By the mid-seventies, everything about economy cars was changing. The rear-engine rear-wheel drive design of the Volkswagen Beetle and the front engine rear wheel drive layout of the Ford Pinto and Chevrolet Vega were fading from the marketplace. Their replacements would all be front-wheel drive with a transverse inline-four-cylinder engine. Cars like the Volkswagen Rabbit and Honda Civic were taking the market by storm, but the Omni platform from Chrysler Corporation was not far behind. These 1979 and 1980 Plymouth Horizon TC3s for sale on Craigslist in Chilliwack, British Columbia are seldom seen examples of these innovative front-wheel drive coupes. While the yellow car runs and drives, the blue one will need some work and the prices reflect that. The yellow one’s asking price is $3,000, and the blue one is being offered at $2,000. Are you interested in crossing the border to bring back two unusual Plymouths? Thanks to Henry R. for the Canadian Plymouth tip!
Much of the information you read about Chrysler Corporation’s decline in the seventies and miracle comeback in the early eighties centers around two points. First, the company filled its showrooms with the wrong type of cars for a changing market. The second is that the K-Car is the vehicle that saved Chrysler. Both points are only partially true. Chrysler did offer subcompact cars that were stylish and good on gas despite having a variety of heavy, V-8-powered automobiles on the showroom floor. The K-Car may have generated much-needed sales for the company and set the foundation for most models offered after 1982. However, one could argue that the Omni line that debuted in the 1978 model year kept the wolves at bay until the Feds offered Chrysler a lifeline.
The development of the Dodge Omni and Plymouth Horizon started with Chrysler’s European branch. Through a maze of convoluted dealings that ended up with Chrysler Europe being sold off, a partnership or agreement of sorts with Volkswagen, and a handful of other twists and turns, the American market ended up with four-door and two-door variants that were different than European offerings due to regulations. Early cars were powered by a Volkswagen-supplied 1.7-liter inline-four-cylinder engine with a Chrysler-designed intake manifold. Production started in December of 1977 and lasted until February of 1990. Over the years, the VW engine was replaced by Chrysler’s ubiquitous 2.2 inline-four, performance versions of the Dodge Omni and Charger were offered, and over two million cars were sold between the Dodge and Plymouth nameplates.
What we see in the ad are a 1979 Plymouth Horizon TC3 that needs some work and a 1980 version that is advertised as a dependable car that “runs and drives just fine.” The yellow coupe in the first two pictures is the running and reliable 1980 model. We aren’t told much about the car beyond that. In the information section of the Craigslist ad, the mileage of one of the cars is listed as 20,000 with “odometer rolled over” at the bottom. The information under transmission lists that it is an automatic. Being that there are two cars, which one it refers to is anyone’s guess. As for the blue car, we get the optimistic news that it hasn’t run for a few years, but the seller feels it has potential. They also state that it needs some TLC but could be a fun project for someone who likes working on cars.
While we occasionally see more modern versions of the Omni, Charger, Turismo, and Horizon on these pages, it is exceptionally rare to come across a Horizon TC3 coupe, much less two of them. There isn’t much collector love for these either. However, you could make a good argument that they were the right cars for the time and their presence in the showroom helped to keep Chrysler afloat. Just because buyers aren’t flocking to them doesn’t mean that they are not historically significant. Owning this pair of coupes could be fun too. The yellow one looks ready for your next Cars and Coffee, and the blue one could end up being depowered with a turbo 2.2. Hopefully, the prices will come down and this seldom-seen duo will find new homes soon.
Do you think this platform helped to save Chrysler? Have you ever owned a car on this platform? What was the experience like? Please share your thoughts and memories in the comments.
Thanks Bennett.
My favorite were the couple year run of the Dodge Rampage. Especially the stick shift models. They had the similiar great front end as these cars.
I really wanted ( well actually still want) a Rampage with a 2.2 and a stick. Perfect size. I wish we could get trucks that size again.
I have 5 different 2.2 cars one supercharged love them.
Great cars once the bugs are worked out. If they offerd efi alot of problems would been avoided. i own 5 different variations one supercharged 2.2.
I owned a 1981 Turismo TC3, with louvered black slats over the rear hatch – like a late ’60’s performance Mustang. The car looked more sporty than it was, though a 4sp helped the fun a driver could derive from a small 4 cyl engine. The car passed for a combo of economy and performance in the early ’80’s, though by today’s standards it failed on both. Not a collector, not a reliable daily driver, the buyer will likely have memories of what was, and at $2-3K one can “live the dream” inexpensively.
Boy, did I! Had two L-bodies. My first new car was an ’81 Horizon TC3 Miser. Ordered in April and delivered in July, 1981. The attraction for me were the EPA fuel economy numbers of 30 city and 50 highway. With regular at $1.25/gallon I figured the city estimate would make my monthly payment over the Delta 88 I was driving. Never got less than 35 so my calculation was right. Was it perfect? Nothing is but it was close enough for the time. Drove it six years and over 100k miles. What stopped it? A parked S-10 pickup. Blinded and retrieving my sunglasses off the floor when suddenly the hood is folded up to the windshield. No harm to the S-10. I drove the two blocks home with my head out the window. Only a little bent up front. Still drivable. Got $300 from a guy who drove it away.
My first new car was 80 TC3 4 sp with 1.7 engine. Could bury 85 speedo on any hiway. Then bought a 83 Plymouth Scamp ( rampage twin) 4 sp with 2.2. Always got 30mpg. After a while I stuffed later model junkyard 5 sp.
more gears more fun!
Funny what cars people collect?? I guess there’s something for everyone…
These were neat little cars. Too bad they were so poorly assembled. I recall visiting a Chrysler-Plymouth dealer with my father in 1979 and seeing a Horizon TC3 with a Dodge front end, and another with one Dodge taillight and one Plymouth taillight. Nearby was a Chrysler Newport with a Dodge St. Regis taillight. Chrysler’s quality control problems in the late 1970s were very real.
I built a custom 85 turismo with a supercharger. Love it.