Imperial (automobile)

Imperial
1960 Imperial Crown Convertible
Overview
Manufacturer	Chrysler
Production	1955–1975 1981–1983
Body and chassis
Class	luxury car
Layout	FR layout
Chronology
Predecessor	Chrysler Imperial

First generation
1955 Imperial Four Door Sedan
Overview
Model years	1955–1956
Assembly	Jefferson Avenue Assembly Detroit, Michigan, United States
Designer	Virgil Exner
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door Newport hardtop 4-door sedan 4-door Southampton hardtop
Related	Imperial Parade Phaeton
Powertrain
Engine	331 cu in (5.4 L) Hemihead V8 354 cu in (5.8 L) Hemihead V8
Transmission	2-speed PowerFlite automatic 3-speed TorqueFlite A488 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	1955:130.0 in (3,302 mm) 1956:133.0 in (3,378 mm)
Length	1955: 223.0 in (5,664 mm) 1956: 229.6 in (5,832 mm)
Width	1955: 79.1 in (2,009 mm) 1956: 78.8 in (2,002 mm)
Height	1955: 61.2 in (1,554 mm) 1956: 61.5 in (1,562 mm)
Curb weight	4,700–4,900 lb (2,100–2,200 kg)

Second generation
Overview
Production	1956–1966
Model years	1957–1966
Assembly	Jefferson Avenue Assembly Detroit, Michigan, United States
Designer	Virgil Exner and Elwood Engel
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door hardtop 2-door convertible 4-door sedan 4-door hardtop
Platform	D-body
Powertrain
Engine	392 cu in (6.4 L) Hemihead V8 413 cu in (6.8 L) Wedgehead V8 440 cu in (7.2 L) Wedgehead V8
Transmission	3-speed TorqueFlite A488 automatic 3-speed TorqueFlite A727 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	129.0 in (3,277 mm)
Length	1957: 224.4 in (5,700 mm) 1958: 225.9 in (5,738 mm) 1959–60: 226.3 in (5,748 mm) 1961–62: 227.1 in (5,768 mm) 1963–66: 227.8 in (5,786 mm)
Width	1957: 81.2 in (2,062 mm) 1958: 81.3 in (2,065 mm) 1959: 81.0 in (2,057 mm) 1960: 80.1 in (2,035 mm) 1961–63: 81.7 in (2,075 mm) 1964–66: 80.0 in (2,032 mm)
Height	1957: 57.5 in (1,460 mm) 1958: 56.7 in (1,440 mm) 1959: 56.9 in (1,445 mm) 1960–61: 56.7 in (1,440 mm) 1962–64: 56.8 in (1,443 mm) 1965: 57.2 in (1,453 mm) 1966: 55.8 in (1,417 mm)
Curb weight	4,800–5,500 lb (2,200–2,500 kg)

Third generation
1967 Imperial LeBaron
Overview
Production	1966-1968
Model years	1967–1968
Assembly	Jefferson Avenue Assembly Detroit, Michigan, United States
Designer	Elwood Engel
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door hardtop 2-door convertible 4-door sedan 4-door hardtop
Platform	C-body
Related	Chrysler 300 Chrysler New Yorker Chrysler Newport Chrysler Town & Country
Powertrain
Engine	440 cu in (7.2 L) Wedgehead V8
Transmission	3-speed TorqueFlite A727 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	127 in (3,226 mm)
Length	1967: 224.7 in (5,707 mm) 1968: 224.5 in (5,702 mm)
Width	79.6 in (2,022 mm)
Height	1967: 56.7 in (1,440 mm) 1968: 57.0 in (1,448 mm)
Curb weight	4,900–5,200 lb (2,200–2,400 kg)

Fourth generation
1972 Imperial Le Baron
Overview
Production	1968–1973
Model years	1969–1973
Assembly	Jefferson Avenue Assembly Detroit, Michigan, United States
Designer	Elwood Engel
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door hardtop 4-door sedan 4-door hardtop
Platform	C-body
Related	Chrysler 300 Chrysler New Yorker Chrysler Newport Chrysler Town & Country
Powertrain
Engine	440 cu in (7.2 L) Wedgehead V8
Transmission	3-speed TorqueFlite A727 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	127.0 in (3,226 mm)
Length	1969–71: 229.7 in (5,834 mm) 1972: 229.5 in (5,829 mm) 1973: 235.3 in (5,977 mm)
Width	1969–71: 79.1 in (2,009 mm) 1972–73: 79.6 in (2,022 mm)
Height	1969–70: 55.7 in (1,415 mm) 1971: 56.1 in (1,425 mm) 1972: 56.0 in (1,422 mm) 1973: 56.2 in (1,427 mm)
Curb weight	4,900–5,200 lb (2,200–2,400 kg)

Fifth generation
Overview
Model years	1974–1975
Assembly	Jefferson Avenue Assembly Detroit, Michigan, United States
Designer	Elwood Engel
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door Crown coupe 2-door hardtop 4-door hardtop
Platform	C-body
Related	Chrysler New Yorker Chrysler Town and Country Chrysler Newport
Powertrain
Engine	440 cu in (7.2 L) Wedgehead V8
Transmission	3-speed TorqueFlite A727 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	124.0 in (3,150 mm)
Length	1974: 231.1 in (5,870 mm) 1975: 232.7 in (5,911 mm)
Width	79.7 in (2,024 mm)
Height	1974: 54.7 in (1,389 mm) 1975: 54.5 in (1,384 mm)
Curb weight	5,000–5,200 lb (2,300–2,400 kg)
Chronology
Successor	Chrysler New Yorker Brougham

