78 Dodge Diplomat vs Ford Granada Ghia & Olds CutlassTom Kite featured

[campingkillen]

Actual engine power is not mentioned, and there´s a good reason why!

These cars were so strangulated, mainly because of bad emission control systems.

The Ford "250" was 97 hp! If You bought a Volvo here in Sweden at the same time they got more power out of an engine half that size! (Minus the torque, ok...)

The Dodge (With the "super six" as in this clip) had a slightly smaller engine with 110hp. (90hp version if You wanted that.....)

Standard for the Olds was a "231" V6 with 105hp

[OsbornTramain]

@MrPowertorque I can honestly say, the most frightening Time I ever had driving a car and I'm 110% serious was back in 1980 driving a Ford Fairmont with the 4 cylinder trying to pull into traffic. That car couldn't get out of it's own way. Merging or entering Traffic was and ordeal. I worked for a Car Rental Agency and had to drive them often.

[LOGINKPW]

What the h*** was GM thinking from 1978-87?! GM said the deletion of roll-down rear windows on its G-body mid-size cars would cut costs (gimme a break!). They used movable vent windows instead on ther rear doors. No wonder such sedans were phased (or replaced) out between 1983 and 1987.

[OsbornTramain]

@LOGINKPW What really made no sense was that they wanted to increase interior size in a smaller car. So remove the window cranks and put an indentation in the door to give more people room....thus, no roll down windows....so you have to get Air Conditioning.....which durrr. cut into fuel consumption...so why have a smaller car??

[francoaap77]

la comparacion esta muy mal hecha en ves del Ford Granada deveria ser el Gran Markis

[91dodgespiritrt]

"Was the 1980's RWD Fifth Avenue based on the same design architecture as this? They look rather similar."

Yes. The Mopar M body - US - was the Chrysler Lebaon (4 door), Dodge Diplomat and Plymouth Gran Fury - and they were in production from 1977-89.

[OsbornTramain]

@91dodgespiritrt To Clarify this a bit. in 1980, The Lebaron offered the Lebaron Fifth Avenue as a spring special edition model It used Lebaron Front end and tail lights. in 1982, the Lebaron name was eliminated from the M series and the car became the Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue, it used Diplomat tail lamps and had a brand new grill. the Lebaron in 82 became a K car derived auto. Plymouth didn't have a US version of this car until 1982, although there was a Canadian Carravelle.

[MaestroTJS]

They must have chosen the hatchback Cutlass because it was SO much uglier than the sedan.

The non-opening rear windows has to be one of the dumbest ideas ever.

Was the 1980's RWD Fifth Avenue based on the same design architecture as this? They look rather similar.

[OsbornTramain]

@MaestroTJS Actually, that is the Sedan version for Oldsmobile, they were called "Aero Sedens" Buick and Oldsmobile's mid sized cars of 78, 79 and 80 were butt ugly. They didn't get a knotch back version until 1981 when they had a mild facelift. The chevy Malabu and the Pontiac Lemans offered notch back versions only in those three years.

[pdennis93]

but wait, the Granada is often mistaken for a mercedes LOL yeah right! (but Ford used to tout that)

[OsbornTramain]

@pdennis93 Even as a teen, it use to make me laugh that Ford could say that a Granada was a less expensive alternative to the Mercedes......seriously...but they were also the car company that use to compare the 65 Ford Galaxie to the Rolls Royce in their TV ads.......and 73 LTD's to Jaguars..........

[LAmonk76]

Wink has so much class, i did not know how my life would be less luxurious with out a padded vinyl roof when he says so!

[briabba123]

Yes the olds diesels were awful we had the big station wagon the cruiser too and that car was bad had lots of problems with glow plugs and to think we payed a lot of money for that station wagon

[briabba123]

My family had the salon with the diesel engine it was a horrible car we got the engine replaced with the regular engine

[OsbornTramain]

@briabba123 you mean the Oldsmobile right? The Diplomate never had a diesel engine as far as I'm aware. Those Olds Diesels were AWFUL!!!

[OsbornTramain]

@briabba123 you mean the Oldsmobile right?  The Diplomate never had a diesel engine as far as I'm aware. Those Olds Diesels were AWFUL!!! I guess one reason why they don't make Oldsmobile anymore.

