The Chrysler Imperial was one of the company's most enduring vehicles and a top-of-the-line model, representing the best of Chrysler's design and luxury. While early models of the Imperial are still popular among collectors, the line lost the Chrysler name temporarily from 1955 to 1983 before being discontinued. It later reappeared in the early 1990s, but sold poorly due to its outdated looks and was phased out of production in 1993.
Both early and later models of the Imperial offered supreme luxury and ample, if not excessive, power. In the 1990s, the Imperial had a 3.8-liter 150 horsepower V6 with 215 pounds of torque. Fuel economy was an issue, as the four-door sedan only offered about 19 mpg city/26 mpg highway performance. The Imperial was an American-made vehicle, and later models were manufactured in Belvidere, Illinois. Throughout the line, several body types were offered, including 2-door coupes, sedans, and limousines.
The Imperial was introduced to Chrysler's lineup by Walter P. Chrysler in 1926. It was always intended to be a luxury... View more vehicle and it competed with Cadillac as a high-class, but not prohibitively expensive, car. Early Imperials set many speed records and showcased sometimes unconventional styling from Chrysler, which eventually led to a drop in sales. However, the Imperial remained a popular vehicle through the early 1950s and introduced the first fully-automatic transmission and power steering features on a Chrysler vehicle. The Imperial dropped the Chrysler name in 1955 and stopped production in 1983, but returned in the early 1990s as a six-passenger full-sized vehicle.
From 1990 to 1993, the Chrysler Imperial was a superior full-size car in the company's lineup, similar in styling to the New Yorker Fifth Avenue. The interior of the Imperial offered velour or leather seating, ample headroom, and several optional sound systems including a CD changer, which was rare at the time. Other innovations included a fully electronic instrument panel and a tamper-resistant odometer. While the interior of the Imperial was highly rated, many buyers disliked the boxy, outdated look of the vehicle and it was eventually replaced by the Chrysler LHS.
Despite sales numbers that didn't quite live up to Chrysler's expectations, the 1993 Imperial was a very dependable vehicle. It was not tested by the IIHS or a similar institution, as this was not required at the time. However, the sedan did include safety features like anti-lock brakes and airbags as a standard feature and was generally a very well-reviewed car in terms of safety, performance, and the quality of its interior. The Imperial hasn't appeared in Chrysler's lineup since the early 1990s View less
