The quote I used for the title is somewhat out of context, as Car Life was specifically referring to the Imperial’s road manners, which were deficient due to its excessively soft suspension and slow and overboosted steering. The vaunted Chrysler handling superiority was absent. But the quote rather does apply in other ways too, most specifically in terms of sales, where the Imperial was running a very distant third, with less than one-tenth of the volume of Cadillac.
That’s not to say the Imperial didn’t show some genuine strengths; it did. But none were in areas that would be compelling to luxury car buyers, most of all its styling, something CL politely didn’t even touch upon. They were staying strictly objective, but that’s not how car buyers are; styling was the most important factor in their decision making.
An initial familial similarity to other Chrysler Corp. cars was noted despite the significant higher price, but the Imperial’s softer suspension in relation to its greater weight was where the similarity ended. Of course it had good “boulevard ride”, but unless measures like more exotic suspension systems were used, the trade-offs were inevitable.
Stability at high speed was one of the prices to be paid for that smooth boulevard ride. as well as handling in general. The issue was exacerbated by the “slow steering (more than five turns, lock-to-lock)” which in turn was excessively boosted by the power steering to “totally eliminate road feel altogether”. In this regard, CL clearly puts the Imperial behind the Cadillac and Lincoln. Note: the specs say that there were 3.5 turns lock-to-lock. Hmm.
CL notes the same point commenters here at CC often make: “it can be argued that Imperials aren’t designed for high-speed cross-country travel, and shouldn’t be expected to handle well at such speeds. This may or may not be true, but the fact remains that the Imperial…must stand comparison with the Lincoln Continental and the Cadillac, both excellent open road cars. As it stands, the Imperial is running third in a three-car race as far as its road manners are concerned.”
I’ll add something to that argument: back then, there weren’t really many choices for someone who did want a car that was prestigious, luxurious and with decent handling at higher road speeds. Yes, these buyers likely defected to Mercedes or such soon enough, but many still preferred a big domestic. In the 50s and early 60s, premium cars were expected to deliver the goods on the full range of automotive qualities; the days when they were seen as purely overstuffed sofas on wheels was still to come. And by then, those looking for high speed road manners had long left. And ironically, it was Chrysler’s own 300 that showed the world how it could be done.
As to acceleration, the Imperial was more competitive, with its 350 hp 413 V8 teamed with Torqueflite giving plenty of oomph, enough to mostly keep up with the fleet-footed Cadillac (0-60 in 10 sec. vs. 9.5), and exceeding the Lincoln up to 80 mph. Over 80, the Cadillac really starts to run away from the other two, thanks to its somewhat more compact size (less frontal area) and lower weight.
CL did note that shifting the TF manually made a not-insignificant improvement in acceleration times (unlike the Cadillac), although only the 1-2 shift could be controlled via the buttons; the 2-3 shift happened regardless of how long the 2 button was depressed.
The square steering wheel came in for criticism, but that’s just about the only stylistic comment made. So I’ll jump in: this dashboard is huge come-down from the two giant round electroluminescent-lit instruments of its predecessor. I find this one quite weak, looking like it belongs in a Plymouth.
The Imperial’s brakes were noted positively, which got some help in dissipating their heat via built in vents in the circumference of the wheel covers, which stand away from the rim by a small distance. That’s a new one for me.
Fuel economy was also a strength, with CL able to average 15 mpg “in normal driving”. That is hard to believe, and significantly higher than the 8-12 mpg that Motor Trend got in a ’61 Imperial. Hmm, again.
Curiously, the generally-lauded Torqueflite automatic came in for some critique. CL claimed that when releasing the throttle, it felt like it was “free-wheeling”, hence the excellent mileage. Which led them to assume that this quality would diminish engine braking in the mountains. I have never experienced either of these issues; it seems to provide the same degree of engine braking as one would expect from a conventional automatic. Hmm.
The Imperial’s interior fabrics were “obviously costing many $$$ per yard”.
The quality interior appointments “along with the external styling differences, is what sets the “Big I” apart from the rest of the Chrysler line”. CL apparently didn’t see the value proposition in that, as they closed by saying “we’d just as soon have two Chrysler Newports—you know, one for summer and one for winter.” Not exactly a ringing endorsement, but then dynamically, the Newport was undoubtedly superior to the Imperial, at half the price. And although the Newport’s fins and styling also looked dated in 1961, it wasn’t nearly as garish and cartoonish as the Imperial. There, I said what CL wouldn’t say: stylistically, the Imperial was even further behind Cadillac and Lincoln than it was in sales.
