Take a smaller than full-size car, shove a big engine in it and you have a muscle car. That was the recipe in the 1960s, when big-block V8s were wedged into intermediates like the Plymouth Satellite and Pontiac LeMans, resulting in iconic muscle cars like the Roadrunner and GTO. But what happens if you use a similar recipe and change the ingredients? Say, use a compact, front-wheel-drive platform but wedge a V6 in there. What do you call that?
Shadow ES photos courtesy of CarDomain user Roehm
Chrysler wedged the Mitsubishi-sourced 3.0 V6 in the Plymouth Sundance and Dodge Shadow for 1992. The AP-Body twins had launched in 1987 and were always the larger kids on the compact playground, although they were a bit unrefined and rough around the edges. The AP-Bodies actually used the Daytona’s 97-inch wheelbase, and were closely related to the larger LeBaron GTS/Lancer twins which they resembled. In a way, they were almost like modern-day Larks: compacts hewn from larger cars. The big-engined compacts initially came with naturally-aspirated 2.2 and 2.5 four-cylinder engines, as well as a 2.2 turbo four with 146hp and 170 ft-lbs. Those were some pretty solid numbers for a 1987 compact, but a 2.5 turbo launched in 1989 exceeded them with 150hp and 190 ft-lbs. There were also Shelby-fettled versions with even more power.
Contractual obligations to use a certain number of Mitsubishi V6s meant the turbos would disappear for 1992. The V6, despite having a larger displacement and two more cylinders, was less powerful than the turbo four with 141hp and 171 ft-lbs. Of course, being naturally-aspirated, it didn’t suffer from the old top engine’s turbo lag and didn’t require premium unleaded. Consumer Guide reported the V6 was actually 1 mpg more efficient on the highway, albeit 1 mpg less efficient in the city (21/29mpg). Transmissions were a five-speed manual and a four-speed automatic, instead of the three-speed in the Turbos. Overall, the V6 was almost as powerful as the turbo but delivered the power more smoothly. V6 AP-Bodies also received a funky asymmetrical hood bulge.
Despite the V6’s lower horsepower and torque figures, the AP-Body V6s still comfortably outperformed most cars in their segment. To sweeten the deal, AP-Body V6s had a lower list price than base-model, four-cylinder Civics, Corollas and Escorts; the V6 engine carried only an approximate $1k premium over four-cylinder versions. Plymouth also dusted off (ahem) the Duster name, as seen on the featured car, and this sporty Sundance received 15-inch wheels, sports suspension and the V6. Although this was no RWD V8 coupe, the Sundance Duster’s low price and gutsy engine made the use of the heritage nameplate seem somewhat appropriate. Sporty Shadows wore the plainer ES tag.
Of course, Chrysler didn’t invent the V6/compact combination: GM had beaten them to the punch with the V6 X and J Bodies. And sure, a Civic would have been more refined and a Cavalier Z24 was slightly more powerful (albeit saddled with a three-speed as its automatic option), but that much power for under ten grand – $4k less than a Sentra SE-R – was a screaming deal.
Curbsiders, what did you think of these big-engined compacts?
No mention of the V6 Tempo? Oh well, I’ve never driven or ridden in one so I can’t say how they are.
The V6 Tempo/Topaz were a very fun combination, in a straight line. 1992 saw the intro of the Vulcan 3.0L V6 from the Taurus. The option lasted until 1994, but 1992 was/is the year to get.
The GLS was the top sport model for the Tempo (XR5 for the two door Topaz, LTS for the 4 door Topaz). In 1992 only, the GLS/XR5/LTS came with different front and rear facias and side sills, with integrated fog lights and dual tip muffler. You also got unique sport seats, a sport tuned suspension, and the 15″ alloy wheels from the late 80s’ Escort GT. This combination was only available in 1992.
I had a 1992 4-door GLS, with the rare 5-speed manual trans. It was a blast to drive. Upgraded to 16″ Mustang wheels, and that helped the handling quite a bit. it handled much better (even with the 15s) compared to my 93 Topaz GS 2-door. It would surprise many people off the line. Tests at the time showed a 0-60 of around mid 7s, which was pretty quick back then. It was such a rare car, and didn’t sell well as a sporty car since it was such an old design.
One day I’d like to own another one.
The V6 models no doubt were hindered by the fact that it also meant you were required to forgo the airbag that all other models had standard.
