We’ve had a lot of Australian car covered here over the years, but one has never made it here before, the Chrysler Centura. Like a fair number of other Australians, it was based on a European car, the Chrysler 180, but with a longer nose to make room for Chrysler Australia’s “hemi” inline six. The result wasn’t always perfect, but it did offer excellent performance thanks to the big six. Unfortunately, there were snags getting it into production and it never sold very well.
The Chrysler 180 (Roger Carr’s CC here) was a combined effort by Simca and Rootes to develop a new large car to replace their respective aging ones. It was a pretty pragmatic thing, without any exceptional features but did have a new SOHC four in 1.6, 1.8 and 2.0 L sizes.
The Centura was available with the largest of these fours, the 2.0, as well as 3.5 (215 CID) and 4.0 L (245 CID) versions of the Chrysler “hemi” inline six, and engine that was originally developed in the US but then sent off to Australia, where it enjoyed a successful life powering Valiants and Chargers and such.
The smaller six was rated at 142 hp, the larger at 167, which made the fairly compact and light Centura a lively sedan. But the added weight of the big six had a negative affect on handling, and a weight-sensing rear proportioning valve was necessary to eliminate rear brake lockup.
The French built body panels were held up at the docks in Australia for up to two years due to union protests over French nuclear tests in the South Pacific. Sales finally got under way in 1975, but by 1978, the Centura’s short life was over. It was replaced by the Chrysler Sigma, essentially a Mitsubishi Galant/Sigma.
That’s what I enjoy most about this site; something new that I’ve never heard of or seen before.
As always, there’s more to the story than engine displacement or 4 wheel disc brakes. Lots of back story to fill an encyclopedia.
Thanks!!
4 wheel discs? It had those as well, unusually for Europe for the time
The Centura did not have 4 wheel discs.
It didn’t have handling either, thanks to the boat anchors in the front.
These, like the 6 cylinder Cortinas were savaged by the critics.
Honestly I don’t think the sixes were all that quicker than the 2 litre for. Torquier yes.
Chrysler Australia had some involvement with the car when it was in development so the Centura front end worked well with the rest of the car.
They had performance to spare, very fast cars if you could get traction and arent afraid of going sideways at speed and yes my 77 KC model had discs all round it was a GXL 245 4 speed top of the range, stand on the loud pedal at 110kmh to overtake after pulling out and it would hit 160 as you overtook, in the wet it would wheelspin at 120 if you stood on the gas but the best part was a comfortable ride over long distances, Ive driven a 2.0 that belonged to a mates wife it wasnt a peformer at all, Ive also driven a MK3 250 cube Cortina they really were a lead tipped arrow the rear axle arrangment was weak even on the 2.0 cars putting a toquey 6 up front did not help.
Toquey? It was probably Canadian then eh??? L0L
I don’t recall any savaging by the critics. Any Australian motoring magazine reviews were quite complimentary of the car.
Owned 2 of them, both 4L. The first one stolen and not recovered. The 2nd like the first even at 2-3 years old started to show extensive corrosion around the rear and front glass and lower front quarter panels. Now that I know the body panels spent 2 years on a wharf somewhere that tends to explain the rust. Both went like a steam train in a straight line but pulling them up and cornering where challenging in wet weather. Both mine continually blew up starter motors for some reason as well. In retrospect not a great car and one of the main reasons Chysler failed soon after and was bought out by Mitsubishi.
Developed in the US. Does that mean it’s a variant of the Slant Six? Or a totally different design?
The upright D-engine (“Hemi-6”) was a totally different design than the Slant-6. Nothing in common or interchangeable except some small hardware bits.
Awesome engines Ive owned 215 cube 245 and 265 in full size Aussie Valiants and a 4.0(245) Centura much gruntier than the hillside hemi 6 in the earlier cars plus they found their way into Dodge trucks in OZ and went very well.
I remember first seeing one of these back in the 1990s in the Coventry Transport Museum.
https://www.coventrycollections.org/search/details/collect/21169
I had been aware of the old Chrysler 180/2 litre but this was just a bit different. Such a shame the V6 originally intended for this body was scrapped though which probably would have been better balanced. I do rather like the twin round headlights though.