These free-standing headlights and the floating taillights might have worked in 1957 (they were new for 1961), and today they’re amusingly camp, but in 1961, they were hopelessly out of date and frankly ridiculous. Not exactly Virgil Exner’s finest moment. Well, he was clearly heading into his retro phase.
Related CC reading:
Vintage Car Life Road Test: 1961 Cadillac Coupe DeVille – Still “The Standard Of The World”?
I can’t imagine what the baroque 1961 Imperial (let alone a Cadillac) must have looked like next to the extraordinarily cleanly styled, new 1961 Continental. If there was ever a juxtaposition between fifties and sixties cars, that would be it.
A close second would be a 1960 Corvair next to an Impala in a Chevrolet showroom.
Of the `61-`63 generation of Imperials, `61 is definitely my favorite. A classic case IMHO of the first of a design being the best. The fins were taller than the `59 Cadillac, and make a nice final “farewell” of the design element.
My Grandfather was an “Imp” here in Omaha. A group of Shriners who every year got matching Imperial convertibles, which were used in parades and fundraisers, etc. The group made the trek to Detroit every year to personally take delivery of their cars. The earliest Imperial cvt. I personally can recall him having was his baby blue `63 cvt., with metallic blue leather interior–a real beauty!! That was my ‘introduction’ to convertibles as a 3 year old I guess! Wouldn’t trade the memory for anything!
“The Imperial drives like its lower priced brethren”–this is true. When I got my ’60 Dodge Dart, it immediately reminded me of my former ’62 Imperial in the way it drove.
Based on my ’58 Cadillac experience, I still maintain that the Imperial is a better riding and easier handling car overall. Consumer Reports stated that the Imperial “has the best ride [CR] has ever experienced” and is a “fine road car.” Maybe by ’61, Cadillac made refinements to improve things. Both Cadillac and Imperial “drive like a dream” on smooth or almost-smooth roads. Preference of one over the other is a matter of taste or opinion.
Once I was driving the Imperial down the interstate and there was an object in the road which I had to quickly avoid. I turned the wheel left, little happened; I turned more, avoided the object but felt I was losing control at this speed. I turned the wheel quickly right to compensate, swerved a little but got back in my lane without spinning out and creating a disaster. Let’s face it–all these old cars are potentially unsafe by modern standards. Which is why I only use them for short jaunts at moderate speeds.
As for styling, all the Imperial’s gorpy details make it the “complex modern art masterpiece” that it is. Same with the Cadillac with its four pointy fins and sculptured sides. The ’61 Lincoln is a “brick on wheels” coming or going (can’t tell which) that leaves me cold.
Don’t assume that a ’58 Caddy drives like a ’61. There were numerous changes, including a substantially revised front suspension in ’61.
At various points throughout the sixties, Chrysler also softened its suspensions to try to provide a plusher ride at the expense of handling, so while Cadillac may have improved at points, Imperial may also have gone in the other direction.
Regarding the question of a 61 Imperial parked close to a 61 Continental, I experienced just that at age 9. My grandparents then new 61 continental parked outside the garage in th driveway, and the neighbors new 61 Imperial parked similarly 20 feet away. the difference design was obvious.
Since we just had a review of the ’61 Continental (the Herald of the 1960s), it really brings to mind that this Imperial is a high water mark (or a hangover) of the Forward Look that came to be in 1957: “Suddenly it’s 1960!” Umm, sir, it’s now 1961. Chrysler: Oh. Yeah. Right. Well, wait until you see what we have for you in ’62!
Tom McCahill at Mechanix Illustrated always rated the Imperial as the best road car in America and I believe owned several as his personal car – perhaps Tom got a deal from Chrysler in exchange for a favorable review? The idea that these big land yachts were not used as road cars is ridicules, because in those days flying was very expensive and considered pretty dangerous by many, so long distance drives were the norm for even wealthy folks. Today it is different, as I expect very few modern equivalents of these cars (S class, 7 Series, Model S, Rolls Royce, etc.) ever drive further than to the local airport where the 787 or private jet awaits.
I dare say it’s not all that different, except that many jet-setters don’t publicly complain about the expense of flying, which is even worse nowadays than it was then. They also don’t complain much about the safety factor, which admittedly has improved but is still not guaranteed (personally, I am uneasy about flying in a skybus fitted with only two engines). For me, a long road trip is still preferred…which I do in my nearly-57-year-old Lincoln.
Those fins, those fins. Remind me of sucker branches growing off the main trunk of your fruit tree. I just want to cut them off their trunk.
Which of course is exactly what Chrysler did for the next year’s model.
