Chrysler Centura

The Chrysler Centura is a midsize car which was produced by Chrysler Australia between 1975 and 1978. It was based on Chrysler Europe's Chrysler 180 model, but was also available with larger Australian-made Hemi Six engines. 19,770 Centuras were built.[3]

Development

Engineers from Chrysler Australia and Simca considered modifying the body of a Chrysler 180 sedan and shortening the drive train so they could place the Australian 6-cylinder Hemi engines further back in the body but instead decided to lengthen the nose, as Chrysler Australia apparently felt this created a more aggressive and better-looking car. It also meant fewer changes were needed to "Australianise" the car, making it economical to assemble. Additional, largely cosmetic changes included a new grill, headlights, bonnet and rear panel and taillights.

A brake proportioning valve was fitted to all Centuras from factory to compensate for weight transfer during braking. When the car "nose-dived" under heavy braking, a mechanical link connected to the proportioning valve reduced the brake pressure on the rear wheels, to prevent them from locking up and causing the back of the car to slide around. This was typical of many European cars of the time but uncommon in Australian cars.

Chrysler also experimented with fitting a 5.2-litre (318 ci) American-made V8 but decided that the body lacked the rigidity to cope with the larger engine; the V8 version never went into production.

KB Centura (1975–1977)

Problems

No Centura models were fitted with starter motor relays, which instead put the cranking load onto the ignition switch internal terminals when cranking, which reduced the ignition switch life in some cars. Traction in wet weather proved to be poor, with some cars only having an open differential, relatively large six-cylinder Hemi engine and very light weight over the rear wheels.

The importation of the bodies from France into Australia was complicated in 1973 by industrial action, with dockside unions protesting against French Pacific island nuclear testing. The union bans lasted 2 years. There was a myth that many early KB bodies spent months on wharfs exposed to salt air, creating corrosion problems later in these cars' lives. This was not the case. The main problem this caused was to delay the car's initial release onto the market.

Centuras overall are generally not very rust-prone compared to contemporary vehicles of the time, however rust tends to occur in the usual places where moisture and mud tend to accumulate. Areas to check are below the windscreen on both sides of the car, the firewall where the heater is mounted, and the lower sills, especially behind the back wheels and below the front doors. The vinyl roof cover which was a popular and standard fitment on GL models (delete option only) was also a source of water entrapment, creating the possibility of rust in the "A" pillars and gutters. KC models were more prone to rusting than KB models. This can be attributed to the KC panels being made in Australia from different steel than the KB's imported panels.

In addition to the union bans on French imports, parts supply and local Chrysler support for used vehicles also became more complicated when in 1978, Chrysler Europe went bankrupt and was taken over by Peugeot. This Peugeot takeover was soon followed by several French Peugeot/Talbot factory strikes worsening the problems in sourcing parts in Australia. The mix of metric and imperial fasteners used on the 6-cylinder cars is not anything unusual as many contemporary cars such as Holden Commodores had the same mix. The combination of overseas and Australian parts can make them challenging vehicles to maintain, however most wearing components are readily available from spare-parts suppliers. From the early 1980s parts became difficult to source, with existing stocks being used up and with the wait for French parts sometimes a long one. In the early 1990s Mitsubishi ceased supporting these vehicles with spare parts. Existing stocks of spare parts were auctioned off, and all stock which wasn't sold was unfortunately disposed of.

In the market

Six-cylinder cars sold four-to-one in the Australian market over the four-cylinder cars. They had a reputation for providing reasonably decent handling, outstanding torque and outstanding acceleration. Sports options available on Centura models included dealer-fitted stenciled sports stripes (bonnet and sides), special 'Boca-Raton' striped cloth seats and styled steel or alloy wheels. Most of the interior and exterior dealer options from the larger Valiant models were applicable to the Centura, from the dealership.

The Centura's main competitors in Australia were four- and six-cylinder Australian-made versions of the Ford Cortina and General Motors' LH, LX and UC Holden Torana and Sunbird. The Centura had much more interior room and boot space than these main rivals, along with a far more violent power-to-weight ratio. Centuras were also seen to compete to a lesser extent with larger-bodied Australian Holdens, Chrysler Valiants (including the sporting Charger coupe) and Ford Falcons. Most competitors, although often lacking the outright fierce acceleration of the six-cylinder Centura, proved less rust-prone and generally had more modern styling. In retrospect the rather compact Centura was not a typical 1970s medium-sized car. It wouldn't be until after the cancellation of the Centura, when Holden released the Commodore in October 1978, for the market to have a vehicle with similar internal dimensions to the Centura.

Chrysler Australia was being starved of funds by its troubled American parent at this time, leaving the larger Valiant sedans persisting with the same chassis platform and basic body shape and interior (Valiants did not have face-level flow-through vents, unlike those in the Centura) for many years. This created an old-fashioned image of the Australian Chrysler-Valiant brand that may have also adversely impacted Centura sales. The Chrysler 180 design was also rather dated by the time the cars arrived in the Australian market (later than intended), further adding to the old-fashioned image of the brand. The bigger Valiants were still popular with rural Australians, who seemed to prefer larger cars, but the Centura didn't have the size or perceived style to meet the needs of that market, either.

manufacturer	Chrysler Australia
production	March 1975–1978
assembly	Australia: Tonsley Park‡R1R‡ 19,770 produced
class	Mid-size car
body style	4-door sedan
successor	Chrysler Sigma‡R2R‡
wheelbase	2660 mm
length	4580 mm
width	1730 mm
height	1430 mm
weight	1105 - 1125 kg
layout	Front-engine, rear-wheel drive
engine	2.0 L Type 180 I4 3.5 L Hemi I6 4.0 L Hemi I6
transmission	3/4-speed BorgWarner Manual 3-speed BW-35 Automatic
related	Chrysler 180

Development

KB Centura (1975–1977)

Problems

In the market

KC Centura (1977–1978)

Centuras today

References