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142-469: The Chrysler 300 "letter series" are high-performance personal luxury cars that were built by Chrysler in the U.S. from 1955 to 1965 and were a sub-model from the Chrysler New Yorker . After the initial year, which was named C-300 for its standard 300 hp (220 kW) 331 cu in (5.4 L) FirePower V8 , the 1956 cars were designated 300B. Successive model years were given

284-836: A Viper engine. It was never produced. The 300 letter series name was resurrected in 1999 on the Chrysler 300M ; but it is the 2005 300C that is closest to the original with its rear-wheel drive, and V8 engine once again bearing the " Hemi " name. Personal luxury car Personal luxury car is a North American car classification describing somewhat sporty, sophisticated mass-market coupés that emphasized comfort over performance. The North American manufacturers most often combined engineering, design, and marketing to develop upscale, distinctive " platform sharing" models that became highly profitable. Although luxury coupes had been produced in North America for several decades,

426-419: A halo model to its range, if not proactive. Luigi Segre was committed to expanding the international reputation of Carrozzeria Ghia . And Wilhelm Karmann had taken over his family coachbuilding firm Karmann and was eager to augment his contracts building Volkswagen's convertible models. As the head of Ghia, Segre singularly directed and incubated the project through conception and prototyping, delivering

568-723: A 20 in (508 mm) reduction in length in the case of the Eldorado. Engines were also downsized, with V6 engines available in the Riviera and Toronado models for the first time. The Riviera was named the 1979 Motor Trend Car of the Year . Sales more than doubled to 52,181 for 1979 and reached 48,621 units for the similar 1980 models. Throughout the 1970s, American-built personal luxury cars had grown larger and more luxurious, resulting in heavier cars. However, engine power output decreased because of using six-cylinder engines or detuning

710-540: A 300 lb (140 kg) lighter body, due to the 300H being shared with the Chrysler Newport / Dodge Custom 880 122-inch wheelbase which reduced overall weight, the 300H was faster than the 300G, but the loss of exclusivity coupled with high prices made this the slowest-selling letter series year yet, with only 435 coupes and 135 convertibles sold. The 300 Sport Series hardtop sedan used a 383 cu in (6.3 L) B engine . Suggested retail prices showed

852-513: A Gold Medal Award by the Industrial Designers Institute (IDI). In 1958, Chrysler's Forward Look was the sponsor of the groundbreaking An Evening with Fred Astaire TV special. In 1956, during the design of the 1961 models, Exner suffered a heart attack . He resumed work in 1957, working on the designs for the 1962 cars. On July 25, 1957, Exner was elected the first vice president of styling at Chrysler. Unfortunately,

994-530: A Spinnaker White and gold paint scheme similar to the Oldsmobile Hurst/Olds , Pontiac GTO and Pontiac Grand Prix Hurst models of mid-1960s to early 1970s. The scooped hood and trunk lid (with a molded spoiler) are both fiberglass. All Hurst 300s had satin tan leather interiors that were straight out of the Imperial and could be had with column- or console-mounted 727 automatics. All came with

1136-423: A bench seat. To address quality and reliability concerns, Chrysler in 1963 introduced a five-year/50,000-mile warranty, a business practice that was unheard of by its competitors in the 1960s The only available engine was the 413 cu in (6.8 L) ram-induction V8 , with an increase of 10 hp (7.5 kW) from 1962; this temporarily re-established the practice of the top-spec engine being standard on

1278-560: A choice of two versions of the 354 cu in (5.8 L) Hemi V8 producing either 340 or 355 hp (254 or 265 kW), with a 10:1 compression ratio used to achieve the higher horsepower rating. A companion of this generation was introduced as the DeSoto Adventurer and the Dodge D-500 that were less luxurious, while still sharing much of the mechanicals, giving DeSoto and Dodge a performance enhanced model, while

1420-421: A column shifter would come out from under then-standard practice, so manual cars used a floor shifter. Due to the installation of the "AstraDome" instrument cluster extending outward towards the steering wheel, the traditional installation of the turn signal lever was relocated to the dashboard underneath the "TorqueFlite" pushbutton gear selectors and was installed as a sliding lever that would return to center as

