be more Dodges made than Plymouths.
- 1980: Newport-based Gran Fury introduced. Last year for Volaré.
- 1981: The full-size Gran Fury and Trailduster SUV's last year.
- 1982: The Plymouth Gran Fury, basically identical to the Dodge Diplomat, is introduced in the United States.
- 1983: Caravelle four-door sedan based on the E-body and a two-door coupe based on the K-body introduced.
- 1985: E-body Plymouth Caravelle introduced in the United States.
- 1989: The mid-size Gran Fury (Caravelle in Canada) as well as the Reliant are discontinued after this model year. The Reliant and E-body Caravelle are replaced by the Acclaim.
- 1992: The higher priced Acclaim models are repositioned as Chrysler LeBarons. Total sales of Acclaim and LeBaron drop. Total 1993 Plymouth model year production drops to 159,775, along with 237,875 Vogager models. Dodge built 300,666 Caravans.
- 1994: The little-advertised Laser sport-compact as well as the popular Sundance and Colt compacts all end production. They are replaced by a single car, the Neon, a car that Chrysler decides to offer as a Plymouth after dealers protested the loss of the Sundance and Colt with no replacement.
- 1995: Plymouth's lineup is at its all-time low, just 3 cars: the Acclaim, the Neon, and the Voyager/Grand Voyager. The number will go up to 4 in 1997, with the introduction of the Prowler, but will never get any higher.
- 1996: Chrysler announces the new Plymouth Breeze six months after sister Dodge Stratus and Chrysler Cirrus models. Chrysler originally had no plans to replace the Acclaim model.
- 1996: In an attempt to move Plymouth downmarket, Chrysler makes the redesigned Voyager only available in base and mid-level SE models. All of the higher-end trim levels available on the previous generation can now only be found on the Dodge Caravan.
- 1997: Production for the 1997 model year comes to 178,807 cars plus 187,347 Voyager models. Dodge builds 448,394 cars and 355,400 Caravans.
- 1999: Total 1999 production for Plymouth cars comes to 195,714 with Dodge at 394,052. Voyager production comes to 197,020, compared to 354,641 Caravans. The writing is on the wall. The redesigned 2000 Neon becomes the brand's last new model.
- 2000: The mid-size Breeze ends production. This is also the last year for the Voyager minivan as a Plymouth. All 2000 Voyagers built in December 1999 and beyond are badged as Chrysler Voyagers. In Canada, the redesigned Neon is sold under the Chrysler name and both the Plymouth and Dodge names are dropped on all car models, save for the Prowler and Viper. The Voyager name is dropped in Canada as all Chrysler dealer sell Dodge trucks, including the Caravan. Total 2000 model year production for Plymouth comes to 108,546 compared to 459,988 Dodge cars. Voyager production totalled 123,869 versus 330,370 Caravan models.
- 2001: Plymouth's final model year. Only the Neon remains in the Plymouth line. The Prowler and the Voyager become Chryslers. The Breeze is dropped as Chrysler issues the Chrysler Sebring sedan to replace the Chrysler Cirrus. The PT Cruiser is launched as a Chrysler, though it was originally planned to be a Plymouth. The final Plymouth, a Neon, is assembled on 28 June 2001, with a total of 38,657 built for the model year.
(All production numbers - Ward's Automotive Yearbook, various issues, 1973 to 2002)
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