Plymouth Scamp
The Scamp was Detroit’s first front-wheel drive, car-based pickup truck, based on the Plymouth Horizon hatchback, with the front end of the Plymouth Horizon TC3/Turismo.
Plymouth Scamp Overview
The first use of the Scamp name was for a two-door hardtop coupe version of the Plymouth Valiant, sold from 1971 to 1976. Essentially, the Scamp was Plymouth’s version of the Dodge Dart Swinger, with both cars being nearly identical save for badging and some minor styling cues. This Scamp offered a range of inline-six and V8 engines, typical of domestic compact cars of that era. The vehicle was positioned as an affordable and economical choice for buyers, and it featured the durability and reliability that the Valiant line was known for.
In 1983, Plymouth revived the Scamp nameplate for a front-wheel-drive pickup truck based on the L-body platform. This Scamp was essentially a rebadged version of the Dodge Rampage. While the Rampage was sold from 1982 to 1984, the Plymouth Scamp variant was only available for the 1983 model year. Powered by a 2.2-liter inline-four engine, this iteration of the Scamp was front-wheel drive, a rarity for pickup trucks. It was designed more for light utility and car-like driving dynamics rather than heavy-duty tasks. The 1983 Scamp (and its Rampage counterpart) were unique offerings in the North American market, blending characteristics of compact cars and pickups. However, they did not achieve significant sales success, which is why they had a relatively short production run.
Plymouth Scamp US Sales Data & Charts
US Annual Sales
| Year | Sales Units |
|---|---|
| 1982 | 647 |
| 1983 | 2,618 |
| 1984 | 299 |