1562-499: A combination of sports car and luxury car characteristics, typically two-door coupés or convertibles , typically with a small rear seat not intended for regular use by adults. Personal luxury car designs emphasize comfort and convenience, often highly equipped with interior features that were either optional or not available on other models. In contrast to the European grand tourer sporty luxury car, where high-speed performance

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1704-438: A console mounted transmission selector was introduced, while a manual transmission was also available. The 1965 300L was the eleventh and final model in the traditional letter series. Like every other 1965 Chrysler, it featured a completely restyled body with the crisp lines, slab sides and a tall greenhouse passenger compartment that were introduced by Elwood Engel , successor of Virgil Exner as Chrysler's head of styling. It

1846-679: A coupe or convertible and the Buick Wildcat . Inside, the 300 Sport Series hardtop coupe was installed with standard bench seats front and rear, similar to the Newport, while the 300H had standard bucket seats front and rear with the full length center console, and were also offered on the New Yorker Custom coupe. This was also the last year for the AstraDome Instrument cluster for all Chrysler branded vehicles and

1988-533: A dramatic fall in annual sales. The base price of the 1986 Eldorado increased by approximately 16% to $ 24,251, and production was reduced to about a quarter of what it had been just two years earlier. The Riviera and Toronado used Buick's 232 cu in (3.8 L) V6 engine, while Cadillac continued to use their 250 cu in (4.1 L) V8 engine. Similarly, the 1986 Riviera's base price increased substantially to $ 19,831, and sales plummeted to 22,138 for 1986, only 15,223 for 1987, and 8,625 for 1988 (although

2130-668: A feasible project that Willhelm Karmann both wanted to and could practically build—the project Willhelm Karmann would in turn present to Volkswagen. The styling itself, however, integrated work by Segre as well as Mario Boano , Sergio Coggiola, and designer/engineer Giovanni Savonuzzi—and at various times they each took credit for the design. Furthermore, the design bore striking styling similarities to Virgil Exner's Chrysler D'Elegance and K-310 concepts, which Ghia had been tasked with prototyping, and which in turn reflected numerous cues and themes developed previously by Mario Boano. The precise styling responsibilities were never documented before

2272-610: A job as a helper at an art studio specializing in advertising. In 1931 he married Mildred Marie Eshleman, who also worked for the studio and, on April 17, 1933, they had their first child, Virgil Exner Jr. By that time, Exner Sr. had been promoted to drawing advertisements for Studebaker trucks. They had a second son in 1940, Brian, who died of injuries after falling from a window. They had their first daughter June 28, 1943, Bronwen Marie Exner. Exner also adopted and raised his niece, Marie Exner, born in 1947, who had become an orphan after her mother Lenor (Milred's sister) passed away when Marie

2414-489: A key milestone in the decline of the personal luxury car. The 318 cu in (5.2 L) V8 engine produced only 140 hp (104 kW), Reaction in the motoring press was especially vicious, with Car and Driver referring to this Imperial as an outmoded all frosting automobile. Sales were poor. The Imperial was built on the Chrysler Cordoba (second generation) chassis, a car with declining sales, that

2556-456: A long hood and short deck, the wedgelike designs of the Chrysler 300 letter series and revised 1957 models suddenly brought the company to the forefront of design, with Ford and General Motors quickly working to catch up. The 1957 Imperial also featured compound curved glass, the first to be used in a production car. The 1957 Plymouths were advertised with the slogan, "Suddenly, it's 1960!" In June of that year, Exner and his team were awarded

2698-619: A mix of body, interior, and trim parts from the previous year's Ford Elite, Mercury Montego, and Mercury Cougar, plus unique styling for the rear bodywork. This generation became the best-selling in the history of the Ford Thunderbird. Helped by a $ 2,700 price reduction from 1976, over 318,000 sold in 1977 and 352,000 in 1978 (the best single sales year in Thunderbird history), followed by 295,000 in 1979. The 1978 Buick Regal , Chevrolet Monte Carlo, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, and

2840-508: A platform shared with far less expensive models. The Eldorado represented 0.5% of Cadillac's total sales in 1953, with 1,690 Buick Skylarks, 458 Oldsmobile 98 Fiestas, and 750 Packard Caribbeans sold. The styling of 1950s luxury cars has been described as a "baroque excess". An example is the Continental Mark II introduced for the 1956 model year. With a price of approximately US$ 10,000 (equivalent to $ 112,069 in 2023) ,

