Lost Cars of the 1980s – Dodge Omni GLH

1986 Dodge Omni GLH Turbo. Photo by Daniel Strohl.

At the dawn of the 1980s, the Dodge Omni hatchback wasn’t exactly on the list of “must drive” cars for automotive enthusiasts. Seeing the missed opportunity to lure hot hatch enthusiasts, Chrysler head Lee Iacocca called upon his old friend Carroll Shelby to infuse a bit of spirit into Dodge’s bargain-basement grocery-getter and the resulting Dodge Omni GLH was released to an unsuspecting public for the 1984 model year.

Though Chrysler never came out and put this in writing, GLH reportedly stood for the obvious, “Goes Like Hell.” First model year cars came to market with a high-output version of Chrysler’s 2.2-liter four-cylinder, rated at 110 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque. That was a gain of 14 horsepower and 10 pound-feet of torque compared to the regular version of the same engine, achieved via a bump in compression ratio and a revised camshaft profile. Mated to a four five-speed manual transmission, even this modest output was enough to get the Omni GLH from 0-60 MPH in 8.7 seconds, aided by a curb weight that was said to be less than 2,200 pounds.

To ensure that the car went fast in other than a straight line, Shelby specified changes to the standard Omni’s suspension in the form of stiffer springs (by 30 percent in front and 15 percent in the rear), firmer dampers and a drop in ride height. The steering rack received a quicker 14.0:1 ratio, and larger front disc and rear drum brakes were added. Fifteen-inch aluminum wheels, shod with performance tires, replaced the 13-inch steel wheels fitted to base Omni models, and aside from the discreet GLH badging and standard fog lights, gave the only clue that this was no ordinary Omni. Dodge didn’t even include a now-obligatory aerodynamic body kit, though one was available for the Omni GLH through Dodge dealers.

Sales for the 1984 model year were modest, with Dodge moving just 3,285 Omni GLHs in the car’s freshman season. Though still a performance bargain compared to other cars on the market (namely the Volkswagen GTI, which cost about $1,000 more than the Dodge), the GLH package did add over $1,500 to the $5,830 sticker price of a base Dodge Omni. More significantly, the brand wasn’t exactly the first that sprang to mind when the term “hot hatch” was mentioned.

For its second year on the market, the Omni GLH received an infusion of horsepower, in the form of an optional turbocharged engine. While the base 2.2-liter four soldiered on with 110 horsepower, the available 2.2-liter Turbo I engine produced 146 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque. Given that the normally aspirated GLH was quick enough to beat the Volkswagen GTI by a full second from 0-60 MPH, the Turbo I-equipped Omni GLH punched even further above its weight class, and Dodge added equal-length halfshafts on Turbo I models to reduce torque steer. Not only was the turbocharged variant capable of running from 0-60 MPH in 7.5 seconds and clearing the quarter-mile in 15.8 seconds, it also delivered 0.83G of grip on the skidpad and stopped from 70 MPH in just 195 feet. By standards of the day, the Omni GLH served up serious performance at discount-store prices, even if it did strike some as “expensive” for a Dodge Omni.

It looked more aggressive for the 1985 model year as well. The Direct Connection body kit that had been an optional accessory for the 1984 model year was now included, giving Omni GLH and GLH Turbo models a front air dam and side skirts, all finished in black. Wheel sized remained 15×6 inches, but new five-lug, 16-hole “Pizza” wheels replaced the four-lug, 40-hole “Swiss Cheese” wheels used on first-year models. Tire size remained at 195/50R15, even for Omni GLH Turbo models.

Inside, the Omni GLH did little to hide its economy car roots. Its corduroy seating surfaces did a respectable job of keeping driver and passengers in place under normal circumstances, but there was little bolstering offered for truly spirited driving. Monochrome hard plastic and vinyl covered much of the interior, and neither the vertical, rubber-booted shifter nor the bland instrument cluster revealed the Omni GLH’s sporting intentions. Clearly, the money spent on making the Omni GLH go faster was not wasted on improving the cockpit aesthetics, which may have further impeded GLH model sales. Still, performance alone was enough to sell 6,513 Omni GLH models in 1985, including 3,004 normally-aspirated models and 3,509 Turbo I variants.

