History of the Chrysler Valiant
Up until the early 1960s Chrysler struggled to find it's place in the Australian domestic market. They had tried selling various models (such as the Dodge Phoenix, Plymouth Belvedere and Chrysler Royal), but none of these had caught on. During this period Chrysler Australia was not establishing itself in the way needed for continued market viability. They needed a solution.
In 1962, Chrysler released the Valiant into the Australian market. With nearly twice the power of the Holden competitor, and over a third more than the Ford, it was an instant success. In 1963, Chrysler released the AP5 Valiant, and fully shifted manufacturing of the Valiant to their new facility in Tonsley Park, Adelaide, Australia. The Valiant was now a truly Australian car.
In 1965, with the introduction of the AP6 Valiant, we Australians finally got a ute from Chrysler, in the form of the Valiant Wayfarer. We also got a V8 model. This meant that demand now started to stretch Chrysler Australia's manufacturing capabilities and long delivery times came to be expected.
In 1966 came the VC, which, while not very different from the AP6 underneath, was restyled into something longer and lower, and sales continued to rise. In late 1967 came the VE which was extensive redesign, and was larger than the VC and more powerful. Buyers could now get the V8 in any Valiant model rather than a standalone top of the line model. The VE Valiant won the Wheels Magazine's important "Car of the Year" award.
It is in 1969 that we get to the turquoise monster affectionately known as Behemoth. The VF Valiant was another extensive redesign, and the VF Valiant coupe was (in this writer's opinion at least), one of the most attractive cars ever built in Australia. By this time the Valiant had well and truly cemented its place as a true Australian icon.