2982-467: A quarter-mile time of 16 seconds at 94 mph (151.3 km/h). A total of 618 hardtops and 191 convertibles were produced, in part due to a recession , competition from the Ford Thunderbird and the listed retail price of US$ 5,173 ($ 54,630 in 2023 dollars ) for the hardtop and US$ 5,603 ($ 59,171 in 2023 dollars ) for the convertible. The 300D saw a new luxurious competitor from Mercury called

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3124-446: A rectangular die-cast "300" badge on rear fenders. Tested by car magazine Motor Trend , a TorqueFlite-equipped 300L 2-door Hardtop accelerated from 0 to 60 mph (0 to 97 km/h) in 8.8 seconds, and covered the quarter mile in 17.3 seconds with a terminal speed of 82 mph (132 km/h). A total of 2,405 300L hardtops and 440 convertibles were produced. Intending to return the 300 letter series to its roots, Chrysler proposed

3266-553: A reduced price for 1958, and Mercury offered the Mercury Turnpike Cruiser for 1957 with the optional 430 cu in (7.0 L) Super Marauder V8 . The car introduced red, white, and blue '300C' circular medallions on the sides, hood, trunk, and interior and was the first model to use the color scheme, and despite the late-1950s design trends that added ever increasing amounts of chrome, styling flourishes, intricate grilles and interior appearance features

3408-525: A reduction from the past at US$ 5,090 ($ 51,270 in 2023 dollars ) for the coupe and US$ 5,461 ($ 55,007 in 2023 dollars ) for the convertible. A more formal, angular, so-called "crisp, new custom look" appeared for 1963, ushering in the Chrysler C platform architecture. To avoid confusion with the number one, the letter "I" was skipped over and the first iteration became the "300J". Shared with the 300 Sport Series , Newport and New Yorker series, this body design featured wide C-pillars, minimized bright trim and

3550-411: A rumor that GM was reducing the size of their cars caused the president of Chrysler, Lester Lum ("Tex") Colbert , to order Exner to do the same to his 1962 design–a change Exner disagreed with, thinking it would make his cars "ugly." Exner with his associates had completed work on the second full-sized finless Plymouth since 1955, this one for 1962, described as a strikingly attractive automobile. While he

3692-447: A scapegoat, Chrysler fired Exner. He was allowed to retain a position as a consultant so he could retire with a pension at age 55. He was replaced by Elwood Engel , who had been lured from Ford. Engel was highly regarded for his design of the classic 1961 Lincoln Continental . Tailfins soon lost popularity. By the late 1950s, Cadillac and Chrysler–driven by the respective competing visions of GM's Earl and Chrysler's Exner–had escalated

3834-578: A sensation within the North American auto industry. When GM designer Chuck Jordan peered through a fence—thanks to a tip he received—and spied Chrysler's soon-to-be-launched 1957 Chrysler lineup, it prompted Bill Mitchell , Jordan's boss at General Motors styling, to convince GM top executives and styling chief Harley Earl to re-open the already-completed designs for the 1959 models and create "an alternate design for each car line, Chevrolet through Cadillac." Exner's work effectively "change[d]

3976-581: A smaller high-volume model. Before the late 1970s, personal luxury cars were usually large, rear-wheel drive vehicles powered by large V8 engines. As a result of the downsizing trend in the American automotive industry during the late 1970s, many personal luxury cars have been produced as mid-size cars with six-cylinder engines and front-wheel drive. By the 21st century, the personal luxury market had diminished as consumers migrated to other market segments. Personal luxury cars are mass-market vehicles that have

4118-572: A strong personal bond, which helped link the companies closely throughout the 1950s. The alliance produced the Chrysler Ghia designs, such as the 1952 Chrysler K-310, the mid-1950s Dodge Firearrow series show cars, as well as the Chrysler d'Elegance and DeSoto Adventurer . When Exner joined Chrysler, the company's vehicles were being fashioned by engineers instead of designers, and so were considered outmoded, unstylish designs. After seeing

