CHRYSLER IMPERIAL

:''For Imperial models sold under its own marque (1955-1975, 1981-83) see Imperial (automobile)''
The 'Chrysler Imperial', introduced in 1926, was the company's top of the range vehicle for much of its history. Models were produced with the Chrysler name until 1954, and again from 1990 to 1993.

Contents
1926-1930
1931-1933
1934-1936
1937-1942
1946-1948
1949-1954
1955-1975 / 1981-1983
1990-1993
Prices
2006
Cancellation
Rumor of non-cancellation
See also
References
External links

1926-1930

In 1926, Walter P. Chrysler decided to compete with Cadillac and Lincoln in the luxury car field. Chrysler offered a variety of body styles: a four-passenger roadster, a four-seat coupé on a 120 in wheelbase, five-passenger sedan, and a seven-passenger top-of-the-line limousine. The Imperial's new engine was slightly larger than the company's standard straight 6. It was a 3.3 L I6 with seven bearing blocks and pressure lubrication. The car set a transcontinental speed record in the year it was introduced, driving more than 6,500 miles in the week. The car was chosen as the pace car for the 1926 Indianapolis 500.

1931-1933

The Chrysler Imperial was redesigned in 1931. The car received a new engine, a 6.3 L I8. Marketing materials for this generation of Imperial referred to the car as the "Imperial 8", in reference to the new engine. The engine would be found in many other Chrysler vehicles. The redesign also saw the introduction of new wire wheels that became the standard wheel treatment until the 1940s. Stock car driver Harry Hartz set numerous speed records with an Imperial sedan at Daytona Beach, Florida.

1934-1936

The 1934 to 1936 Chrysler Imperial ushered in the 'Airflow' design. The car was marketed with the slogan "The car of tomorrow is here today." It featured eight passenger seating and again an eight-cylinder engine. This was the first car to be designed in a wind tunnel. Initial tests indicated that the standard car of the 1920s worked best in the wind-tunnel when pointed backwards with the curved rear deck facing forward. This led to a rethinking of the fundamental design of Chrysler's line of cars. This was one of the first vehicles with fender skirts.
Unfortunately, the public did not buy the car in large numbers. The relative failure of the Airflow cars led Chrysler to be overly conservative in their styling for the next 20 years. The "standard" styling on the lower-end Chrysler Corporation products outsold the Airflow.

1937-1942

Innovations for 1937 included built-in defroster vents, safety type interior hardware and seat back padding, and fully insulated engine mounts. There were three Imperial models in this generation. The 'C-14' was the standard eight and looked much like the Chrysler Royal with a longer hood and cowl. The 'C-15' was the Imperial Custom and the Town Sedan Limousine, with blind rear quarter panels. This model was available by special order. The third model, 'C-17', was the designation for the Airflow model. They had a concealed crank for raising the windshield and the hood was hinged at the cowl and opened from the front; side hood panels were released by catches on the inside. A Custom Imperial convertible sedan was used as an official car at the Indy 500.

1946-1948

In 1946 the Imperial line was simplified. Two models were produced, an eight passenger four door sedan and an eight passenger four door limousine. The two vehicles had a US$100 price difference and a 10 lb weight difference.

1949-1954

Three Imperial models were produced in 1949. The Imperial C46-2 was a four door, six passenger sedan. The Imperial Crown models, both with the C47 designation, were an eight paseach, respectively, were built in their first year.

1955-1975 / 1981-1983

In 1955 Chrysler spun off the Imperial as its own separate marque in an attempt to compete directly with the Cadillac and Lincoln luxury marques offered by both Ford and General Motors. See the separate page Imperial (automobile) for information about Imperial model years 1955-1975 and 1981-1983. Although there were no Imperials produced between 1976 and 1978, the cars previously sold as an Imperial were sold as the Chrysler New Yorker Brougham during this time.

1990-1993

The early 1990s saw the last generation of the Chrysler Imperial. Based on the Y platform, the car was an upscale version of the Chrysler New Yorker Fifth Avenue. The car featured six passenger seating and was powered by either a 3.3 L or 3.8 L V6 engine. A four-speed automatic transmission was standard. Power equiptment came standard, as did air conditioning, ABS brakes, Cruise Control, a cassette player, and a driver's side airbag. This generation Imperial featured the same hidden headlamps behind retractable metal covers as the Chrysler LeBaron and Chrysler New Yorker/Fifth Avenue. The Chrysler LHS replaced the Imperial, as Chrysler's most luxurious sedan for 1994.

Prices

The following are the original base prices for the 1990-1993 Chrysler Imperial:

★ 1990 - $25,655 USD

★ 1991 - $27,119 USD

★ 1992 - $28,453 USD

★ 1993 - $29,481 USD

2006

A Chrysler Imperial concept car was presented at the 2006 North American International Auto Show. This concept uses the Chrysler LX platform. It features a 123 in wheelbase. Riding on 22 inch wheels, the car presents "a six-figure image but at a much lower price" according to Tom Tremont, Vice President of advanced vehicle design for Chrysler. The design incorporates a long hood and front end dominated by an upright radiator and strong horizontal grille. Brushed and polished aluminum pods evoke the free-standing headlamps of past models. Circular LED taillights with floating outer rings harken to the "gun sight" taillight look of early 1960s Imperials. The roof line is pulled rearward to enlarge the cabin and to create a strong profile.

Cancellation

On July 17, 2007, Chrysler officially announced it would drop the production plans for the Imperial. This cancellation was due to the Imperial not being able to meet the government's new fuel consumption rates in the United States. ^[1]

Rumor of non-cancellation

Several sources within Chrysler however, suggest that the Imperial MAY NOT in fact be canceled. Only that the Imperial Concept, as shown, may not be built. This may be an issue of Styling/ the need for a more fuel-efficient Hybrid version/ or parts sharing issues with now former parent Mercedes-Benz. Cerebus Capital Management concluded the purchase of 80.1% of Chrysler Group from parent DaimlerChrysler A.G. (now Daimler A.G.) in August 2007.
The Imperial had been rumored to be based on the future Mercedes R-class or the next generation LX-platform (LY, or a combination of components.
It is suggested that all of the work done on the Imperial program will be rolled into the forthcoming LY-platform cars.
These cars will include the Next Chrysler 300/300C, The long wheel-base 300/300C (Perhaps renamed New Yorker) with a much larger Imperial similar in size, but not necessarily style to the Imperial Concept of 2006.

See also

★ Imperial (automobile)

References

1. ''CNN Newsroom'', July 18, 2007, 9:45 A.M. U.S. central time

External links

★ Allpar - 1924-1930 Chrysler Imperials

★ Allpar - 1990-1993 Chrysler Imperials

★ Online Imperial Club

★ TeamChicago.com - Imperial, By Chrysler

★ TeamChicago.com - Informative Imperial FAQ