[jakesaintsrow123]

I Liked the oldsmobile the most

[tomsriv]

I didn't know they had lock up torque converters in the 70's thats the only cool thing about this car.

[shepshepherd]

How GM got away with selling something as horrible as the Cutlass in 1978 is beyond me.

[Jac2Mac]

At 3:42 the back doors of the Cutlass look like that have openable power windows in the back seats.

[McVaio]

Very nice car :-)

[Laurasellsdreams]

shit boxes from the 70's god that suck bumpers rusting off in a few short years

[Lumotaku]

@Laurasellsdreams No no those are the jap cars from the 70s plenty of these still on the road compared to the jap cars

[2008ljr]

Why would the back windows in a cutlass not open??

Was a Mercury Monarch comperable to the Diplomat or is that more Lebaron?

[EbonyBunny1]

@2008ljr The cutlass back windows didn't open because GM felt it was safer in back seat for children, with windows that didn't open. The Diplomat and Lebaron had the same features, same price and marketed to the same buyers, unlike the Ford Granada and Mercury Monarch, were the Mercury Monarch was marketed at a more upscale buyer.

[Lumotaku]

@EbonyBunny1 The gm compacts rear windows not opening was a really really bad idea whatever the reason I remember my dad had a 79 malibu and we couln't believe you couldnt roll down the windows.

[EbonyBunny1]

@Lumotaku I agree, it was stupid. There were many GM cars in those days that did that.

[Jac2Mac]

@Lumotaku What's interesting however is that the four door 1983-87 Cutlass Supreme Brougham sedan with power windows does let you open the windows in the back which was a take that to Dodge of course.

[Lumotaku]

@Jac2Mac but what sound do those doors make?

[kevw411]

Anyone notice the radio delete on the Granada.

[joh2]

An interesting comparision here - the Diplomat's design was cunning, being based heavily on the Aspen/Volare, complete with identical suspension, wheelbase and interchangable doors, yet having a larger look about it...

As for Granada, I recall its basic underbody design could trace its roots back to the1960 Ford Falcon. In Europe a "Ford Granada Ghia" was sold, however it was a different animal altogether. For this reason, the US Granada was exported to Europe in Mercury Monarch form only.

[caholla]

Wink Martindale of Tic Tac Dough fame is the voice of this film.

He wants you to know that the Diplomat Medallion's padded vinyl roof is standard. LOL

[OsbornTramain]

@caholla yep, i have it in the tag line in case anyone searches for Wink on youtube. He also is the voice of a couple other video's from Dodge that I have here.

[RabidKoala]

I had a 78 Cutlass Calais and loved it. I preferred the body on frame construction as it made for a much quieter ride. That Cutlass fastback is one butt ugly car. My mom had a Granada, it got about 8 MPG with the 302 and was gutless, but what 70's car wasn't?

What a truly awful time for cars.

[Lumotaku]

@RabidKoala take that back!! late 70s were the best cars ever! :) my dad had a granada so did my grandma.  Body on frame construction is way better than unirusty.

[landyachtfan79]

LOVE the interiors of those Dippies!!!!! I almost can't believe that Chrysler did not resurrect the Imperial name for these instead, they were so luxurious. Uh, Olds, yes, you can build one for me, but can you build one for me that has an interior that is as beautiful as the Diplomat Medallion?!! Ford, for a car that is supposed to be a luxury compact, I am quite disappointed in the lack of luxury your Granada Ghia offers!!! Sure won't confuse THIS with a Cadillac Seville or Mercedes 300D!!!

[OsbornTramain]

@landyachtfan79 I loved these cars so much, I convinced my parents to trade their 75 AMC Hornet in for a Brown and Cooper Diplomat. It made me feel like we came from a wealthy family. We grew up in an exclusive town and riding around in the Hornet made me feel a bit ashamed. This car was a real step up and I loved going to church in it every Sunday with the family. No offense to Hornet fans, I do love them too. :O)

[landyachtfan79]

@OsbornTramain I love AMCs as well. Do you have any promo films from them from the '70s or '80s?!!

[jakesaintsrow123]

did you like the 78 cutlass salon?

[bajabusta]

Growing up, my parents had a Granada Ghia!!