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THE Dodge Dynasty Website


The Police Dynasty?

 

Yes, there was going to be such a thing. As the Dodge Dynasty was being introduced in 1988, the M-body series was in its second to last year. Chrylser knew in 1987 that the days of the RWD M-bodies were numbered. Rear wheel drive V8 and even slant 6 models just weren't selling as well as they used to. The turbo-New Yorkers when fully loaded were more expensive then the fully loaded luxury M-body models. The public was becoming more and more interested in MPG's more then HP's, and the government started to crack down on MPG ratings and emission outputs. The solution would have to be a new kind of car. A car which was still large and luxury, yet gas-use friendly and environmentally sound.

The K-based cars (EEK's) had become popular and were selling very well. Many people in snowy areas liked FWD over RWD, many liked the better gas mileage, and the performance minded fell in love (and in many cases, still are in love) with the 2.x turbos (especially the Shelby ones...). A full size FWD was the only thing Chrysler was missing.

So for the 1988 model year, a new breed was introduced. The Dodge Dynasty.

The Dynasty was about the size of an M-body, had the same basic body shape and design, and used the already designed and tested FWD drive trains. The FWD Chrysler New Yorker and 5th Avenue were introduced with the Dynasty on the AC/AY platform.

It was no surprise that after the M-bodies ended in 1989, many Dynasty sales were for fleet service and police/fire departments. At some point, the idea of a Dynasty police car was introduced.

By 1990, Chrysler had started making 3.3's for some vans and upper-priced cars, and was already developing the 3.8L V6. A Shelby-Dodge 3.3 race car used almost the same engine and was making 255 HP (N/A). So the idea of a 3.3 or 3.8 cop car Dynasty was thought up.

This Police Package Dynasty would have gotten a beefed up suspension, drive train, and possibly the turbo.

This turbo 3.3 concept has never been confirmed to have existed, and it has been proven that the 3.3 can take at least 15psi of boost without engine modifications and not break apart (long terms effects however, have yet to be determined).

Besides the Shelby 3.3, no work was done to develope or research a high performance engine, so a turbo may not have even been needed...

At any rate, for whatever reason, the Police Package Dynasty never saw production. Perhaps because by late 1992, Chrysler was already planing the next generation of luxury Mopars (LHS, etc).

The Police Dynasty never occured, and the Police cruiser market went from being All Mopar to all GM and Ford:(

Without question the AC/AY platform was to be the newer, friendlier version of the M-bodies. The 80s Imperial, although not a true Mbody, is surprisingly similar to the 90s Imperial. Same Mark Cross leather seat packages, same general HP to mass ratio, very similar bodies, it is clear the 90s Imperial was heavily influenced by the 80s Imperial.

Likewise the Dynasty and Diplomat share a great deal in styling, everything from the front end to the rear was similar.

The front of a 80's and 90's Imperial are also similar in looks. Same basic concept of a slanted front with folding headlights, narrow center "waterfall" grill, and so on. The Dynasty and M-bodies shared similar fronts and backs, with the same type of headlights, similar grills, and the same long, short tail lights and big box bodies.

In talking with a 80's Imperial owner, my first reaction was that these RWD Imperials had a very similar setup with the 90's AC/AY bodies with the 3.3 and 3.8. Big metal box body, and a fair sized ~140-150 hp engine. Powerwise, the cars are pretty damn close, even when compairing a 3.8 AC/AY with a 4bbl carb 318 RWD V8. If only the 3.3 could have had an OEM 5 spd, the two would both make very quick cars, and certainly either would have made a great cop car. They also have abt the same HP to Mass ratio.

All I can say is, that if some police departments can get away with Dodge Shadows and Reliant k-cars as cruisers, an OEM 3.8 Dynasty setup (even with that A604) could have certainly fullfilled the job. Perhaps not a persuit vehical, but it could have been.