Vehicle Description
By the late 1970s, the once-mighty Chrysler Corp. was on the ropes
and on financial life support. When lesser men might have slipped
off into a very enjoyable early retirement, former Ford Motor Co.
Vice President Lido "Lee" Iacocca stepped into the breech as
Chrysler's new president and engineered one of the most stunning
corporate turnarounds in history. Having successfully obtained loan
guarantees from the U.S. government, Iacocca spearheaded an amazing
new-product development drive, resulting in the revolutionary
"K-Cars," the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant. First offered as
1981 models, they were the right cars at the right time and spawned
a succession of companion models that saved Chrysler and
revolutionized America's auto industry. Upscale versions included
the 400, 600 and LeBaron, sharing Chrysler's front-drive, efficient
K-Car packaging. Priced from nearly $17,000, the LeBaron Town &
Country convertible was particularly glamorous, equipped with
marine-grade vinyl faux-wood exterior trim evocative of Chrysler's
"Woody" convertibles of the late 1940s. A special model was
inspired by designer Mark Cross, and 595 of them were finished by
the Creative Group in Detroit. Logically dubbed the Mark Cross
Package, the top-of-the-line LeBaron Town & Country convertibles
included specially branded leather upholstery, plus power seats and
digital instruments. This 1985 is powered by a turbocharged version
of Chrysler's famed 2.2-liter Four and front-drive transaxle
combination mated to an automatic transmission. In addition to
miscellaneous receipts, it comes with excellent documentation,
including the factory Broadcast Sheet, original invoice and owner's
manual. From the Mile-High Collection.
