IML: Front-wheel-drive Imperial? >>Contest<<

[Kenyon Wills <imperialist1960@xxxxxxxxx>]

I just came into a magazine article that has preliminary design sketches of a proposed front-wheel drive Imperial that looks like it was pretty serious and could have worked to one degree or another.  This was considered as the design was being laid out for the upcoming "major" restyle and looks like it could have worked - maybe even radically affected the design direction of the company thereafter. 

 

It was not adopted.

 

It is not the 1990-1993 series of cars that did get the front-wheel drive layout.

 

 

So, for all the people out there that fancy themselves Imperial savvy, does anyone want to hazard a guess as to which year this was proposed for? 

 

If you respond in public and get it right before anyone else, I'll mail you a prize relevant to your year car from my literature collection.  Triple extra bonus points if you can identify the source of the inspiration for this flight of fancy.  Answer will be announced Saturday.

 

 

Kenyon Wills