Airbags weren’t standard on the rest of the line. They were optional, but you could only get the airbag with the 4cyl and only on a 4-door.
An interesting note… if you got the airbag, the driver’s side had a manual 3-point belt, but hte passenger side still had the automatic shoulder belt.
Not true. The Duster had a driver side airbag. I’ve owned 3 of them, all 1992 1/2 and all Emerald Green with gold accents.
Brian, with a screen name like that tempo is a distant memory!
So true. 😉
Clunky and ugly.
I always liked the styling and proportions of these, especially compared to the wedge and angular Turismo and 024 predecessor. But I think I was genetically pre-disposed to notice the turbo and Shelby versions, not the V6.
For the times, I think it was wise of Chrysler to offer performance versions of the Sundance/Shadow twins, as it gave them a more appealing image, even if most people bought the stripped-down “America” versions.
I’ve always been a fan of the Sundance/Shadow for some reason. They were equally as cheap inside with probably the same driving dynamics as the J-cars and Escort, but I find them way more appealing for reasons I can’t explain. The Sundance RS with two-tone paint, lace-spoke alloys, chrome luggage rack, and red-striped interior is my favorite.
The traffic police had a Mitsubishi fetish here back then once having turbo Cordias then later the V3000 Mitsu sedans this engine was sourced from, considered a quick car in their day though, Longevity doesnt appear to be their strongest feature but in a smaller lighter body these cars could have been rocket ships at least on paper.
GM could have had a real muscle compact in the late 80s early 90s if they had dropped the 3800 in the Cutlass Calais. That would have been a truly worth 442 or Hurst/Olds.
The similar 3300 in the Calais was not a slow car.
I was a big fan of the Mopar FWD turbo cars. I had a friend who had a 1986 Dodge Shadow ES with turbo & 5 speed, it was a fun car for the times. And almost as quick as my (then) stock 1986 Capri 5.0L.
When the Duster and V6 Shadow ES were announced I thought for sure these would be sales winners. A big motor in a small car? How much better could it get?
I only ever drove one once, about 23 years ago, I was impressed with how smooth the power delivery was. I missed that “kick” when the turbo got up to boost, though. With my preferences at the time, I would have rocked one of these as opposed to almost any other car on the market. But I was not in the market then.
I’ve driven several Z24’s from that time period too, but only as used cars. The 2.8 and 3.1L motors are like small block Chevys in that regard, lots of power down low and willing to rev high. I’ve also driven a (used) Vulcan V6 Tempo, but that felt like every other Taurus I’d driven, lots of torque down low little mid range and not very willing to rev. Plus it was a Tempo, probably my least favorite Ford of the last 25 years…
If I were on a budget, these would have been a choice, like I noted earlier. But having also driven a Suzuki Swift GTi and a Mitsubishi Mirage hatch with the turbo motors, I would like those for hooning around.
GIMME!!! I like these little P bodies and I think they’re underrated. My sis had a Shadow 5 door with the n/a 2.2 3 spd auto. Slow but it drove nice and it was a solid little car. Ive always wanted either a turbo Duster or a CSX (Shelby Shadow) as a playtoy. Keep the V6. Great fun if you just want to drive it as is but theres next to nothing in the way of upgrades. The turbos can be made downright insane. And an SRT-4 swap wouldnt be hard. Im all for donestic tuners. Ma Mopar has beat that drum off and on but true to Chrysler form, dont expect consistency. Thats a shame, because Mopars have more than proven their performance chops whether sticking to rwd V8 roots or playing fwd with the imports.
Oh Gosh.. That Cavalier pic brought me so many good memories. The first car my wife got in America, was a 1990 black and silver, Z24 Chevy Cavalier, with sun roof, a 3.1 V6 under the fiberglass hood and automatic transmission.
Even with the original pipes, the car had an awesome engine sound. It was a lot of fun to drive.
For sure a gorgeous lady driving that little Chevy made some heads to turn…
Love it or hate it, but personally I really enjoyed the exhaust burble of that 2.8/3.1 engine!
I could identify one coming from a couple of blocks away just from the distinctive sound.
Do you notice that this is virtually impossible with most of today’s new cars? Sure there are a few exceptions, such as my next-door neighbor’s new WRX/STI that rattles my house, or anything Toyota/Lexus hybrid which whines as it drives by.
Someone near me has a distinctive sounding car – sort of like a flatulent soprano slide trombone. Annoying.