Except for adding the mandated high-center-mounted brake light in 1986, the Omni GLH and GLH Turbo returned to the market unchanged. Technically speaking, 1986 would be the last year for the model, perhaps due to lackluster sales. Production reached just 3,129 Omni GLH models, with the vast majority of these (2,247 cars) constructed with the Turbo I drivetrain.

1985 Dodge Omni GLH. Image courtesy of OldCarBrochures.com.

Though the Omni GLH and GLH Turbo exited the market after the 1986 model year, the Shelby-badged Omni GLHS (for, “Goes Like Hell, Some More,” or “Goes Like Hell, Shelby,” depending upon the source of the information) appeared at selected Dodge dealerships. Per an agreement between Chrysler and Shelby, 500 Omni GLH Turbo models (all painted black) were shipped to Shelby for modifications, which included additional performance upgrades for both engine and suspension.

Underhood, Shelby GLHS models received a new turbo, an intercooler, a smaller but higher-capacity radiator, a revised intake manifold, bigger fuel injectors, a larger throttle body and a revised engine control module that allowed for 12 PSI of boost, compared to 9 PSI on Omni GLH Turbo models. The net result was 175 horsepower, a gain of 29 horsepower, and 175 pound-feet of torque, an increase of five pound-feet. While that may not sound like much, peak torque was now available between 2,200-4,800 RPM, and the Shelby GLHS proved capable of dashing from 0-60 MPH in 6.5 seconds and running the quarter mile in 14.8 seconds. Top speed had been increased to 130 MPH, and to get around the issue of the Omni’s 85 MPH speedometer, the Shelby modifications included a decal marking 95, 105, 115, 125 and 135 MPH at the bottom of the gauge.

Under the car, changes included adjustable Koni dampers in all four corners; an alignment that dialed in more negative camber for the front wheels and more toe-in on the rear wheels; and larger tires (205/50VR15) mounted on Shelby Centurion wheels. Even the interior got a bit of attention, in the form of a leather-wrapped steering wheel, a leather-wrapped shift knob and a serialized Shelby dash plaque.

Shelby GLHS models were sold through hand-selected Dodge dealers as 1986 models, and the only options were reported to be a factory-installed roll cage and an oil cooler. The Shelby GLHS would return as a 1987 model as well, but the Charger (coupe) body style would replace the Omni (hatchback) body style.

Though Dodge produced more than 219,000 Omnis from 1984 to 1986, less than 13,000 of these were GLH or GLH Turbo models. While the car’s performance is modest by contemporary standards, it was exceptional for its time, especially in light of its under-the-competition price point. Today, surviving examples are relatively rare, but even the Shelby-branded GLHS models are still in an affordable price bracket. As one of America’s first front-drive hot hatchbacks (and one that surprised more than a few “faster” cars in the quarter mile), the Omni GLH (and its Shelby cousin) are 1980s models worth remembering.

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Lost Cars of the 1980s – Toyota W10 MR2

1987 Toyota MR2. All images courtesy Toyota USA.

Mid-engine, rear-drive, two-seat sports cars were once primarily the domain of Italian, German or British manufacturers. Throughout the 1970s and into the 1980s, American buyers on a limited budget could opt for the Fiat X1/9, while those with larger bank accounts could shop the Lotus Europa Series 2, the Porsche 914, the Ferrari Dino 246 GT, or (later) the Ferrari 308 GTB. In the early 1980s, two more mid-engine, rear-drive options for the budget-conscious sports car shopper would appear, both from unlikely manufacturers located nowhere near Italy, Germany, or Great Britain. Following the 1984 introduction of the domestically manufactured Pontiac Fiero, Japanese auto giant Toyota launched an even sportier take on the idea for the 1985 model year: the Toyota MR2.

Though derived from the SV-3 concept shown at the 1983 Tokyo Auto Show, the MR2 (the designation reportedly denoted the car’s Mid-engine, Runabout, 2-seat design) traced its roots back to a project conceptualized by Toyota in 1976. The idea behind it was timeless: build a lightweight car with reasonable power and exceptional handling that still managed to return superior fuel economy. It wasn’t until 1979 that Toyota produced the first concept, called the SA-X, but even this model bore an uncanny resemblance to the production model that enthusiasts would affectionately call “Mister Two.”