4260-616: A traditional six-way power adjustable split front bench seat, with a new "Natural Tan" leather upholstery feature called "Living Leather" that used a basket-weave pattern to promote air circulation in warm weather, while optional interior choices were available from the New Yorker list of which the 300 was based. The exterior color list was updated to offer Formal Black, Turquoise Grey metallic, Cameo Tan metallic, Copper Spice metallic, Radiant Red and Ivory White. The listed retail price continued to climb to US$ 5,319 ($ 55,594 in 2023 dollars ) for

4402-552: Is believed that 15 were originally produced. Also new were four individual, leather bucket seats for front and rear passengers with a full-length console from dash to rear seatback which had previously been introduced on the Chrysler Norseman concept car of 1956. The rear passenger electric window switches were installed in the center console within easy reach, and bench seats for front and rear passengers were no longer available. The rear bucket seats were also offered on

Chrysler 300 letter series - Misplaced Pages Continue

4544-446: The 1954 24 Hours of Le Mans and finished the race. With the growing popularity of European sports cars during the late 1940s, Chrysler sought to create a "drivers car" with sports car performance but with greater attention to comfort. in the growing post-WWII tradition of grand tourers . The car's "100-Million Dollar Look" styling can be attributed as much to the Chrysler parts bin as designer Virgil Exner . The front clip, including

4686-587: The Chevrolet Corvette . The first-generation Thunderbird was a two-seat car with a V8 engine, a suspension designed for comfort instead of handling , and available in either convertible (folding soft-top) or roadster (removable hardtop ) body styles. The Thunderbird was able to reach a top speed of 200 km/h (124 mph), which is similar to many European grand tourers of the era. The Thunderbird's sporty luxury format, with more features, proved vastly more popular with American car buyers than

4828-737: The Continental Mark VI were down 50%. For the 1984 model year, Continental Mark VII was downsized to a mid-size car, with aerodynamic styling based on the Ford Fox platform shared with the Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar. For 1986, General Motors drastically downsized the Cadillac Eldorado (eleventh generation) , Buick Riviera (seventh generation) and Oldsmobile Toronado (fourth generation) by 13–16 in (330–406 mm). With an Eldorado Coupe unit sales drop of 72% in 1986, seldom has any model experienced such

4970-602: The Lockheed P-38 Lightning -inspired tailfins on the 1948 Cadillac , Exner adopted fins as a central element of his vehicle designs. He believed in the aerodynamic benefits of the fins, and even used wind tunnel testing at the University of Michigan —but he also liked their visual effects on the car. Exner lowered the roofline and made the cars sleeker, smoother, and more aggressive looking. In 1955, Chrysler introduced "The New 100-Million Dollar Look". With

5112-561: The Mercedes-Benz 300 SL was introduced and sold in North America and was labeled the fastest production car of its time. The Chrysler C-300 was also introduced at the same time the BMW 503 was introduced and sold in North America. The Bentley Continental with a similar approach to driving experience was introduced in 1952. The 1956 300B was fairly similar externally, distinguished by a new tailfin treatment, but with larger engines, and

5254-458: The OHV 331 cu in (5.4 L) FirePower " Hemi " V8, due to the hemispheric shape of the cylinder head , fitted with dual four barrel carburetors , two overhead valves per cylinder with solid valve lifters, a race-profiled camshaft installed inside the engine cylinder block , stiffer front and rear suspension, and a low restriction performance exhaust system. This engine was exclusive to

5396-531: The Park Lane . The 1959 model year saw the Hemi engines replaced by Chrysler's new Golden Lion wedge-head V8 at 413 cu in (6.8 L) displacement (which Chrysler called "lion-hearted"), and remained exclusive to the 300 and Imperials. Power output remained about the same at 380 hp (280 kW) while the engine weight dropped by 103 lb (47 kg) and production costs were reduced. This model

5538-470: The Plymouth Barracuda was introduced on the Chrysler A platform which was sold at Chrysler-Plymouth dealerships next to the Chrysler 300K. A visual distinction can be made between the years by the rear tail lights; the 300J has round units while the 300K has trapezoid shaped units. The TorqueFlite pushbutton controls that were installed to the left of the steering wheel were removed and instead