Yup, those engines ran for crap but they did sound sweet. Most V6’s have a rappy ‘blat’ when you uncork the exhaust that’s just pathetic, but those 60 degree GM engines had a snarl. Too bad little bite to back up the bark…
Yeah, these were cool. It was kind of strange, even then, to have a car like this on the market….and, yes, by the time the V6s came out, the Shadow/Sundance was far from being a top-of-the-class car.
I think I’ve mentioned before on CC that I used to have a 1991 Dodge Shadow America 3 door with the 5 speed. It was in our family from 1992 to 2003 (it was mine from 1999 to 2002, but drove it for a few years before that). Even with the base 2.2 litre, acceleration was decent. My grandmother had the same engine in her Sundance, but with the 3 speed automatic…not nearly as quick.
There was a lot of appeal with this car. In particular, a hatchback that looked like a notchback makes all the sense in the world. I don’t know why more cars aren’t like this. So freaking practical! Styling, while not great, was decent and even a little sporty in 2 door form (way more so in the Sundance Duster/Shadow ES).
Unfortunately, reliability of these (mine included) was never great, and the Mitsubishi V6 in particular had a lot of issues if I recall. But, if we can look past that–and I know I can–these were kind of neat little cars, and the V6 models were the neatest. In the early ’90s, I thought it was neat that Plymouth revived the Duster name for this model although, in retrospect, I guess it’s sort of sacrilege…
Sacrilege? I disagree. Different layout and execution, sure. But the formula is the same: Affordable economy car with sharp but clean looks gives rise to a firebreathing performance model for not a lot of coin. That’s a total win in my book, and Id say these carry the Duster name far better than the current Charger lives up to its namesake. Taken for what it is (4 door sedan that can kick ass), the Charger is formidable but it skews from the original concept. ‘Satellite’ would’ve been better, even if its a final robbery from Plymouth.
This is the body style I point to for small car sedan owners…guess I’m such a hatchback fan that I think for small cars, you can even “look” like you’re driving a sedan (well almost) and still enjoy the benefits of a hatchback, albeit with a bit less storage space due to the sedan like shape of the rear hatch.
These never sold well, but I often wondered if it was because people could still tell they were a hatchback?
The 2.8/3.1 V6 in the GM J was a 60 Degree, versus the 90 degree Buick 3800. So, most likely, the Buick motor wasn’t a fit for the N body.
The 3300 was simply a low-deck version of the 3800, by the way. And I know for a fact that its 160 sequentially fuel-injected hp for 1989 hauled ass in the A-body Century.
That was probably the best engine ever put in an a-body…loads of power, sounded good, and great on fuel with the overdrive!
Torque-steer, thy name is Sundance Duster.
BTW, within the industry, these types of car were called ‘kid-cars’.
These were quick little cars with the 3.0 but as far as performance upgrades go you’re very limited.
I know.. “I’d be just fine with it in stock form” is the common answer at CC. But for most others the opposite is true.
The Turbo 2.2 was the right mill for this car, very receptive to modifications and just a bit lighter up front to boot!
One thing interesting to note regarding the Sundance Duster is that the 2.5 4-cylinder engine was a credit option, and a fair number of those sold were so equipped.
When I was 17, my dad’s ’95 Neon was totalled (oddly enough, by a woman driving an ’85 Renault Encore). He wanted something used that wasn’t any more than his insurance check, so he looked at a couple low milage used cars from his local Chrysler/Plymouth dealer. One was a Plymouth Duster. I was really hoping he would buy it and eventually sell or give it to me, but it was “too noisy”. Instead, he bought a beige, 4-cylinder Plymouth Acclaim, the most nondescript car ever made.
I bought a 1991 Sentra SE-R and would not even have considered a Chrysler or more especially any GM so-called product. And mine was only $12300 with a moonroof and a cute equalizer on the great-sounding cassette deck. What price list were you looking at?
I believe I was looking at Kiplinger’s Personal Finance’s car guide for that year.
And yup, Kev, we get it: you hate GM.
That white Duster was unusual if not rare when new. Seemingly all of them were dark green with gold decals.
If I read the article right, the V6 Sundance/Shadow carried a premium of “only $1K” over the base (?) 4 cylinder models. ONLY $1K? In 1989 I was looking for a new car to replace my 82 J2000. I looked at the Escort GT but couldn’t get under/behind the steering wheel. The Chrysler twins weren’t on my “radar” for 2 reasons: little/poor publicity and a very disorganized dealer network. I bought a Honda Civic that cost what the Ford dealer would have taken for the Escort. At $9K I thought I did okay, but an additional $1K would have meant an additional 11% cost…not a sum I’d term as “only $1K”.
