Plymouth Laser
Encyclopedia
The Plymouth Laser was a sports coupe sold under the Plymouth
brand from 1989 (as a 1990 model) to 1994. The Laser and its siblings: the Mitsubishi Eclipse
and Eagle Talon
, were the first vehicles produced under the newly formed Diamond Star Motors, a joint-venture between the Chrysler Corporation and the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.
who was featured in a series of 1990 promotional ads for Plymouth. With three engine offerings, two transmission offerings, and sporty "aero" styling, the Laser was the most performance-oriented Plymouth since the Barracuda
, Duster
, and Road Runner
muscle cars of the 1970s.
Despite its close resemblance to its Mitsubishi and Eagle siblings, the Laser was slightly more upscale, having several unique styling cues intended to set it apart from the other two. Apart from badging, Lasers sported a racey look, with a plastic panel in the place of a grille, a full rear lightbar, a bulge on the hood for 2.0 L engined models (not necessarily turbocharged
), and available stylish "lace" patterned alloy wheels. RS, or "Rallye Sport", models were set apart from the base model by their black roof with body color targa band, power steering
, lower bodyside accent striping, dual power mirrors, as well as an array of options not available on base Lasers.
Base Lasers carried a 92 hp 1.8 L
4-cylinder engine, whereas a 135 hp, 2.0 L DOHC 4-cylinder was optional with the Laser RS. The top-of-the-line RS Turbo used a turbocharged 2.0 L rated at 195 hp. A 5-speed manual transmission
was standard. A 4-speed automatic
was optional, except with the turbocharged engine, which could only be ordered with the manual transmission until 1991 models debuted.
, a first such option on any Plymouth.
1991: The Laser received anti-lock brakes
(ABS), and the turbocharged engine could now be ordered with an automatic transmission instead of a manual. The Laser RS could now only be ordered with the 195 hp engine.
1992: The Laser received cosmetic changes for 1992, and a new all-wheel-drive (AWD) model joined the lineup. The RS Turbo AWD came only with a manual transmission, while the front-wheel drive
version could still be ordered. There was also a freshening to the hood and front and rear fascias. The pop-up headlights were removed in favor of multi-form fixed headlights, making the car look more aerodynamic. The rear lightbar was replaced by two separate taillights. The RS model came with alloy wheels and other cosmetic differences. The RS could also be ordered with a Gold Package, which featured gold trimmed wheels, pin stripes and graphics. Only a limited number of RSs with this package were built, making them rare.
1993: AWD Lasers could now be ordered with an automatic transmission. With the automatic, the power rating of turbocharged models dropped to 180 hp. All Lasers except for the base model could be equipped with ABS.
1994: Production of the Laser was halted on February 9, 1994., due to poor sales. Nothing, including the price, was changed. Production was limited, making 1994 Lasers very rare.
magazine's Ten Best list
from 1989 through 1992.
, and certainly not as well as the Mitsubishi Eclipse
. Several factors influenced this. First of all, the Laser was a product of badge engineering
, therefore it had to compete with two other cars that were virtually identical. To make matters worse, it faced in-house competition from the Talon, as the Eagle
brand was also owned by Chrysler. Where Plymouth was generally marketed as the value-oriented/mainstream brand, Chrysler was trying to market Eagle as their performance brand. Due to this, a much heavier amount of advertising was devoted to the Talon. The fact that the Laser was far different from any other product Plymouth was selling at the time didn't help its popularity either. In the early 1990s, Plymouth's bread and butter lineup still consisted of K-car
-derived cars and minivans; the Laser simply did not fit into this persona.
Due to a combination of these factors, the Laser was discontinued after a brief run of 1994 models. This failure of badge-engineering was just a preview of what would happen to the whole Plymouth marque in several years. The Laser's discontinuation coincided with the introduction of its successor, the brand new Plymouth Neon. The Neon was available as a 2-door coupe and a 4-door sedan and was a far better sales success than the Laser. The Mitsubishi Eclipse and Eagle Talon were both redesigned for 1995. The Talon became Eagle's last surviving model in 1998; the car and the Eagle marque were both dropped after that year. The Eclipse continued and is still produced into the present day.
Plymouth (automobile)
Plymouth was a marque of automobile based in the United States, produced by the Chrysler Corporation and its successor DaimlerChrysler.-Origins:...
brand from 1989 (as a 1990 model) to 1994. The Laser and its siblings: the Mitsubishi Eclipse
Mitsubishi Eclipse
The Mitsubishi Eclipse was a coupe that was in production since 1989 for left hand drive traffic markets. According to Mitsubishi, the car was named after an 18th century English racehorse which won 26 races, and has also been sold as the Eagle Talon and the Plymouth Laser captive imports through...
and Eagle Talon
Eagle Talon
The Eagle Talon was one of three model names given to a sports coupe that was manufactured between 1990 and 1999 and sold by the then Chrysler Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors of Japan in a joint 50/50 corporate venture known as Diamond-Star Motors...
