| Gm J Platform |
Article Index for Gm |
Website Links For Platform |
Information AboutGm J Platform |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT GM J PLATFORM | |
| gm platforms | |
| j | |
The J platform, or '''J-body''', was General Motors ' inexpensive Front-wheel Drive Automobile Platform from the 1980s and 1990s . The platform replaced the GM H Platform . The first J-body car was the Chevrolet Cavalier, which was released on March 21 , 1981 as a 1982 model. The Cavalier was phased out at the end of 2004 in favor of the new Chevrolet Cobalt . The last surviving J-body car, the Mexican-built Pontiac Sunfire , ended production in June 2005 . There are three generations of the J-body: 1982 to 1987 (or until 1988 or 1989 depending on the model), 1988 to 1994, and 1995 to 2005. Except for cosmetic differences, engine upgrades and the discontinuation of certain models, the platform remained largely unchanged throughout the years. Design of the J-body dated back to the mid- 1970s . At that time, GM-controlled divisions in different parts of the world manufactured totally different Rear-wheel Drive mid-size and subcompact cars - the Chevrolet Vega in America, the Vauxhall Cavalier / Opel Ascona in Europe, the Holden Torana in Australia and the Isuzu Florian in Japan. Some of them were not particularly competitive, so it was decided that a common replacement would be developed to eliminate duplication of engineering effort and ensure parts interchangeability. When the Arab Oil Embargo forced CAFE mandates, and the fear of US$3.00 for a gallon of Gasoline , the J-body was practically produced straight off the drawing board. The fourth character in the Vehicle Identification Number for a J-body car is "J". Many vehicles used this platform including the following American nameplates:
International J-bodies include:
Bodystyles included;
EXTERNAL LINKS
|
|
|