I have never been able to appreciate fins like that, no matter what brand. Even on the Cadillac (my favorite). It’s difficult for me to see the purpose, outside of design, and even that isn’t really pleasing to my eye. Now a 1965 and 1966 Cadillac Deville has some very long and straight lines that look great.
Dan, interesting trivia: The Chrysler engineers never referred to them as fins, but rather ‘stabilizers’. Eight years later some of those same engineers worked on the 1969 Dodge Daytona Charger (the NASCAR wing car).
Okay, now I’m super-confused about naming conventions… For years I have derided people for calling these cars “Chrysler Imperials”, saying it was akin to calling a Sedan de Ville a “General Motors Cadillac Sedan de Ville”.
But here is Car Life calling it just that. Have I been wrong all this time? Did everyone call this a Chrysler? Was everyone who insisted that it simply be called “Imperial” just being pompous and snooty? Help!
My take on this is that the ones produced between the 1955 and 1975 model years, or between the 1981 and 1983 model years, are properly referred to as simply an Imperial. During those years the name was a separate marque, and should appear in the space designated for make on the vehicle’s title (despite what some states may have done – and done incorrectly- during those years).
Those produced prior to the 1955 model year, or between the 1990 and 1993 model years, are Chrysler Imperials. During those years the make was Chrysler, and the model was Imperial, to distinguish it from New Yorker, Windsor, Southampton, Newport, and so on.
You are correct Buzzdog. And many don’t realize Which are which!
The problem is that the Imperial name had been used on the top-end Chryslers since 1926. The resulting reality is that adults at the time when Imperial became its own brand didn’t generally acknowledge that. I can clearly remember folks back then calling them Chrysler Imperials.
Just because Chrysler dropped the “Chrysler” from the imperial wasn’t going to be nearly enough to get that perception changed. Frankly, it was a mistake; it’s not like there were ever going to be just Imperial dealers. Everyone knew you bought an Imperial at the Chrysler dealer.
Chrysler finally had to come to terms with that and stop pretending that it really was a separate brand in the public’s eye.
Cadillac and Lincoln both had a very long history as unique brands, and ownership by Ford and GM didn’t really change that.
This was a classic case of mid-50s overreach, trying to keep up with the Big 2, not unlike Ford’s overreach at the same time with their Continental division and then Edsel.
Makes sense. I will no longer be fussy about it – it certainly isn’t a hill worth dying on.
Thanks
For a while in the post-Airflow period, Chrysler also moved the Imperial name to the mid-price eight-cylinder model, the slot that in the postwar period would be occupied by the New Yorker, while calling the fancy high-end models the Custom Imperial. So, it hadn’t even consistently been the top-of-the-line Chrysler series.
I still think of the truck line from the same company’s successors as a “Dodge Ram”.
The chances of buying a new Imperial here either Chrysler or Humber were fairly remote and if you could you didnt complain.
34 cu ft trunk????? Really???? With that trunk lid slope?
The biggest problem this car faced is evident from the Car Life headline: “Car Life Road Test: CHRYSLER IMPERIAL”. Chrysler Corp. had of course spun off Imperial, a longtime top-of-the-line Chrysler model, as a separate brand starting in 1955. The problem was, as is evident here, that hardly anyone noticed despite two decades of trying. I wonder if Imperial would have had a better chance at establishing itself as a distinct marque had they waited two years until 1957 to break off from Chrysler. The ’55 car was still obviously a fancier Chrysler, which got Imperial off to a slow start, with sales well behind Cadillac, Lincoln, or even Packard. 1957 was when Ma Mopar got serious about Imperial as a brand and as a car, gifting it a unique body and platform, a few inches wider than other Mopars. For that one year, Imperial was ahead of the curve instead of behind the curve in styling, with a low, sleek roof, tail fins that didn’t look like an afterthought, quad headlamps dropped partly into the grille, and curved side windows. But sales still weren’t high enough to warrant diverting sufficient funds to keep the Imp up to date, and not being (or at least looking) up to date or having a distinct image in turn suppressed sales. Even in 1957, Imperials were sold out of the same showroom as Chryslers and Plymouths, whereas Cadillac usually had their own posh showrooms, and Lincolns at least shared showrooms only with mid-priced Mercurys. Being sold from Chrysler showrooms complicated any efforts to get luxury-car buyers not to think of Imperials as Chryslers.