5680-682: The Pontiac Grand Prix (third generation) downsized from being a full-size to a mid-size coupe in an attempt to reverse the declining sales of the Grand Prix model. Smaller than the Cadillac Eldorado and Oldsmobile Toronado, it was designed to be nimbler and more performance-oriented than the Ford Thunderbird and Buick Riviera. Sales reached over 112,000 units, almost quadruple the 32,000 full-sized models built in 1968. Due to rising insurance costs and emissions standards in

5822-666: The muscle car , though full-sized and more expensive. Chrysler had a long history of producing race car products going back to the Chrysler Six that was entered in the 1925 24 Hours of Le Mans , 1928 24 Hours of Le Mans , 1929 24 Hours of Le Mans , and the Chrysler Imperial Eight roadster in the 1931 24 Hours of Le Mans . The 1955 C-300 and the 1956 300B were raced with very little modification at NASCAR races to include Watkins Glen International where it won races multiple times. The automaker reintroduced

Chrysler 300 letter series - Misplaced Pages Continue

5964-408: The spartan Corvette sports car by selling 16,155 units in 1955, compared with 674 Corvettes, 809 Chrysler 300D , and 2,200 Studebaker Speedsters. This market signal set the stage for further development. The 1958 Ford Thunderbird became the first volume personal luxury car. The redesign added a rear seat in response to Ford's market research that the two-seat layout of the first generation

6106-547: The '300A'. The 'C-' designation was applied to all Chrysler models and the coupe was built on the C-68 New Yorker Series. For marketing purposes the car was called the "300" in order to further reinforce the 300 hp (220 kW) engine installed. The C-300 was a racecar aimed at the NASCAR circuits that was sold for private ownership to qualify for homologation purposes, with Chrysler's most powerful engine,

6248-435: The 1955 model year, Chrysler products were considered solid and well-engineered, but with dull styling. But for 1955 and 1956, Chrysler introduced the first set of cars with Exner's stylish and popular Forward Look. These models were very popular and greatly improved Chrysler's image. For 1957, Chrysler launched all-new models again, introducing cars that were long, low, wide, and featured sweeping tailfins —designs that caused

6390-947: The 1964 300K , but the "cross-ram" engine became an extra-cost option available on the 300K only. A 413 cu in (6.8 L) Wedge with a single Carter AFB 3614S 4-barrel carburetor, a regular intake manifold, and 360 hp (270 kW) was the new standard engine, shared with the Imperial. Leather upholstery was no longer standard, a US$ 94 option ($ 923 in 2023 dollars ), while the list of available exterior colors expanded extensively with contrasting interior color choices in vinyl . The colors available were Formal Black, Wedgewood Blue, Nassau Blue metallic, Monarch Blue metallic, Pine Mist metallic, Sequoia Green metallic, Silver Turquoise metallic, Royal Turquoise metallic, Madison Grey, Rosewood metallic, Royal Ruby metallic, Roman Red, Embassy Gold, Persian White, Dune Beige, Sable Tan metallic, and Silver Mist metallic A mid-year special trim package

6532-561: The 1964 model year. The second was the 1963 Buick Riviera , which began life as the Cadillac LaSalle XP-715 concept car. However, General Motors management was not interested in the XP-715 concept for Cadillac and offered it up to a competition between interested divisions. Buick won based on its marketing presentation. Total sales for the 1963–1965 model years was 112,244. American Motors' first personal luxury car

6674-460: The 1966 300M as a clay mockup in October 1963. The exterior was similar to the 300L, except the 300M had spinner-type knock off wheel covers with a "300M" medallion in the center, as well as another "300M" medallion on the trunk lid. The front running lights were moved to the center grille bar and the front turn signals were widened. The 300M also had paint stripes along the lower body line instead of

6816-416: The 1975 model year. Foreign manufacturers took advantage of this American consumer trend. Notably Mercedes-Benz introduced the 450SL and SLC models . Total production was 237,287 (SL) and 62,888 (SLC), and North America was the key market for these models, with 2/3 of production officially sold there - before additional cars from the grey market . Mercedes-Benz were coy in their American ad copy about

6958-520: The 1977 model year, the Ford Thunderbird (seventh generation) was downsized to an intermediate-size platform (based on the Ford LTD II), shedding nearly 10 inches (254 mm) of length and 900 lb (408 kg) of weight. It was repositioned as the replacement for the Ford Elite and sold alongside the closely related Mercury Cougar (fourth generation) . The Thunderbird was assembled using

