Plymouth Colt / Champ Sales Figures

Plymouth Colt / Champ

The Champ was a captive import based on the Mitsubishi Mirage and produced by Mitsubishi Motors for Plymouth between 1978 and 1994. The Champ nameplate was changed in 1983 to Colt. The fourth generation Colt was replaced in 1994 by the Plymouth Neon. For many, the Colt offers a nostalgic glimpse into the economy cars of the 1980s and 1990s, bridging Japanese engineering and design with American marketing and branding.

Plymouth Colt / Champ Overview

The Plymouth Colt, initially introduced as the Plymouth Champ, was a series of subcompact cars sold by the Plymouth division of Chrysler from the late 1970s into the 1990s. However, these vehicles were not original Chrysler designs; they were rebadged versions of Mitsubishi models, reflecting a partnership between Chrysler and Mitsubishi Motors that began in the 1970s.

The Plymouth Champ was introduced in 1979 as a rebadged version of the Mitsubishi Mirage/Dodge Colt. This was a product of Chrysler’s partnership with Mitsubishi to bring smaller, fuel-efficient cars to the U.S. market in response to changing consumer demands and oil crises. In 1982, the name was changed from Champ to Plymouth Colt.

Over the years, the Plymouth Colt saw several generations, mirroring the updates and changes in the Mitsubishi Mirage. The car evolved from a subcompact hatchback into various body styles, including sedans and even a station wagon in later years. Being a subcompact, the Colt was primarily powered by small, fuel-efficient four-cylinder engines. However, there were turbocharged variants and even a few performance-oriented versions, especially in the Dodge Colt lineup. Alongside the Plymouth Colt, Chrysler also sold the car as the Dodge Colt. And in Canada, it was known as the Eagle Summit under the short-lived Eagle brand. Given the multiple badges and shared models across the Chrysler lineup, these cars represented a complex intertwining of Mitsubishi designs with Chrysler branding.

The Plymouth Colt was sold until the mid-1990s. The Eagle Summit, its Canadian counterpart, continued for a bit longer until the Eagle brand was discontinued. By the late 1990s, the partnership dynamics between Chrysler and Mitsubishi began to change, leading to a shift in the cars offered and the end of the Colt lineage.

The Plymouth Colt, like its Dodge and Eagle counterparts, is remembered as a part of Chrysler’s strategy to offer fuel-efficient, affordable vehicles during a time of economic challenges and changing consumer preferences. It’s a testament to the global partnerships that American automakers sought during this period.

Plymouth Colt / Champ US Sales Data & Charts

US Annual Sales

US Annual Growth