1985 Toyota MR2.

Toyota may have taken three years to turn its original idea into a concept car, but the automaker wasted no time in turning the SV-3 concept into the production MR2. Perhaps because of the public’s overwhelmingly positive reaction to Toyota’s first mid-engine, rear-drive sports car, Japanese sales of the the MR2 began just one year later, in 1984. The following year saw the first MR2 models arrive in the United States, and the diminutive, wedge-shaped car gave sports car buyers much to like, as long as luggage space wasn’t a necessity.

Power initially came from a Toyota 4A-GE 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine, mounted transversely behind the passenger compartment, but ahead of the rear wheels. Americans were already familiar with this 16-valve, fuel-injected, dual-overhead cam engine, as it was the same high-revving, 112hp screamer found in the AE86 Toyota Corolla. Thanks in part to the MR2's curb weight of just 2,350 pounds, a five-speed manual MR2 could make the run from 0-60 MPH in under 8.5 seconds, making the MR2 quicker than either the four-cylinder Pontiac Fiero or the Fiat X1/9.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, the MR2 was universally praised for its well-balanced and relatively forgiving handling, thanks to a suspension designed with input from Lotus engineer Roger Becker and legendary driver Dan Gurney. Up front, the MR2 used MacPherson struts, coil springs and an anti-roll bar, while out back the design called for struts, springs and trailing arms, and the 1985 MR2 also included a rear anti-roll bar. Disc brakes were standard equipment, and most reviewers could find only one flaw with the car: U.S. allocation was reportedly capped at 3,000 units per month for the car’s first model year, meaning that demand was likely to (far) exceed supply.

1988 Toyota MR2 Supercharged.

On the surface, not much changed in the U.S. market for the 1986 model year, except for the addition of side skirts and color-matched bumpers. Underneath, the MR2 lost its rear anti-roll bar, likely in an attempt to make handling even more forgiving by promoting understeer. The following year, 1987, saw the introduction of the T-top model in the United States, while the front spoiler was revised with a more angular appearance. Taillamps were revised (though not significantly), the interior was updated and the suspension was further refined to reduce the potential for oversteer.

Under the hood, the 1987 MR2 received a redesigned intake system and beefier transmissions, both in automatic and manual versions. The big news for buyers in the United States, however, came in 1988, when Toyota debuted a supercharged version of the MR2 that had premiered in Japan in 1987. While the supercharged engine was based on the same 1.6-liter four found in normally aspirated versions, forced-induction models received strengthened internals, a Roots-type supercharger, dual-aperture fuel injectors and an air-to-air intercooler. Output was bumped to 145 horsepower, which was enough to shave a full second off the car’s 0-60 MPH time.

While supercharged models benefited from computerized engine management, the driver had an active role in the process, as well. Premium fuel was recommended, but a button on the dash allowed the driver to select regular unleaded when the high-octane alternative was unavailable; pressing it would (presumably) retard timing and reduce horsepower, but also reduce the chances of preignition caused by low-octane fuel. The supercharged MR2 also employed a bypass system and magnetic clutch to disengage the supercharger under deceleration or under light engine loads, but when the accelerator was floored, a green light at the bottom of the tachometer was there to remind the driver why he was being pressed into the back of his seat.

The following year, 1989, would be the last for the first-generation (W10) MR2 models in the North American market. Both normally aspirated and supercharged variants would return, and the supercharged models once again received a rear anti-roll bar, though other models did not. The MR2 would then take a two-year vacation from the North American market before returning in W20 form (with both normally aspirated and turbocharged variants) in late 1991.

Though some derided the original MR2 as underpowered and almost comically small, the car received numerous accolades during its time on the market, including “Ten Best” awards from Road & Track and Car and Driver, as well as “Import Car of the Year” from Motor Trend. The popularity of the first MR2 paved the way for later models, and perhaps even opened the door for later budget sports cars, such as Mazda’s phenomenally successful Miata. Toyota’s latest budget sports car offering, the GT-86 (sold here as the Scion FR-S), is a return to a familiar formula, even if the car isn’t mid-engined. After years of building reliable but uninspired family transportation, Toyota is once again offering an affordable sports car that blends handling and fuel economy, proving once again that there’s no such thing as a truly fresh idea.

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