‘poor publicity’ was a HUGE brain fart for Chrysler back in those days. Remember the Daytona IROC R/T and the Spirit R/T? The 2 fastest fwd vehicles in the world, and one of the fastest sedans in the world in the early 90s. Those cars offered unbelievable performance for their time and even now that’s not to be taken lightly. 0-60 in under 6 seconds from 4 cans and fwd is punching pretty hard, no matter how you look at it..and many a fox mustang or 3rd gen F body found out the hard way. How Chrysler wasn’t screaming this at anyone who would listen, Ill never know.
My son bought a Shadow version of these when he was a senior in high school. His was bright red and equipped with the 5 speed. I drove it several times and thought it drove very well. The economy car basis was still evident, but the powertrain was solid and performed well. He drove it all through college and for a year or two afterwards. It was very reliable. I don’t recall any unusual failures that weren’t directly caused by the teenage driver. These were also available as a 4 door, but the coupes were more popular as far as I remember.
Interesting. Never seen one of these before.
Next time I’m at the junkyard I’ll check out the Chrysler section a bit more. I’ve found some pretty strange stuff (like a VW Fox http://phxjunkyarding.blogspot.com/2015/06/1988-volkswagen-fox.html ) – but I’ll keep my eyes peeled for these types of cars
These have always appealed to me for some reason. They were good looking and seemed decently put together. One of these with a V6 would have been fun.
Decent-looking little cars that have all but disappeared–I didn’t pay much mind to them when new, but the shape has aged well. Never drove or even rode in one though–the only one I can think of driven by an acquaintance was owned by the girl who lived across the hall from my college apartment. Nice-looking little car, and one of the rarer white ones as opposed to green, but it didn’t survive the living arrangements. A full-size van was coming down our street, with a police officer in pursuit, when the van’s driver jumped out of the moving vehicle and ran off into someone’s yard. The now-driverless van veered off the road, crashed through the fence of our apartment complex, down a small hill, missed the corner of our building by only a couple of feet, and was stopped when it ran into our neighbor’s parked Sundance Duster. The poor Duster, alas, was obviously totaled, but at least it stopped the van from continuing on into another row of cars.
I bought a brand new Plymouth Sundance duster V6 in 1994. It was my first and only brand new car. what a wonderful vehicle that was! And yes it was fast! I drove that car for 10 years put 212,000 miles on it and used it to pull a small camper all across the United States believe it or not. Never once did I ever put a clutch in it. The only thing that ever asked of me and that 212,000 Miles was a set of brakes and a fuel pump. it was absolutely the best car I’ve ever owned. it was still running fine when I traded it on my worst mistake… A freaking Chevy Blazer which was the worst piece of garbage I ever owned! But that’s another story.
I ordered a forest green over tan ’93 model during the summer of 1992, my first new car. I was home in Western Pa for 2-weeks of military leave. When the car didn’t arrive during the time before I reported to Bethesda Naval Hospital, I just grabbed a red one from the lot. I had it for 7 mostly trouble-free years only having issues with the ground wire to the starter relay, and eventually the starter. Aside from subpar fit and finish, and a frequently skipping CD player, the 5-speed paired with the V6 was very fun to drive. The Duster was a legendary vehicle of my youth.
I graduated high school in 1990. The 29-94 Duster was introduced while I was in college, and there was something about that coupe with he V6 badging, and the body lines, somehow it was THE thing that I wanted! I couldn’t afford it (or ANY new or late model car), but, man, I wanted one! I have no idea how many times I would stop into one the D/C/P dealers in the area to drool! I must have collected a dozen product brochures!
A 1993 Duster was my first new vehicle. Red over grey with a 5-speed. I had ordered a green / tan 5-speed from the factory, but delays had me impatient. The Dooster was legendary amongst my circle of friends. I owned it from 9/1992 – 8/1999 when it was hit from behind by a coal truck and sent to the wrecking yard. Aside from some fit an finish issues, the only mechanical troubles were a ground wire to the starter relay, and eventual replacement of the starter. Very fun to drive hard, and having a factory CD-player seemed like a big deal in ’92. The stiff suspension caused many cd skips however. I have always been fond of that car and will never forget the muted exhaust rumble from the Mitsu-3.0.