1986 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible

Chrysler inherited the LeBaron nameplate from the defunct Imperial division of Mopar in 1977 and originally applied it to a car that shared the new rear wheel drive M-platform with the Dodge Diplomat and Plymouth Gran Fury. The M-cars were derived from the Aspen/Volare compact sedans, which were themselves evolved from the Dart/Valiant twins.

The LeBaron was the smallest, lowest-priced Chrysler, intended to do battle with the Cadillac Seville. With the dawn of the FWD era at Chrysler in the early Eighties, the LeBaron became Chrysler's version of the new K-car platform: It was the glitziest variant of a trio that included the Dodge Aries and Plymouth Reliant.

Along with being the Chrysler marque's first FWD luxury car, the new 1982 LeBaron saw the return of the factory convertible to Detroit.

For 1986, the base engine in a LeBaron convertible was the SOHC "Trenton" 2.2L four cylinder with throttle body electronic fuel injection, rated at 97 horsepower. The next engine up the options list was the 2.5L Trenton four, which had the same bore but almost a half-inch longer stroke, giving a three-horsepower increase to an even 100, but bumping torque from 122 to 136 lb-ft at 2,800 RPM, four hundred RPM lower than the torque peak on the 2.2L mill. The increase in displacement necessitated counterrotating balance shafts to keep things acceptably smooth in the cabin.

The top of the line powertrain, as found in this Gunmetal Blue Pearl example, was the 2.2L Turbo, indicated by the fender badges and hood louvers. It came with 146 SAE net horsepower and torque steer for days.

Among other options to let you know that it was the Eighties was a voice alert system that used a speech synthesizer like the one from the old Texas Instruments Speak & Spell to let you know when a door was ajar or your seat belt was unfastened.

This one was photographed with a Canon EOS 40D and an EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS zoom lens in May of 2025.