Imperial Crown
Overview
Production	1954–1965
Model years	1955–1965
Assembly	Jefferson Avenue Assembly Detroit, Michigan, United States (1955-1956)
Designer	Virgil Exner and Elwood Engel
Body and chassis
Body style	4-door limousine
Platform	D-body (1957–1965)
Powertrain
Engine	331 cu in (5.4 L) Hemihead V8 354 cu in (5.8 L) Hemihead V8 392 cu in (6.4 L) Hemihead V8 413 cu in (6.8 L) Wedgehead V8
Transmission	2-speed PowerFlite automatic 3-speed TorqueFlite A488 automatic 3-speed TorqueFlite A727 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	149.5 in (3,797 mm)
Length	1955: 242.5 in (6,160 mm) 1956: 246.1 in (6,251 mm) 1957: 244.9 in (6,220 mm) 1958: 246.4 in (6,259 mm) 1959–61: 246.8 in (6,269 mm) 1963–65: 248.3 in (6,307 mm)
Width	1955: 79.1 in (2,009 mm) 1956: 78.8 in (2,002 mm) 1957: 81.2 in (2,062 mm) 1958: 81.3 in (2,065 mm) 1959: 81.0 in (2,057 mm) 1960-61: 80.1 in (2,035 mm) 1963: 81.7 in (2,075 mm) 1964–65: 80.0 in (2,032 mm)
Height	1955–56: 62.5 in (1,588 mm) 1957–65: 58.5 in (1,486 mm)
Curb weight	5,300–6,300 lb (2,400–2,900 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor	Chrysler Imperial Crown

Sixth generation
Overview
Production	1980–1983
Model years	1981–1983
Assembly	Windsor Assembly Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Body and chassis
Body style	2-door coupé
Platform	Chrysler J platform
Related	Chrysler Cordoba Dodge Mirada
Powertrain
Engine	318 cu in (5.2 L) LA V8
Transmission	3-speed A904 automatic
Dimensions
Wheelbase	112.7 in (2,863 mm)
Length	213.3 in (5,418 mm)
Width	72.7 in (1,847 mm)
Height	52.6 in (1,336 mm)
Curb weight	3,968 lb (1,800 kg)
Chronology
Predecessor	Chrysler New Yorker Brougham
Successor	Chrysler TC by Maserati (2-door coupe) (ideological) Chrysler Laser (market segment)

Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation's luxury automobile brand between 1955 and 1975, with a brief reappearance in 1981 to 1983, and a second reapearance from 1990-1993.

The Imperial name had been used since 1926, but was never a separate make, just the top-of-the-line Chrysler. However, in 1955, the company decided to spin Imperial off as its own make and division to better compete with its North American rivals, Lincoln and Cadillac, and European luxury sedans such as the Mercedes-Benz 300 Adenauer and the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud. Imperial would see new body styles introduced every two to three years, all with V8 engines and automatic transmissions, as well as technologies that would filter down to Chrysler corporation's other models.

For the 1955 model year, the Imperial was launched and registered as a separate marque (make), apart from the Chrysler brand. It was a product of the new Imperial Division of Chrysler Corporation, meaning that the Imperial would be a make and division unto itself, and not bear the Chrysler name. Chrysler Corporation sent notices to all state licensing agencies in the then-48 states that the Imperial, beginning in 1955, would no longer be registered as a Chrysler, but as a separate make . Chrysler introduced Forward Look Styling by Virgil Exner, who would define Imperial's look (and the look of cars from the other four Chrysler divisions) from 1955 to 1963. Even as early as in 1954, Chrysler Corporation ads at the time began to visibly and consciously separate The Imperial from the Chrysler Division car line in the eyes of the public, to prepare for the big change coming in 1955. Once the "Imperial" brand was introduced, Cadillac no longer used the "imperial" name for its top-level limousines starting in 1955.

The 1955 models are said to be inspired by Exner's own 1952 Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaeton show cars (which were themselves later rebodied to match the 1955-56 Imperials). The platform and bodyshell were shared with that year's big Chryslers, but the Imperial had a wheelbase that was 4.0 inches (102 mm) longer, providing it with more rear seat legroom, had a wide-spaced split eggcrate grille, the same as that used on the Chrysler 300 "executive hot rod", and had free-standing "gunsight" taillights mounted above the rear quarters, which were similar to those on the Exner's 1951 Chrysler K-310 concept car. Gunsight taillights were also known as "sparrow-strainer" taillights, named after the device used to keep birds out of jet-engines. Such taillights were separated from the fender and surrounded by a ring and became an Imperial fixture through 1962, although they would only be free-standing in 1955-56 and again in 1961-62. Two "C-69" models were available, including the two-door Newport hardtop coupe (3,418 built) and pillared four-door sedan (7,840 built), along with an additional "C-70" Crown limousine model (172 built). The "FirePower" V8 engine was Chrysler's first-generation Hemi with a displacement of 331 cu in (5.4 L) and developing 250 brake horsepower (186 kW). Power brakes and power steering were standard, along with Chrysler's "PowerFlite" automatic transmission. One major option on the 1955 and 1956 Imperials was air conditioning, at a cost of $535. Production totaled 11,430, more than twice the 1954 figure, but far below Lincoln and Cadillac.