1983 Chevrolet Citation Manufacturer Promo
Another virtual rerun marked the 1983 edition of the Citation. There was little new aside from some minor trim alterations to the dash, and standard low-back bucket seats with adjustable headrests to replace the previous front bench.
The lineup again consisted of a two-door coupe (resurrected in mid-1982), three-door hatchback, and five-door hatchback. Base models came fairly stripped to keep prices down, so cars without one of the optional interior dress-up packages looked like a taxicab inside. The X-11 sport equipment package returned at a much lower cost ($998 versus $1744 in 1982) and would be offered on the two-door coupe in addition to the three-door hatchback at midyear. The X-11’s 135 horsepower high output 2.8-liter V-6 engine could now be ordered on any Citation for $300. All powertrains remained unchanged.
Prices went u by only about $50, yet production dropped again, from better than 165,000 to just over 92,000. But price wasn’t the Citations problem. GM’s X-cars continued to amass an unsettling number of recalls – despite being in their fourth year on the market and many owners weren’t happy.
“Recalls” hit Citation hard in 1983, its fourth model year. Shoppers were put off by the car’s defects and sales responded by plummeting: even the sporty X-11 – available late in the year as a notchback or hatchback – suffered a sharp decline, moving only 2000 units. New Citation colors were the year’s only exterior changes; inside, the dash was reworked and seats were upgraded. Stubby in 3-door Hatchback form, Citation looked handsome in 5-door guise.
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Just spotted an “83 Citation” fueling up, in Mclean VA. Can’t say last time I saw one in everyday life! Wow!