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Various Imperial travel happenings have confirmed the special
interest they draw, especially if kept pristine out on the highways and into
cities--Road handling was always impressive--the 1962 Imperial easily kept in
her own lane on California's coast highway while encountering hundreds of
smaller vehicles rounding curves with their tracks regularly violating our
lane. At one motel stop, a newly wed couple asked to have their photo
taken with the 62 pausing under an entrance way framed in roses. In San
Francisco special sheltered parking was offered and accepted although taking up
two covered spaces earmarked for "sports cars". At Butte, Montana a motel
owner welcomed the 1966 Imperial into the winter garage for safekeeping after
her cleanup session was concluded (following insect aggression in Yellowstone
Park). A stop in Detroit triggered a body shop work group to halt and walk
across the street to gather around the 1966 Imperial (causing a bit of a scare
at first to see these rough-looking guys advancing). The 1966 Imperial received special attention at Albany, NY by being given
special armed guard parking in the state government protected area. Their
ability to provide long distance travel with a minimum of fatigue is a result of
some brilliant engineering. The 1956 Imperial sparks the most
conversations also regularly garnering favorable gestures in traffic or at
signals. For sheer comfort and pleasure all three creations more than hold
their own. Participating in seven formal Rallye competitions confirmed
their operating merit under challenging conditions. There are times when
the Imperialist encounters persons who simply do not know from whence the
Imperials came or who Exner or Engel were, or for that matter, that Walter Percy
Chrysler created advanced automobiles. Enthusiast Robert McAtee
has enjoyed and written about several marvelous cross-country trips, at least
two involving Imperials--a 1941 with standard overdrive (a rare model on the
127.5" WB) and another in a 1959 Imperial. The 1941 did not have the
available A/C of that day but in all other respects proved completely
modern in performance and importantly, in comfort. Be encouraged
folks--they are worthy of our attention. An Imperial is not
age-impaired.
DGB
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Thursday, November 15, 2007 10:06
AM
Subject: Re: IML: Is it a Old Man's car
or Prestiage driving?( long read)
There seems to be a lot of factors that have brought this
about. Styling, the taste of the public, quality, and especially marketing..
and it didn't happen overnight. It's as if American cars in General kept
missing the mark on all of these points over time. and Foreign cars kept
getting it right in each of these areas.. in the late 70's American Car
quality, was really hurting, they were for the most part ponderous and very
inefficient, and people's perception of "luxury" and prestige had changed..
personal luxury was coming into vogue.. and American cars mis-interpreted that
for the wealthy.. Mercedes had the SL, fast, sexy, and made for 2.style
introduced in 1972 that went all the way to 88.. nothing american even came
close ( I'm talking 70's here) the best they could do was hope the public
still wanted big, so all the big four door sedans came as 2 door.. as if that
would compete.. the Europeans and Japanese had been dealing with
expensive gas and tight parking for years before it ever became a concern to
Americans.. and when it did in 74 and again in around 1980 European cars were
ready with smaller designs and better mileage, as well as fresh looks. by the
early 80's German luxury was already taking hold in the US with over
engineered cars that had incredible quality and could go way faster
comfortably then the 55mph limit American cars were designed for. GM's
flagship responded to that with self destructing engines, that underpowered
overweight cars that were always a few years behind the taste of the public..
Chryslers luxury cars of the early 80's
( new yorker) although handsome
still got terrible mileage.. plus the nation was in a major recession in 81
and gas had went crazy again price wise.. The Imperial, could have been a big
hit, but it wasn't marketed.. nobody rich on popular TV of the time drove
American Luxury cars,or Imperials. Hart to Hart, Knots Landing, Dynasty,
The biggest show on TV at the time was Dallas.. everyone young hip and stylish
on Dallas had foreign cars except the old "patriarch" who drove a Lincoln.
By the mid to late 80'sand early 90's American Luxury cars were
starting to get better, but again, they were behind the times Cadillac came
out with a car that finally did catch up with the "new" elegance and prestige
of the Mercedes from 72..but it was 1988, and the Mercedes was about to outdo
even themselves with another ultra luxury ultra engineered car that
instantly dated GM's best.. Ford had really made a great go it
with the Lincoln Mark , by making it very un-American, stiff suspension, fast
motor, total departure from traditional style... and it was placed on TV
with people seeing rich stylish folks driving it ( main character on Dallas,
another on Knotts landing etc..
Funny thing is, that just as American
cars were finally getting it right about European taste in style and feel of
cars, and were abandoning their traditional American Car attributes,
there was a resurgence of Classic American style being in fashion. Gas was
cheep again, and the economy was robust.. so all of a sudden around 89 big
quiet, supersoft luxury was back in style.. Hence the introduction of Lexus,
and Infinity. But all the American Car companies had to sell when this trend
hit were the leftovers form the early 80's and those were pretty dated then..
( Brougham, Town car,) it was at this time Chrysler re-introduced The
Imperial, again on an old car platform.. but (IMHO) they really hit the mark
with the classic Styling Que's.
Furthermore, it is that very attention to
the "old ways" that I think attract most of us to these cars, unlike the come
and go fickle taste of most of the driving public, and even many old car
hobbyists we, as Imperial aficionados, prefer big, solid, soft classic, atomic
age push button convenience and old time classic elegance to a fast chromless
jelly bean with over sized wheels of todays (youthful) luxury set.
So, IMHO, I think these cars are considered old people cars
because they hung on to similar "definitions" of luxury, and didn't really
veer from the overall style of these cars for several decades. ( boxy lines,
formal roof line, prominent grill, long hood, puffy seats, vinyl tops etc)
Sorry to be so long winded, but I love this kind of discussion.
Matt
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