While it isn’t a muscle car by any definition, the Chrysler LeBaron GTS was an impressive performer in the mid to late 1980s. It was so impressive in Chrysler’s opinion, that the American automaker decided to pit it against the 1985 BMW 328e in a head to head performance shootout on an aircraft carrier and – predictably – the LeBaron GTS flexed its Mopar muscles and beat out the Bimmer in both acceleration and braking.
As a former owner of a 1989 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible, I find this video to be pure awesomeness and while it might be a bit of a stretch to compare the BMW 3 Series to the Chrysler LeBaron, the performance times speak for themselves. Even when putting my past LeBaron ownership aside, it is great to watch this classis Mopar TV ad with a LeBaron GTS smoke a BMW that costs more than twice as much as they race around the deck of an aircraft carrier.
The sound of this vintage Chrysler LeBaron GTS ad is almost as awesome as the basic theme of the clip, so make sure to watch this Mopar Muscle Thursday feature with your speakers turned up!
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