7100-562: The 1988 introduction of the Buick Reatta coupe may have cannibalized some Riviera sales that year). The final year of production for the rear-wheel-drive Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme (fourth generation) was 1988, during which 27,678 were built. For the 1988 model year, GM moved the Buick Regal, Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme, and Pontiac Grand Prix to versions based on its front-wheel-drive W-body platform . The Chevrolet Monte Carlo

7242-430: The 2005 model year. The longest-running nameplate of the personal luxury car was the 50-year production of the Cadillac Eldorado , which started in the 1953 model year, originally designating ultra-premium, low-volume versions of lower-priced Cadillac models, including the hand-built four-door 1957 Eldorado Brougham. According to Hemmings Motor News , Cadillac first entered the "personal luxury car" market in 1967, with

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7384-430: The 300 designations again for performance-luxury sedans in 1999, using the 300M nameplate from 1999 to 2004, and expanding the 300 series with a reintroduction of a new Hemi-engineered V8 installed in the 300C, the top model of a new Chrysler 300 line, a new rear-wheel drive car launched in 2004 for the 2005 model year. This first of the letter series cars did not bear a letter, but can retroactively be considered

7526-467: The 300 was based. The Hemi engine was upgraded to 392 cu in (6.4 L) with 375 hp (280 kW), or as a limited edition 390 hp (290 kW) version (18 built). The 392 CID engine was exclusive to the 300, New Yorker and Imperials, while the dual four barrel carburetors was standard on the 300C and continued with an improved air induction system that gave each carburetor its own air cleaner to improve efficiency. A convertible model

7668-654: The 300, the New Yorker and the all-new Imperial Newport . By 1956, this would be the first American production car to top 355 hp (265 kW), and the letter series was for many years the most powerful car produced in the United States. The engine and transmission were shared with the French automaker Facel Vega in the Facel Vega Excellence and the Cunningham C-4R which was entered at

7810-482: The 354 CID engine was exclusive to the 300, New Yorker and Imperials. The TorqueFlite transmission controls were to the left of the steering wheel and a total of 1,102 were sold. Performance was better than the previous year's by its top speed at almost 140 mph (225 km/h) at the Daytona Flying Mile. A 6.17 ratio rear differential was also added to the options. Front leg room was 44.6 inches. New

7952-452: The 375 hp (280 kW) 440 cu in (7.2 L) 4-barrel TNT V8 engine. The suggested retail price was US$ 5,939 ($ 46,596 in 2023 dollars ). Of the 501 units sold, one convertible is documented having been used as a Hurst promotional car and another is believed to have been dealer equipped with a 426 cu in (7.0 L) Hemi, also, a convertible. All original letter series cars are considered collectible as of 2023, but

8094-620: The Chevrolet Monte Carlo and the Chrysler Cordoba. During the mid-1970s, luxury features become more common in compact and subcompact cars. The 1978 Plymouth Sapporo coupe (a rebadged Mitsubishi Galant Lambda built in Japan ) was marketed as a personal luxury car, featuring a vinyl roof with stainless steel targa band , velour interior, "luxury" wheel covers with whitewall tires, and various power accessories. For

8236-481: The Eldorado's 50th model year (2002) would be its last. To mark the end of the nameplate, a limited production run of 1,596 cars was produced in red or white—the colors available on the original 1953 convertible. Production ended on April 22, 2002. The Lansing Craft Centre was retooled to build the Chevrolet SSR . The Ford Thunderbird (eleventh generation) was introduced for the 2002 model year. It retained

8378-598: The Karmann Ghia debuted at the 1955 Paris Auto show and went into production, first at Ghia and then in Osnabrück — ultimately to reach a production over 445,000, running 19 years virtually unchanged. Exner continued consulting for many car companies from his office in Birmingham, Michigan . He also teamed up with his son, Virgil Exner Jr., designing watercraft for Buehler Corporation. In 1963, he designed

