Plymouth Satellite in Context
Plymouth's mid-size range in the mid 1960s was built around the Belvedere, with the Satellite introduced as its premium, better-equipped companion. This first generation ran from 1965 to 1967 on Chrysler's B-body platform, shared with the Dodge Coronet. The Satellite name was reserved for cars with bucket seats and upgraded trim, distinguishing them from the plainer Belvedere I and II models. Any Plymouth Satellite overview should note this trim-level origin, because in later Plymouth Satellite generations the name expanded to cover the entire mid-size range, including wagons and basic sedans.
Understanding 1 generation
During these years the Satellite was offered only as a hardtop coupe and as a cabrio, which explains its reputation as the glamorous member of the Belvedere family. The pillarless hardtop and the convertible were the body styles Plymouth chose to showcase its mid-size performance image, and in 1967 the related GTX arrived as a dedicated muscle model above the Satellite. The 1966 and 1967 cars received squarer styling than the 1965 original. Together they represent the Satellite before it became a standalone model line, when it was still Plymouth's way of dressing up its intermediate.