The Plymouth Caravelle is a mid-size sedan that was introduced by Plymouth as a 1983 Canadian model. The Caravelle came to the United States in 1985 to replace the Chrysler E-Class. It was essentially identical to the concurrent Dodge 600. It was replaced by the Plymouth Acclaim in 1989. The Caravelle was Plymouth's first front wheel drive mid-size sedan.
The name of the vehicle was inspired by the word Caravel, a 15th-century sailing ship used by the Portuguese; the ship was noted for its speed and agility.
First generation (M platform; 1978-1989)
thumb|1978 Plymouth Caravelle (Canada)|left
In Canada, the Plymouth Caravelle first appeared for the 1978 model year as its version of the Dodge Diplomat for Canadian Chrysler-Plymouth dealers. As all Chrysler Canada dealers sold Chryslers, only the top-of-the-line LeBaron was sold in Canada, with the Diplomat and Caravelle not offering as wide a range of trims as US dealer networks; the most expensive Caravelle was approximately $670 cheaper than the most affordable LeBaron.