8520-556: The Mark III included hidden headlamps (with retractable body-colored covers), a Rolls-Royce-style grille, and a simulated spare tire on the trunk lid. The Mark III was the first American-made vehicle with radial tires as standard equipment. In what would become a three-decade rivalry, the 1969 model year Mark III sold 30,858 cars for the extended 1969 model year (although 7,770 were built in 1968), while Eldorado sold 23,333 units that year. The Mercury Marauder (second generation)

8662-648: The Mustang was downsized to become the subcompact Mustang II for 1974, leaving the Cougar XR-7 without a platform-mate. The Cougar XR-7 was marketed from 1974 through 1976 alongside the Ford Elite , styled to resemble the Thunderbird, and marketed at a lower price. The Cougar XR-7 was priced higher than the Elite and included more standard features, but sold about 60,000 units compared to almost 125,000 Elites during

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8804-413: The New Yorker Custom coupe. Swiveling front seats were fitted as standard equipment but were modified to mechanical operation only initiated by the driver and not synchronized to the door when opened. The AstraDome instrument cluster was introduced on all Chrysler products only and featured " Panelescent Lighting " and a tachometer was installed in the center console below the radio due to the complexity of

8946-443: The New Yorker, luxury amenities were included. Standard items were leather upholstery, power assist steering, power assist brakes, power window lifts, dual remote adjustable side view mirrors, power adjustable driver seat, "Air-Temp" air-conditioning, power deploying radio antenna, tinted glass, rear window defroster, windshield washer, Limited-slip differential , Hi-Fi Phonograph, and "Auto-Pilot" cruise control. The exterior color list

9088-523: The October 1962 Paris Motor Show . Both followed the close coupled four-seater coupe with powerful engine formula, laid down by the 1958 Thunderbird. The first was the Studebaker Avanti . The Avanti featured a fiberglass body, an optional supercharged engine, and front disc brakes . It was marketed as "America's only four-passenger high-performance personal car". The company built 4,647 Avantis before Studebaker ended Avanti Production for

9230-620: The Pontiac Grand Prix were among the first of the personal luxury cars to be radically downsized, resulting in weight reductions of more than 900 pounds (408 kg) and exterior dimensions similar to compact cars (e.g. the Chevrolet Nova, Ford Granada and Dodge Dart). For 1979, Cadillac Eldorado (tenth generation) , Buick Riviera (sixth generation) and Oldsmobile Toronado (third generation) were downsized to an intermediate-sized front-wheel-drive platform, resulting in

9372-671: The V8 engines to comply with increasingly strict vehicle emissions standards . Along with the reduced straight-line performance, the cars also had poor fuel economy. They also needed to meet the rising corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) regulations set by the United States Secretary of Transportation via the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration . The 1981 Imperial (sixth generation) by Chrysler Corporation marked

9514-574: The Year and a nomination for the North American Car of the Year in its first year. However, many publications did not regard the Thunderbird's revival that highly. It garnered a place on Car and Driver magazine's 2009 list of "The 10 Most Embarrassing Award Winners in Automotive History". Sales did not meet Ford's expectations and the Thunderbird was discontinued in 2005. The 2000 Chevrolet Monte Carlo (sixth generation)

9656-464: The attention of his boss, who had to sign off on every facet of the designs. Exner was encouraged by Roy Cole, Studebaker's engineering vice president, to work on his own at home on backup designs in case the company's touchy relationship with Loewy blew up". In 1944, he was fired by Loewy and was hired directly by Studebaker in South Bend, Indiana . There he was involved in the design of some of

9798-477: The beach at Daytona. The "AstraDome" instrument cluster which was sometimes called the "gumball" or "jukebox" due to its appearance continued to be installed on all Chrysler products for 1961. The exterior color list was updated to Formal Black, Mardi Gras Red, Alaskan White, and Cinnamon metallic while the standard interior color continued as tan leather. To aide in brake cooling, the hubcaps and pressed steel wheels were introduced with slots to allow airflow across

9940-422: The beginning of the "personal luxury car" market segment is generally considered to have started in 1958. It was the success of the Ford Thunderbird (second generation) when it was redesigned from a two-seat car to a four-seat vehicle. These changes shifted the Thunderbird's emphasis from sporting to comfort and luxury, and sales increased by 50 percent. The Thunderbird was sold for eleven generations up until

