This Canadian Caravelle coupe is of course another one of those many north-of-the-border alternate reality-mobiles, as there never was a Caravelle coupe in the US, and the sedan didn’t arrive until 1985. The Caravelle name had been in use up these for a while, gracing what we knew as the Dodge Diplomat. In 1982, when the US market Dodge 400 arrived, it was given the Caravelle name in Canada, and that’s what you’re looking at here.
As to it’s being extinct, according to one source on the web, there’s not one single ’83 Caravelle coupe left in Canada. Get out the hankies.
When the K-Body version of the Caravelle appeared, the M-Body Caravelle had to add “Salon” in order to distinguish between them.
Here’s another look at it. Your career is on the rise. Your family is growing…
I dig that red one with the cornering lamps!
“You feel you need a bit more car than the one you’ve been driving.”
What was he driving – a go-kart with a sofa nailed to it?
Great comment!!!
K is for Konfusing. This was a Canada-only variation of the Dodge 400 which was already a badge-engineered-for-Dodge version of the LeBaron and likely offered alongside the LeBaron. Presumably the four-door FWD Caravelle was already based on the E-body sold in the US as the Dodge 600 and Chrysler E-Class. The Dodge 600 was surely offered in Canada, not sure about the E-Class, and it went away when the Caravelle nameplate crossed the US border on an E-body sedan only, the upmarket versions of it replaced by the liftback LeBaron GTS and Dodge Lancer.
Whew.
The 2 door Caravelle still survives in some regions of Canada.
This is my Great Nephews , 86 Caravelle 2 door he purchased from an elderly neighbour in the summer of 2020, it is his daily driver in North eastern Saskatchewan.
In Canada we also had the Dodge 400 , and Chrysler “E” class
I’m in Battleford. Does he wanna sell it? Haha
I think the 600 and E-class were just like a Reliant/Aries but just a wee bit longer. And presumably nicer appointed interior. I will say that when my Dad had a brand new 1985 Caprice wagon with every option except woodgrain, the neighbors had an equally new Aries wagon (WITH fake tree) and the few times I rode in it I was pretty impressed with the roominess/comfort/quality/quietness. I was just a kid, not yet driving age, but I recall thinking I wouldn’t mind having one! Looking back it seems laughable but that little K car compared quite favorably with the fullsize body on frame V8 car. Today I’d rather have the Caprice, but I still say Lido did a very decent job with the K’s.
Not sure where those sources are getting their stats from but I’ve seen a few of both the K-car and M-body variety in the last couple years. Rare to be sure (especially early K-cars) but not yet gone.
As a note car registration in Canada is done at the provincial level. Their level of accurate record keeping and information sharing varies wildly. The largest province, Ontario, will often forget the others exist and speak on behalf of all Canada at times. There is nothing equivalent to the UK with a central source of registered survivors left.
It is even more weird in some ways. For example, the driver database in Alberta is not available outside that province, and vice versa. I got a ticket just outside of Edmonton in the summer of 2020. I didn’t pay it and the Albertans haven’t even tried to collect.
As for Ontario, they are the centre of the entire universe. This is how bad they are: I requested a call from RBC. Said call came at 6:00 AM. They didn’t bother to think of the three hour time difference, nor did they apologise.
That was in reference specifically to 1983 Caravelle coupes. But it may well be wrong. I’ve add a question mark to the headline.
Here’s another one
https://driving.ca/column/its-mine/its-mine-1986-plymouth-caravelle-coupe
No matter what you call them or think, I like them. I’d love to find a clean and rust free US sedan version of the 400/Caravelle or whatever they call it.
Just a correction: You knew the M-body car as the Plymouth Gran Fury. We had the Dodge Diplomat here in Canada, as well.
My sister had a car like that car. I think it was called a reliant? Anyway, it was basically a go-kart with cinder blocks for shock absorbers. Worst ride ever next to a checker cab lol
LOL! No he doesn’t , he loves that little car.
I girl I dated some years ago had a then brand new Dodge 600 2 door. They also came as convertibles. Was there a convertible or turbo version of these Caravelles?
My aunt had drove New Yorkers in the 50s and 60s. When she retired from teaching she bought a white 85 4-dr Caravelle. It looked like an appliance. My favorite was the dark blue-green 63 Chrysler with blue tinted glass.