That’s a great museum, the last time I was there they were in the beginning stages of remodeling/rearranging things with an XJ220 displayed right in the entryway and a great little rally car collection along with lots of Triumph and other BL history, I would like to go back again sometime.
For Americans who like cars like this, finding Brazilian or Australian cars like this that generally resemble American cars in a way that European cars don’t is like finding previously unreleased tracks by your favorite bands.
The Chrysler 180 looked like a Hillman Avenger/Plymouth Cricket, only bigger. If the 180 had been introduced first, people would joke about the Avenger looking like a 180 that had shrunk in the wash.
I prefer the Aussie restyling to the original. 🙂 A nice car to ride in, with an engine that never seemed to come off a fast idle in normal around-town driving. The torque did it all.
These were a bit of a misfit in the Aussie automotive scene, looking noticeably bigger than the Cortina and Torana compact six cylinder opposition, but without much really to show for it except a bit more room in the back. If these had come out earlier, as planned, when the compact six market was peaking, things might have been different. I remember those French nuclear tests caused a lot of bad feeling down here, and nobody blamed the dock workers for banning French cargo. Even Dad supported them, possibly the only time in his life he was on side with a union! 🙂
Chrysler Australia really wasn’t in good shape by ’75. They desperately needed a success. The Valiant wasn’t popular, as it looked too big for its class, and so did this. But they had a major hit on their hands when Mitsubishi’s Sigma came along.
Centuras are about the same length as a VN/VP Holden not really a small car but will blow the doors off said Commodores in a straight line. My Centura had a big alloy bullbar up front which made it slightly longer than most sold new in far north Queensland where such accessories are worth having.
I understand they’re a/k/a roo bars.
I doubt very much a 4.0 Centura with 4-speed would beat a 15-year newer designed VN Commodore, in anything?? Commodore 3.8 V6 (Buick 3800) manual would be lighter, with rack and pinion steering, and better balanced (especially as VN-VS Commodores were more front-mid engined as engine bay designed for a long straight six, and 4.0 Hemi with bullbar Centura better handling?), and is much more aerodynamic.
My grandfather had a 3.5 3-speed manual Centura, while it was a soft riding, low rev lugger no match to any early Commodore of the same vintage.
My VN 5-speed manual V6 could wheel spin up the Westgate Bridge and had power available at the slightest thought of touching the gas pedal. Much bigger inside, and marginally better built.
Bryce some of your comments have merit, but the BS you speak makes you sound like an imbecile.
Centura had rack and pinion. You’re mixing it up with Valiants.
The Centura looked and was much bigger than Cortina and Torana. In fact Centura was a better interior package than the Valiant. Very similar dimensions to VB Commodore.
Stories about the release of Centura being delayed due to French atomic bomb boycotts are fables. During the period in question, French cars sales had an all time record high in Australia. Development of the car didn’t even commence (at Ryton, UK) till early 1973 so Chrysler Australia were going well to have it on the market in early 1975.
Chrysler 180 was released in Europe 1970.
Stories of body panels stored at the docks are completely true. Unions ruled the docks in Australia up to about the late 1990s. Nothing moved without their approval.
Why are there so many comments with inaccuracies on this website, while a 2 second Google or Wikipedia search will help with old man memories?
The yellow with the tan vinyl roof is identical to the Centura my grandfather owned. Which replaced another Rootes Group vehicle a Hillman Hunter.
Thanks to Roger Carr’s original Chrysler 180 post, both that car and the Centura have fascinated me ever since. Chrysler Australia just seems so tragic. There’s the Chrysler By Chrysler PLC that didn’t catch on in the early ’70s. The Centura. And a few other examples that I can’t think of at this moment. The bland, but not-unattractive styling, of the 180 & Centura… though I do prefer the latter’s elongated nose and styling.
I love reading about what seem like alt-world Mopars at this site.
I had a kb 245 4.0 ltr put the 265 4.3ltr in it extractors Holly carb good gas shocks an commodore springs,,went like stig and handled well ,now I can’t find one .