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The Promotional Video for the 1978 Dodge Aspen Lineup Is The Most Seventies Thing I’ve Seen…Ever!


The Promotional Video for the 1978 Dodge Aspen Lineup Is The Most Seventies Thing I’ve Seen…Ever!

It’s not a secret around BangShift that I’m a fan of Chrysler’s F-J-M bodystyles. I’ve at some point or another have dealt with all three: I almost had a really decent Aspen (F-car) when I was about to get my license, I’ve had numerous Diplomats and Gran Furys (M-car), and my last two projects, the SuperBeater Mirada and the Project Raven Imperial, are the rare J-body cars. So, when Lohnes sent me the promo video Dodge made for the 1978 Aspen lineup, there was no question he knew exactly what he was doing.

The Aspen (and it’s Plymouth twin, the Volaré) were the replacements for the well-loved and aging Dodge Dart/Plymouth Scamp A-body twins. When the cars debuted for 1976, they were very well received, but in the rush to get the cars to market, Chrysler Corporation dropped the ball on rustproofing and the subsequent recall did major damage to the Aspen’s reputation, so much so that in 1980, the Aspen and Volaré were discontinued, and the platform was hidden in the Diplomat/Fury/Fifth Avenue and the Mirada/Cordoba/Imperial.

This promotional video from 1978 is a showcase of all of the Dodge Aspen models. The music is perfect Seventies stuff (read: porn music), the descriptions are great (“the aristocratic Dove Gray interior”) and even then, the little electronic gadgets, like the wagon’s optional power gate release, get a lot of the attention. However, there are two bright spots in the video: Aspen R/T and Aspen Super Coupe. Laugh and snicker if you will, but in the late ‘70s, these two were serious contenders in the fast car catagories. Not counting the emissions-free Dodge Warlock/Lil’ Red Express trucks, the Super Coupe (and Volaré Kit Car) were running things, followed up by the regular 360-powered Aspen. The closest competitor was the ’77 Camaro Z28. The Corvette and Trans Am 6.6? They were playing with the 318-powered Aspens.

Take a trip back in time and check out historical Chrysler footage of the 1978 Aspens! Just please, keep your turtleneck sweater away from here.

Aspen 1

 

 


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4 thoughts on “The Promotional Video for the 1978 Dodge Aspen Lineup Is The Most Seventies Thing I’ve Seen…Ever!

  1. derbydad276

    my parents had a 78 with a 318 smog controls took away so much power
    my buddies 250 six 72 nova could out run it with ease

  2. Nick D.

    The awesome thing about the F/M/J cars is they are cheap, different and have V8s powering the right wheels. And Firm Feel makes all the good stuff for them that they make for A/B/C/E-bodies, so you can make them carve corners too

  3. 38P

    I loved the Mopar Super Coupes back in the day. Reportedly, only 531 Aspen Super Coupes and 494 Volare Road Runner Super Coupes built.

    . . . You almost never see one anymore that isn’t thrashed to death.

  4. jerry z

    Back in the early 80’s, I came oh so close to buying a 78 Roadrunner! It was white w/white int. Only thing that stopped me was the freaking rust on these cars!

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