But the car itself must shoulder some blame too. 1961 brought forth the stunningly subtle and unadorned suicide-door Lincoln Continental, almost 15 inches shorter than the ’60 model it replaced. Cadillac also had an all-new design, and while Caddy still held on to some late-50s styling motifs (and unfortunately, flat side glass), it still had a fresh ’60s look from its crisp contours and flatter windscreen and rear window. The Imperial though didn’t acknowledge the new decade’s changing tastes at all, still humongous in length and width, and still rocking a fishbowl windshield and huge tail fins. More of the same inside, with a googie-architecture dash evoking a style that had become unfashionable (in buildings and cars) by the early ’60s, though it looks awesome today. Engineering-wise it could hold its own, but prospective buyers had to get beyond the gaudy appearance. It wasn’t until 1964 that the Imperial looked like a 1960s car (except for that 1957 windshield they just couldn’t find the money to replace). But Imperials still didn’t sell, so from 1967 onward it had to share its basic platform and body with other Mopars, which made buyers even more reluctant to pony up for an Imperial. Chrysler Corp. finally resigned itself to these problems and the 1975 Imperial was the last – except for two brief attempts to revive it that also were failures.
Fast forward to 2023 – Chrysler, after much financial meddling is part of Stellantis which has a huge roster of well-known marques, yet they still don’t have the mainstream luxury market covered in the US with a brand that competes squarely against BMW, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, or lately Tesla. Alfa Romeo and Maserati are too specialized to qualify. Chrysler has just two vehicles in long-declining segments that are only slightly upscale. Probably the closest Stellantis has to a luxury brand is the Jeep Grand Wagoneer and whatever the high-end trim package on Ram 1500 pickups is. Can they get by long-term without a dedicated luxury marque in North America? We shall see.
I wonder if Imperial would have had a better chance at establishing itself as a distinct marque had they waited two years until 1957 to break off from Chrysler.
See my comment further up. The whole idea was DOA; since 1926, the Imperial had always been a Chrysler; trying to get folks to accept the notion that it wasn’t just wasn’t going to happen, ever. Cadillac and Lincoln were very old brands, and deeply established as such. It’s not like there were ever going to be stand-alone Imperial dealers, right?
Ford made the same blunder with their Continental Division; they just saw the writing on the wall sooner.
But Ram, which was Dodge Ram for decades, has been successful so it must be possible. “Jaguar” and “Mini” were once just model names too. But in general I agree that once a name has entered the public consciousness as a model name, it’s difficult to change its perception to a marque.
The Ram isn’t a luxury car, though, and I tend to assume even a lot of owners still reflexively say, “Dodge Ram.”
MINI started from a different position in that a) it was offered under an assortment of different brands from the beginning, b) the difference between the branded versions was negligible (like the later Neon), and c) it bore little if any obvious relationship to its stablemates under any of its brand names. So, having been the proverbial red-headed stepchild tended to favor it becoming its own brand.
Worth noting that Hyundai is trying the same thing with Genesis, which was previously a Hyundai model but is now a separate brand though mostly still sold at Hyundai dealerships. But the Hyundai Genesis wasn’t offered for anywhere near as long as the Chrysler Imperial, nor was it as well known.
Lincoln wasn’t that old in the 50s. It was started in the living memory of most of its clientele, unlike Cadillac and Mercedes. It had a bigger problem in the late 60s and 70s when big Fords and Mercuries looked too much like Lincolns, inside and out.
Motor Trend’s take on the car:
Interesting. Regarding handling, it’s quite a contrasting take to Car Life. I’m not sure what to make of that, but CL, associated with R&T, generally was pretty demanding in terms of dynamic qualities. They did drive the Imperial at 100 mph, for instance.
Page 2:
Comparison:
Cadillac’s turning radius is so much better than Imperial – 5.2 feet. That had to have been helpful in parking and maneuvering in tight spaces. Though the gigantic rear fins on Imperial would have provided some guidance!
I’ve always been puzzled by Chrysler’s decision to use plastic switches for the power window controls as opposed to chrome in the Cadillac and Lincoln Continental. They seem less luxurious and more likely to deteriorate over time. Of course there are so many things about this car that don’t make any sense.
I might have chosen a 1961 Thunderbird over any of the three major US luxury models though the Continental is gorgeous.
An imperial made an appearance in Season 4 Uncle Billy episode of Leave it to Beaver. What a beautiful car. Long, low and wide. Always enjoy the closing credits showing a nice long tail fin Plymouth driving past Wally and Beaver. An automotive era long gone.
Simply love 1959 through to 1965 Imperials, particularly in 4 door pillarless hardtop form. My personal choice would be 1960 Imperial 4 door hardtop but a 1961would be a close second choice. It does not get much better than an early 1960s American 4 door pillarless hardtop.
No ? How about a 61` to 68′ Continental 4 door convertible. But I`ll take any 60s era Cadillac or Imperial convertible too.