, were the first vehicles produced under the newly formed Diamond Star Motors, a joint-venture between the Chrysler Corporation and the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation.
Overview
Introduced as "The First Plymouth of the 90's" in advertising, the Plymouth Laser debuted in January 1989 as a 1990 model. Promotional commercials for the 1990 Laser featured R&B singer Tina TurnerTina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...
who was featured in a series of 1990 promotional ads for Plymouth. With three engine offerings, two transmission offerings, and sporty "aero" styling, the Laser was the most performance-oriented Plymouth since the Barracuda
Plymouth Barracuda
The Plymouth Barracuda is a 2-door car that was manufactured by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation from 1964-1974.The first-generation Barracuda, a fastback A-body coupe based on the Plymouth Valiant, had a distinctive wraparound back glass and was available from 1964-1966.The...
, Duster
Plymouth Duster
The first Plymouth Duster was a semi-fastback version of the Plymouth Valiant automobile, produced in the US from 1970 to 1976.The Duster name was later revived for optional trim packages on certain versions of the 1979-1980 Plymouth Volare, 1985-1987 Plymouth Turismo, and 1992-1994 Plymouth...
, and Road Runner
Plymouth Road Runner
The Plymouth Road Runner was a muscle car built by the Plymouth division of the Chrysler Corporation in the United States between 1968 and 1980. In 1968, the first muscle cars were, in the opinion of many, moving away from their roots as relatively cheap, fast cars as they gained options...
muscle cars of the 1970s.
Despite its close resemblance to its Mitsubishi and Eagle siblings, the Laser was slightly more upscale, having several unique styling cues intended to set it apart from the other two. Apart from badging, Lasers sported a racey look, with a plastic panel in the place of a grille, a full rear lightbar, a bulge on the hood for 2.0 L engined models (not necessarily turbocharged
Turbocharger
A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...
), and available stylish "lace" patterned alloy wheels. RS, or "Rallye Sport", models were set apart from the base model by their black roof with body color targa band, power steering
Power steering
Power steering helps drivers steer vehicles by augmenting steering effort of the steering wheel.Hydraulic or electric actuators add controlled energy to the steering mechanism, so the driver needs to provide only modest effort regardless of conditions. Power steering helps considerably when a...
, lower bodyside accent striping, dual power mirrors, as well as an array of options not available on base Lasers.
Base Lasers carried a 92 hp 1.8 L
Litér
- External links :*...
4-cylinder engine, whereas a 135 hp, 2.0 L DOHC 4-cylinder was optional with the Laser RS. The top-of-the-line RS Turbo used a turbocharged 2.0 L rated at 195 hp. A 5-speed manual transmission
Manual transmission
A manual transmission, also known as a manual gearbox or standard transmission is a type of transmission used in motor vehicle applications...
was standard. A 4-speed automatic
Automatic transmission
An automatic transmission is one type of motor vehicle transmission that can automatically change gear ratios as the vehicle moves, freeing the driver from having to shift gears manually...
was optional, except with the turbocharged engine, which could only be ordered with the manual transmission until 1991 models debuted.
Model year changes
1990: The Plymouth Laser was released in January 1989 as a 1990 model. Three models were initially offered: base, RS, and RS Turbo. The similar Mitsubishi Eclipse was also released in 1989, and the Eagle Talon soon followed. RS models, among other options could be equipped with a factory installed CD playerCompact disc player
A Compact Disc player , or CD player, is an electronic device that plays audio Compact Discs. CD players are often a part of home stereo systems, car audio systems, and personal computers. They are also manufactured as portable devices...
, a first such option on any Plymouth.
1991: The Laser received anti-lock brakes
Anti-lock braking system
An anti-lock braking system is a safety system that allows the wheels on a motor vehicle to continue interacting tractively with the road surface as directed by driver steering inputs while braking, preventing the wheels from locking up and therefore avoiding skidding.An ABS generally offers...
(ABS), and the turbocharged engine could now be ordered with an automatic transmission instead of a manual. The Laser RS could now only be ordered with the 195 hp engine.
1992: The Laser received cosmetic changes for 1992, and a new all-wheel-drive (AWD) model joined the lineup. The RS Turbo AWD came only with a manual transmission, while the front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive
Front-wheel drive is a form of engine/transmission layout used in motor vehicles, where the engine drives the front wheels only. Most modern front-wheel drive vehicles feature a transverse engine, rather than the conventional longitudinal engine arrangement generally found in rear-wheel drive and...
version could still be ordered. There was also a freshening to the hood and front and rear fascias. The pop-up headlights were removed in favor of multi-form fixed headlights, making the car look more aerodynamic. The rear lightbar was replaced by two separate taillights. The RS model came with alloy wheels and other cosmetic differences. The RS could also be ordered with a Gold Package, which featured gold trimmed wheels, pin stripes and graphics. Only a limited number of RSs with this package were built, making them rare.
