The Plymouth Valiant is an automobile manufactured by the Plymouth division of Chrysler Corporation in the United States from 1960 to 1976. It was created to give the company an entry in the compact car market emerging in the late 1950s. The Valiant was built and marketed worldwide in countries including Australia, Canada, Mexico, New Zealand, South Africa, Argentina, Brazil, Switzerland, Sweden, as well as other countries in South America and Western Europe. Road & Track magazine considered the Valiant to be "one of the best all-around domestic cars." In May 1957, Chrysler president... Lester Lum "Tex" Colbert established a committee to develop a competitor for the increasingly popular small imports. Virgil Exner, Chrysler's chief stylist, designed a car that was smaller and lighter than a full-size car without sacrificing passenger and luggage space. Originally named the Falcon after Exner's 1955 Chrysler Falcon concept car, the vehicle was renamed the 'Valiant' honoring Henry Ford II's request to use the name for the Ford Falcon. The Valiant debuted at the 44th International Motor Show in London on October 26, 1959.
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