The sad fact is that for almost their entire life, Imperials were simply more expensive cars for people who liked Chryslers. And I am with PN – every single person on the face of the earth had grown up calling the most expensive Chrysler “a Chrysler Imperial”, as it had been from the 1920s into the early 50’s. The other problem with the name was “Imperial Crown” used as a brand and model. Earlier vehicles had been called a Chrysler Crown Imperial, which rolled off the tongue so much better. They should have just bought the Packard name.
As for the handling, I think that Cadillac really improved its road performance from when these came out in 1957 to when this car was sold.
A face only a mother could love; the rest of the car is wild. Can it be coincidence that Professor Timothy Leary was conducting experiments with LSD when this car was designed?
I met an owner of one at a car show once, he called his “Mrs. Drysdale” because it was delivered new through a dealer in Beverly Hills. I told him that meant given Imperial’s market share there was a nonzero chance it originally belonged to the producer, director or star of a show with Chryco sponsorship/product placement.
I agree that the Imperial was chosen because the buyer was a Chrysler “person.” Likewise with the Cadillac (GM) and the Lincoln (Ford). Although the Cadillac had such a strong mystique and market presence that it probably scored a lot of “conquest” sales. Imperials have always been off of my radar, I’ve had more old Cadillacs than Lincolns, but I never, ever, seriously considered an Imperial. The only Mopars that I ever bought were minivans.
The 1961 IMPERIAL LEBARON is my ultimate dream car. 🏆 The grand finale of Virgil Exners finned fantasies. OTT excessive chromed traditional American 🇺🇸 luxury. Fins were actually higher than 59 Cadillac. Chrome, fins, and monster V8s made America great in the mid 50s to early 60s. Don’t forget Chrysler caused GM to totally change corporate styling for 59. So sad to see what is now considered a luxury vehicle! Those were the days! 🏆 😉 👑 😎
Were the wheel covers on these prone to come off or loosen in hard turns? Looks like the one in the feature photo is darn loose.
Talk about trying too hard.
There is absolutely zero class with this car. It is just a rolling design circus. It looks like a Christmas tree decorated by kids. Look at that trunk handle – it is shaped like a jet plane. But the jet trail is coming out of its NOSE? Honestly, that’s ridiculous. The rear fender fins are ugly and the tail lamps that look like they were glued on. There’s nothing classy about that. It isn’t rich looking – it is looking like a tin toy ray gun that got chromed.
This doesn’t look like a car a wealthy person would drive – it looks like a car that a showgirl, prostitute or pimp would drive.
There are many cars that just don’t look good because it seemed that the manufacturer was compromising intelligent design in order to appease marketing execs and stylists. This is definately one of those.
Wow! This is the first mostly negative report I’ve ever read about any Imperial model years. While it’s true that Chrysler had some over the top styling ques in that time frame and admittedly, they weren’t for everyone, and the Imperials received the most questionable designs albeit the 61 full-size Plymouths were pretty outhere, would have never win a beauty contest, or for that matter ever even be enterd in one. The Chryslers of the late 50s and early 60s were an acquired taste. At least for me they were. They always seem to grow on me, and I’m glad they did because they were very good cars with a lot of innovative engineering built into them. There are a lot of industry standards that came from the Chrysler Corporation. My favorite Imperials are the 64 through 66, once Engle joined Chrysler. I had a 66 Crown 4 door hardtop with a 460 4 barrel under the hood. I know what to expect from a full-size American luxury car, and the 66 lived up to the standard and exceeded it in many ways. So I’ll leave it at that. The Imperials were great cars, and I miss my 66.
I’m actually surprised that both the original article and the current one have less-than-impressed opinions of the Imperial’s suspension. It still used the torsion-bar front/leaf-spring rear setup, which had been lauded as the best-handling setup in America, used in all Chrysler products and even later adopted by Caddy’s FWD Eldo. On the other hand, Chrysler was still reeling from the aftermath of its “Forward Look” campaign, which revealed where it cut corners and consequently ruined its reputation by ’58 (right at the time, incidentally, that a flash recession hit the U.S. economy hard). ’61 was not a good year for that firm; add to that the coup that happened there at that time, and it’s a surprise Chrysler even kept its doors open.
That said, seeing an Imperial of any year is a rare treasure for car-spotters like me. Let’s not forget that Imperial spearheaded several mechanical and design advances we still utilize today: Curved side glass for one, and cruise control for another.
4900lb tire capacity and 5110 curb weight?
The 1961 Crown convertible, was the best looking imperial convertible ever made. I also liked the free standing headlight motif.