Chrysler Laser Sales Figures

Chrysler Laser Overview

The Chrysler Laser was Chrysler’s foray into the sporty compact car market during the 1980s. It was essentially a twin to the more famous Dodge Daytona, and together, these two models represented the company’s answer to the rising popularity of compact sports coupes during that era. The Chrysler Laser was introduced in 1984 alongside its counterpart, the Dodge Daytona. Both cars were built on Chrysler’s G platform.

The Laser featured a hatchback design with pop-up headlights, giving it a sporty appearance characteristic of many 1980s sports cars. Its aerodynamic styling was modern for the time and intended to appeal to younger buyers. Over its lifespan, the Laser was offered with various engines, starting with a 2.2-liter naturally aspirated inline-four. A turbocharged version of the 2.2-liter was also available, and later, a 2.5-liter inline-four was introduced. The turbocharged versions, in particular, offered competitive performance for their era.

The Laser, much like the Daytona, was generally well-received. It was praised for its modern styling and performance, especially in the turbocharged versions. However, the Laser always remained in the shadow of the more popular Daytona. The Chrysler Laser had a shorter lifespan than the Dodge Daytona. While the Laser was discontinued after the 1986 model year, the Daytona continued to be produced until 1993.

Today, the Chrysler Laser is often overshadowed by its Dodge twin and other sporty compacts of the era. However, it holds a unique spot in Chrysler’s history as one of the company’s early attempts to tap into the sporty compact market during the 1980s. It’s worth noting that the “Laser” name was later used by Chrysler for a different vehicle sold outside the U.S. In the early 1990s, Chrysler sold a version of the Mitsubishi Eclipse in Australia under the name Chrysler Laser.

Chrysler Laser Sales Figures