Plattner Auto Group
Plattner Auto Group Management
Pre-war years
Dodge D11 Luxury Liner 4-Door Sedan 1939
To fit better in the Chrysler Corporation lineup, alongside low-priced Plymouth and medium-priced DeSoto, Dodge’s lineup for early 1930 was trimmed down to a core group of two lines and thirteen models (from three lines and nineteen models just over a year previous). Prices started out just above DeSoto but were somewhat less than top-of-the-line Chrysler, in a small-scale recreation of General Motors’ “step-up” marketing concept. (DeSoto and Dodge would swap places in the market for the 1933 model year, Dodge dropping down between Plymouth and DeSoto.)
In the initial two years of production, Cadillac offered no options for the Allanté except for the interior and body color. Like the Cimarron of a few years earlier, the Allanté was introduced with an engine which was below the expectations of its target market. The 170 horsepower (130 kW) HT-4100 engine was insufficient against more powerful competition. This introductory platform turned off many potential customers, who considered the vehicle to be underpowered for its $55,000 price tag, causing them to conclude that Cadillac was not genuinely committed to building a performance car. In 1989 the powertrain was improved with the 4.5 L engine producing 200 horsepower (150 kW). Finally, in 1993 the powertrain was again upgraded to respectable performance with the 4.6 L Northstar V8 producing 290 horsepower (220 kW). This turned out to be the final year of production, as Allanté sales never reached the volume which Cadillac hoped for. (more…)
