About Plymouth Acclaim
Plymouth introduced the Acclaim model in 1988 as a 1989 model-year and built it on the same K-platform as its siblings, the Chrysler LeBaron and the Dodge Spirit.
Chrysler tried to get more money from the K-platform. Besides the luxury-oriented LeBaron sedan and the sporty Dodge Spirit, it also made the Plymouth Acclaim, which was supposed to be in the middle between its siblings. For some, it was more of a smart buy than a desire to own a Plymouth. The top-specced version was cheaper than a LeBaron with fewer options. On the other hand, since it shared the same engines and transmissions as the Spirit, it could move just as fast as that one.
The exterior design still resembled some of the lines of the early '80s vehicles, albeit with rounded edges. Its rectangular headlights flanked the squarish grille that was adorned with a chromed surrounding. The plastic bumper sported two blinkers. The Acclaim's profile showed the same cab-rearward look with an almost vertical rear windscreen and chromed trims around the windows. Finally, at the back, it featured a short deck and a flat rear panel that sported wide rectangular taillights.
Inside, the Acclaim was offered with either five or six seats, the latter version being built with a benchseat at the front and another one in the back. The former sported two individual seats. The squared instrument cluster hosted two large dials for the speedometer and tachometer, flanked by the gauges for water temperature on the left and the fuel level on the right.
There was a choice of two engines available for the Acclaim: a 2.5-liter paired with either a three-speed auto or a five-speed manual or a three-liter V6 mated to a four-speed auto.