Chevrolet Citation
The Chevrolet Citation is a range of compact cars that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. The first Chevrolet sold with front-wheel drive, a single generation of the Citation was sold from the 1980 to 1985 model years. The successor of the Chevrolet Nova, the Citation was initially slotted between the Chevrolet Monza and the Chevrolet Malibu in the Chevrolet product line, later replaced by the Chevrolet Cavalier and the Chevrolet Celebrity.
Chevrolet Citation | |
---|---|
1984–1985 Chevrolet Citation II 5-door | |
Overview | |
Manufacturer | Chevrolet (General Motors) |
Production | 1979–1985 |
Model years | 1980–1985 |
Assembly | United States: North Tarrytown, New York (North Tarrytown Assembly) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Oklahoma City Assembly) Ypsilanti, Michigan (Willow Run Assembly) Mexico: Ramos Arizpe (Ramos Arizpe Assembly) |
Body and chassis | |
Class | Compact |
Body style | 2-door notchback 3-door hatchback 5-door hatchback |
Layout | Transverse front-engine, front-wheel drive |
Platform | X-body |
Related | Buick Skylark Pontiac Phoenix Oldsmobile Omega |
Powertrain | |
Engine | 2.5 L Iron Duke I4 2.8 L LE2 V6 2.8 L LH7 HO V6 2.8 L LB6 MPFI V6 |
Transmission | 3-speed TH-125 automatic 4-speed manual |
Dimensions | |
Wheelbase | 104.9 in (2,664 mm) |
Length | 176.7 in (4,488 mm) |
Width | 68.3 in (1,735 mm) |
Height | 53.9 in (1,369 mm) |
Chronology | |
Predecessor | Chevrolet Nova |
Successor | Chevrolet Corsica Chevrolet Beretta |
The Citation was built on the second-generation compact GM X-platform. For 1980, GM had significantly revised its design, adopting a front-wheel drive layout and significantly decreasing it in size; while directly replacing the Nova, the all-new Citation bore an exterior footprint sized between the subcompact Chevrolet Monza and Chevrolet Vega. Sold alongside the Pontiac Phoenix, Buick Skylark, and Oldsmobile Omega, the Citation was offered in three body styles, including three-door and five-door hatchbacks and a two-door notchback coupe. The 2-door coupe style was similar to but had a distinctive roofline from the Phoenix, Skylark, and Omega, while the 3-door hatchback was exclusive to the Citation. The 5-door hatchback style was shared with the Phoenix, while a 4-door sedan style was offered only on the Skylark and Omega. Alongside a standard trim level, Chevrolet offered the Citation X-11, offering performance-oriented upgrades.
The Chevrolet Citation was assembled in the United States and Mexico alongside the Buick Skylark, Oldsmobile Omega, and Pontiac Phoenix by North Tarrytown Assembly (North Tarrytown, New York), Oklahoma City Assembly (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma), and Ramos Arizpe Assembly (Ramos Arizpe, Mexico). Following the 1985 model year, the Citation was discontinued by Chevrolet and its compact model range was replaced by the Chevrolet Beretta two-door coupe and Chevrolet Corsica four-door sedan/five-door hatchback. In total, Chevrolet manufactured 1,642,587 examples of the model line during its production run.