Car of the Year award winners from the 1990 through 1999.
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For the first time ever, Lincoln would take top honors with its newly designed Town Car. Dubbed FN36, the new Town car would feature a more aerodynamic body while retaining a rear wheel driver configuration. The Town Car was launched with the time-tested 5.0L 302 Windsor engine, however it was replaced by Ford's 4.6L modular engine design. The FN36 Town Car would be produced from 1990-1997 and was highly sales successful
With the exception of a new body style, the Caprice's platform and engines were carryovers from 1977. This fourth generation Caprice would, however gain some new powertrains, including a detuned version of the Corvette's LT1 The fourth generation Caprice would undergo some exterior design changes and would be produced from 1991 through 1996 with a total production run of 689,257.
1992 would mark the first year in which Cadillac took top honors since it last won in 1952. The new Seville would feature the introduction of the Northstar engines: the LD8, which produced 270 hp and the L37, which produced 295 hp. This fourth generation Seville would be produced from 1992-1997 and sold an average of 40,000 units per year.
The second generation Ford Probe (a collaboration between Ford and Mazda) would offer crisp handling and overall performance to take top honors for 1993. The Probe's second generation would span from 1993-1997 and sold 309,876 units. Rather than offer a third generation Probe, the Gen 3 Probe was spin off as the 1999 Mercury Cougar as well as the Escort ZX2. Photo: 1993 Ford Probe GT. Photo by: FPGT24. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Probe#/media/File:93ProbeGT.jpg
This would be the second time the Mustang would win top honors (the first being in 1974). The "SN95" Mustang would replace the iconic "FOX Mustang," which was produced from 1979-1993. The SN95 would originally feature the 5.0L, however would adopt the 4.6L SOHC for the GT and the 4.6L DOHC for the Cobra models. The SN95 Mustang would be produced from 1994-2004.
The Chrysler Cirrus, along with the Plymouth Breeze and Dodge Stratus were dubbed the "Cloud Cars" due to them being named after cloud configurations. The Cirrus was the replacement for the LeBaron and used Chrysler's JA platform as a midsize entry vehicle. Despite being named "Car of the Year," the Cirrus would only be produced from 1995-2000 and was replaced by the Chrysler Sebring while the Stratus was replaced by the Dodge Avenger. The Plymouth brand was discontinued, thus there wasn't a replacement for the Breeze.
Back after winning the 1995 "Car of the Year," Chrysler would return with their heavily revamped Dodge Caravan. Produced on the new NS platform, the third generation Caravan feature ditch the boxy design into the jellybean shape. The new platform would also introduce both and passenger side doors. Produced from 1996-2000, the Carvan, along with its sister products would be the only minivan to ever win the "Car of the Year" award.
The Chevrolet Malibu's fifth generation would return replacing the Chevrolet Corscia/Beretta (1987-1996). Using GM's "N" platform, the Gen 5 Malibu would be produced from 1997-2003 while a fleet version called the Chevrolet Classic was produced from 2004-2005.
Having won the "Car of the Year" in 1984 with the C4 Corvette, Chevrolet's C5 Corvette would take top honors again. The C5 Corvette would usher in the venerable LS1 engine and featured a hydroformed box frame, which offered better structural platform in order to achieve a 50/50 weight distribution. The C5 was available in three body styles: Coupe', Convertible and hardtop. When the C5's production ended in 2004, a total of 248,715 units were sold.
The 1999 Chrysler 300M would mark the third time in the 1990s in which a Chrysler would take top honors. The 300M was structured around the LH platform and used a 3.5L V6. Before becoming the 300M, it was supposed to be the revamped Eagle Vision before that division was dissolved.
