Dodge Intrepid |
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Wikipedia: Dodge Intrepid
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History
The following section is an excerpt from Wikipedia's Automotive Industries page on 1 April 2020, text available via the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.
The Dodge Intrepid is a full sized front-wheel drive four-door sedan that was produced by Dodge (Chrysler) for model years 1993 to 2004. It is related to the Chrysler 300M, Chrysler Concorde, Chrysler LHS, Chrysler New Yorker, and Eagle Vision which were all built on Chrysler's new "cab forward" LH platform.
The Intrepid was sold in Canada as the Chrysler Intrepid. In the United States, it replaced the Dodge Monaco as Dodge's largest car. With Dodge's introduction to Mexico during that time, it was badged as a Dodge, replacing the Dynasty which had been sold there under the Chrysler brand.
The Intrepid's design goes back to 1986, when designer Kevin Verduyn completed the initial exterior design of a new aerodynamic concept sedan called Navajo. The design never passed the clay model stage. It was also at this time that the Chrysler Corporation purchased bankrupt Italian sports car manufacturer Lamborghini. The Navajo's exterior design was reworked and became the Lamborghini Portofino, released as a concept at the 1987 Frankfurt Auto Show. The Portofino was heralded as a design triumph, setting in motion Chrysler's decision to produce a production sedan with the Portofino's revolutionary exterior design, called "cab forward". The cab forward design was characterized by the long, low slung windshield, and relatively short overhangs. The wheels were effectively pushed to the corners of the car, creating a much larger passenger cabin than the contemporaries of the time.
Design of the chassis began in the late 1980s, after Chrysler had bought American Motors Corporation (AMC) in 1987. During this time, Chrysler began designing the replacement for the then-new Dodge Dynasty, which was a mid-size car. Initial proposals bore resemblance to the Dynasty, but this design approach was scrapped entirely in 1988 by François Castaing, the former AMC Vice President of product engineering and development. As AMC was purchased by Chrysler, Castaing became new Vice President for Vehicle Engineering for the new company. The acquiring automaker was in desperate need to replicate the AMC and Renault corporate culture where work was conducted in an atmosphere "of constant change". Castaing organized Chrysler's departments into AMC-style cross-function teams, as well as incorporated the use of simultaneous engineering. Moreover, the new vehicle's design, under Castaing's leadership, began with the Eagle Premier platform.
The Premier's longitudinal engine mounting layout was inherited, as was the front suspension geometry, and parts of the braking system. The chassis itself became a flexible architecture capable of supporting front or rear-wheel drive (designated "LH" and "LX" respectively). The chassis design was continually refined throughout the following years, as it underpinned more Chrysler prototypes: the 1989 Chrysler Millennium and 1990 Eagle Optima.The transmission was inspired by the Premier's Audi and ZF automatics. Borrowing heavily from Chrysler's A604 (41TE) "Ultradrive" transversely mounted automatic, it became the A606 (also known as 42LE).The initial standard 3.3 L pushrod V6 engine was joined in 1990 with a 3.5 L SOHC engine with four valves per cylinder. For the second generation Intrepid R/T the block was recast in aluminum as part of a comprehensive upgrade.
Reference Desk
The Crittenden Automotive Library's "Reference Desk" is a collection of materials that cannot be shared due to copyright restrictions. Information from these resources, however, can be shared. Go to the Reference Desk page for more information.
| Type | Title |
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1997  Book | Chrysler Concorde/Intrepid/LHS/New Yorker/Vision 1993-1997 Repair Manual by Dawn M. Hoch; Chilton Automotive Books |
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Subject: Dodge Intrepid Pace Car
Photographer: Heidi Walczak Event: 2003 Chicago Auto Show View photo of Dodge Intrepid Pace Car - 850KB |
| Date | Document Name & Details | Documents |
|---|---|---|
| July 2002 | On-Site Child Air Bag-Related Serious Injury Investigation Vehicle - 1993 Dodge Intrepid ES National Highway Traffic Safety Administration |  PDF - 4,310KB - 22 pages |
| classified date 1995 | Calspan Remote Air Bag Deployment Investigation Vehicle: 1993 Dodge Intrepid National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 15.0MB - 44 pages |
| classified date 1993 | Air Bag Accident Investigation 1993 Dodge Intrepid National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 60.3MB - 407 pages |
| classified date 1995 | Calspan On-Site Air Bag Deployment Investigation Vehicle #1 - 1995 Ford Contour GL (Dual Air Bag-Equipped) Vehicle #2 - 1994 Dodge Intrepid (Dual Air Bag-Equipped) National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 125MB - 463 pages |
| classified date 1995 | Remote Air Bag Report 1995 Dodge Intrepid, four-door sedan National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 10.9MB - 147 pages |
| February 2007 | Calspan Remote Child Air Bag Related Fatality Investigation Vehicle: 1996 Dodge Intrepid National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 417KB - 12 pages |
| February 2009 | Remote Not-in-Traffic Surveillance Falling Vehicle Investigation 1997 Dodge Intrepid National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 1,862KB - 18 pages |
| July 2010 | On-Site Child Restraint System Investigation Vehicle - 1997 Dodge Intrepid National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 1,854KB - 19 pages |
| classified date 1998 | In-depth Vehicle Occupant Report 1998 Dodge Intrepid National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 12.4MB - 103 pages |
| classified date 1999 | Special Crash Investigation Report Case Vehicle: 1999 Dodge Intrepid, 4-door sedan National Highway Traffic Safety Administration | PDF - 33.2MB - 103 pages |
| Date | Article | Author/Source |
|---|---|---|
| 5 January 2013 | Rebuilt Dodge Transmissions for Intrepid Cars Now Sold Online at GotTransmissions.com | GotTransmissions.com |
