GM J platform
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The J platform, or J-body, was General Motors' inexpensive front-wheel drive automobile platform from the 1980s and 1990s. The platform replaced the GM H platform. The first J-body car was the Chevrolet Cavalier, which was released on March 21, 1981 as a 1982 model. The Cavalier was phased out at the end of 2004 in favor of the new Chevrolet Cobalt. The last surviving J-body car, the Mexican-built Pontiac Sunfire, ended production in June 2005. There are three generations of the J-body: 1982–1987, 1988–1994, and 1995–2005.
Except for cosmetic differences, engine upgrades and the discontinuation of certain models, the platform remained largely unchanged throughout the years.
Design of the J-body dated back to the mid-1970s; when the Arab Oil Embargo forced CAFE mandates, and the fear of $3.00 USD for a gallon of gasoline, the J-body was practically produced straight off the drawing board.
The fourth character in the Vehicle Identification Number for a J-body car is "J".
Many vehicles used this platform including the following American nameplates:
- 1982 Pontiac J2000
- 1982–1988 Cadillac Cimarron
- 1982–1988 Oldsmobile Firenza
- 1982–1989 Buick Skyhawk
- 1982–2005 Chevrolet Cavalier
- 1983–1984 Pontiac 2000 Sunbird
- 1985–1994 Pontiac Sunbird
- 1995–2005 Pontiac Sunfire
International J-bodies include:
- 1982–1988 Opel Ascona C (Europe)
- 1982–1988 Vauxhall Cavalier Mk II (United Kingdom)
- 1983–1985 Isuzu Aska (Japan)
- 1982–1988 Holden Camira (Australia)
- 1982–1993 Chevrolet Monza (Brazil)
- 1995–2000 Toyota Cavalier (Japan)
- 1995-1997 Daewoo Espero (South Korea)