1993: AWD Lasers could now be ordered with an automatic transmission. With the automatic, the power rating of turbocharged models dropped to 180 hp. All Lasers except for the base model could be equipped with ABS.
1994: Production of the Laser was halted on February 9, 1994., due to poor sales. Nothing, including the price, was changed. Production was limited, making 1994 Lasers very rare.
| 1990 | 42,105 |
| 1991 | 30,198 |
| 1992 | 24,094 |
| 1993 | 14,300 |
| 1994 | 5,284 (production halted mid-year) |
| Total | 115,981 |
Trim levels & prices
The original base prices for the Plymouth Laser. Figures are in United States Dollars.- 1990
- base - $10,855
- RS - $11,900
- RS Turbo - $13,905
- 1991
- base - $10,864
- RS - $12,770
- RS Turbo - $13,954
- 1992
- base - $11,184
- RS - $13,332
- RS Turbo - $14,811
- RS Turbo AWD - $16,853
- 1993
- base - $11,542
- RS - $13,910
- RS Turbo - $15,444
- RS Turbo AWD - $17,572
- 1994
- base - $11,542
- RS - $13,910
- RS Turbo - $15,444
- RS Turbo AWD - $17,572
Awards
The Laser Turbo was on Car and DriverCar and Driver
Car and Driver is an American automotive enthusiast magazine. Its total circulation is 1.31 million. It is owned by Hearst Magazines, who purchased prior owner Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S. in 2011...
magazine's Ten Best list
Car and Driver Ten Best
Car and Driver magazine annually nominates a list of what it considers the Ten Best cars and Five Best trucks.All production vehicles for sale in that calendar year are considered with these restrictions:# The vehicle must be on sale by January...
from 1989 through 1992.
End of the line
The Plymouth Laser was not a major sales success. It did not sell as well as the Eagle TalonEagle Talon
The Eagle Talon was one of three model names given to a sports coupe that was manufactured between 1990 and 1999 and sold by the then Chrysler Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors of Japan in a joint 50/50 corporate venture known as Diamond-Star Motors...
, and certainly not as well as the Mitsubishi Eclipse
Mitsubishi Eclipse
The Mitsubishi Eclipse was a coupe that was in production since 1989 for left hand drive traffic markets. According to Mitsubishi, the car was named after an 18th century English racehorse which won 26 races, and has also been sold as the Eagle Talon and the Plymouth Laser captive imports through...
. Several factors influenced this. First of all, the Laser was a product of badge engineering
Badge engineering
Badge engineering is an ironic term that describes the rebadging of one product as another...
, therefore it had to compete with two other cars that were virtually identical. To make matters worse, it faced in-house competition from the Talon, as the Eagle
Eagle (automobile)
Eagle was a marque of the Chrysler Corporation following the purchase of American Motors Corporation and aimed at the enthusiast driver.Though short-lived, the Eagle Vision sedan sold in respectable numbers, while the sporty Eagle Talon sold more than 115,000 units.-Overview:Following the...
brand was also owned by Chrysler. Where Plymouth was generally marketed as the value-oriented/mainstream brand, Chrysler was trying to market Eagle as their performance brand. Due to this, a much heavier amount of advertising was devoted to the Talon. The fact that the Laser was far different from any other product Plymouth was selling at the time didn't help its popularity either. In the early 1990s, Plymouth's bread and butter lineup still consisted of K-car
Chrysler K platform
The Chrysler Corporation's K-cars were compact-to-midsize cars designed to carry six adults on two bench seats and were aimed not only to replace Chrysler's nominally-compact F-body Aspen and Volaré, but also to compete with intermediates like the Chevrolet Malibu and Ford Fairmont...
-derived cars and minivans; the Laser simply did not fit into this persona.
Due to a combination of these factors, the Laser was discontinued after a brief run of 1994 models. This failure of badge-engineering was just a preview of what would happen to the whole Plymouth marque in several years. The Laser's discontinuation coincided with the introduction of its successor, the brand new Plymouth Neon. The Neon was available as a 2-door coupe and a 4-door sedan and was a far better sales success than the Laser. The Mitsubishi Eclipse and Eagle Talon were both redesigned for 1995. The Talon became Eagle's last surviving model in 1998; the car and the Eagle marque were both dropped after that year. The Eclipse continued and is still produced into the present day.