Mopar Autos Menu
Choose A Car Home Daytona Book 76-77 Aspen 78-80 Aspen 75-76 Charger 77-78 Charger 75-77 Cordoba 78-80 Cordoba 81-83 Cordoba 84-86 Daytona 87-88 Daytona 89-91 Daytona 92-93 Daytona Daytona Concept 84-86 Laser 78-79 Magnum 80-81 Mirada 82-83 Mirada Mirada Concept 76-77 Volare 78-80 Volare Acknowledgements

1982-1983 Dodge Mirada

MoparAutos

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1982  The Mirada body soldiered on unchanged this year. On the inside, new all cloth bucket seats with an optional center cushion and folding center armrest was now the standard trim. All vinyl bucket seats, 60/40 cloth and vinyl seats, and leather and vinyl bucket seats were optional. The "Tuff" steering wheel was replaced by a very cool looking 4-spoke sport steering wheel. The optional sure-grip differential was also deleted from the options list. The CMX package continued in 1982, which still included the Cabriolet simulated convertible roof. The Sport Handling Package was now replaced with an optional heavy-duty suspension, which included heavy-duty rear springs and shock absorbers. This new package, however, did not include a rear sway bar, which was a separate option. The power sunroof was no longer available. Fortunately, T-Tops, a center console with floor shifter, and the 10-spoke aluminum wheels were all still on the options list.

 

The Mirada was still quite a car, and with the right options, could be an exciting machine. However, it was apparent that Dodge's attention was elsewhere, as they focused their efforts on the new front-wheel drive K-Car lineup.

 

 

 

 

1983  For the final year of the Mirada, the body again was unchanged. The vinyl landau top and glass T-Tops were gone, leaving the simulated convertible Cabriolet on the CMX package as the only optional roof choice. The seats choices went back to the 3-choices available in 1981, cloth and vinyl buckets, 60/40 cloth and vinyl bench, now with a reclining passenger side seatback, and the leather and vinyl bucket seats. The 4-spoke sport steering wheel was also no longer available, leaving only two steering wheels, both of them 2-spoke. The optional steering wheel was leather wrapped.

 

1983 would be the last year for the Mirada. When it left the line-up, only one rear-wheel drive Dodge car was left, the Diplomat. Lee Iacocca was replacing all Chrysler cars with the front-wheel drive K-car platform. In many ways, the Mirada was the last of the old Chrysler. A time of torsion bars, rear wheel drive, and powertrains with familiar names - slant six, 318, 360, Torqueflite, Sure-Grip. The Mirada was probably one of the most underappreciated coupes Mopar ever built. Largely forgotten by history, it was actually a very great car, and had lots of positive features going for it. Unfortunately, it was probably a car meant for another time. Built a decade earlier, it probably would have been a runaway hit.