10082-399: The car being a sports car, advising potential buyers "Spoil Yourself" and asking "How can a 2-seater weighing 3,500 pounds loaded down with an automatic transmission and luxury power amenities be considered a sports car?." The 450SL addressed the same market niche as the 1955-57 two-seat Ford Thunderbird personal car , which had similar categorization issues. The mid-size Chrysler Cordoba

10224-458: The chrome molding found on the non-letter series 300s, "300M" medallions on the sides, script "Three Hundred" badges and unique tail lights and bezels. Three-spoke headlight ornaments were planned, but dropped due to legal issues in some states. The interior was identical to the non-letter series 300 except for the "300M" medallions. The 300M was planned to be powered by the 426 Wedge engine rated at 365 hp (272 kW). This first 300M proposal

10366-496: The convertible remained with the letter series along with a two-door hardtop 300H. Externally there was little difference between the 300H and the 300 Sport Series except for a "300H" badge on the traditional location on the rear fenders, and many of the 300H's standard features could be ordered as options on the Sport Series. The Mercury competitor was the all-new Mercury S-55 with the same approach to luxury and performance in

10508-430: The cost was equivalent to a Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud , and 3,012 Mark IIs were sold from 1955 until 1957. It was produced in the two-door hardtop body style with extensive standard equipment for the time that included power steering, power brakes, power windows, power seats, power vent windows, leather interior, and a tachometer. The only option was air conditioning for $ 595. The Ford Thunderbird , released in 1955,

10650-570: The course of automotive design" during that period. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan , Virgil Exner was adopted by George W. and Iva Exner as a baby. Virgil showed a strong interest in art and automobiles. He went to Buchanan High School in Buchanan, Michigan then studied art at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana but, in 1928, dropped out after two years due to lack of funds. He then took

10792-490: The cross-ram "short ram" and "long ram" engines remained the same with the dual four barrel carburetors, although the exotic French manual transmission was dropped, and replaced by an exclusive Chrysler-sourced heavy-duty manual transmission (referred to as 'option code 281'). A 300G would post the highest speed of 143 mph (230.1 km/h) in the Daytona Flying Mile , and in 1961 speed trials were moved off

10934-423: The dashboard color now matched the leather upholstery and carpet. The exterior color list was updated to Formal Black, Festival Red, Oyster White, and Caramel while the standard interior color continued as tan leather. Under the hood of the 300H the cross ram engine became an option, and there was a return to the inline dual 4-barrel carburetor setup of the 300E as the base powerplant. With a slight power boost and

11076-459: The downsized Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme was introduced for 1970 and was sold alongside the larger Oldsmobile Toronado. The base price of the Monte Carlo and Cutlass Supreme were much lower than the Grand Prix. However, all three models were priced similarly if they were ordered with the same level of equipment. Nonetheless, it is claimed that Chevrolet and Pontiac "took personal luxury cars to

11218-436: The drum brakes. Suggested retail prices continued to climb at US$ 5,441 ($ 55,476 in 2023 dollars ) for the coupe and US$ 5,841 ($ 59,555 in 2023 dollars ) for the convertible. From 1962s models, the fins were gone from all Chrysler products, as was the letter series' unique place in the Chrysler lineup; there was now the new Chrysler 300 Sport Series which came as a two-door hardtop, replacing the cancelled Chrysler Windsor , while

11360-553: The early 1960s, fins could still give aerodynamic advantages. In the early 1970s, Porsche 917 racing automobiles sported fins reminiscent of Exner's designs. Three entities came together in the history of the Volkswagen Karmann Ghia —a design that ultimately reflected strong influence from Virgil Exner. In the early 1950s, Volkswagen was producing its Type 1 (Beetle). As post-war standards of living increased, executives at Volkswagen were at least receptive to adding

11502-455: The early 1970s, the muscle car's decline coincided with a strong upswing in the personal luxury segment as American buyers shifted emphasis from performance to comfort. Offsetting this, the 1973 and 1979 oil crises impacted upon demand for cars with relatively poor fuel economy. The 1970s personal luxury models were marketed based on luxury, not performance. They were conventional in design and shared many parts with lesser models. Due to

11644-417: The early years are much more desirable. The C-300 and 300B, especially red/maroon examples, are increasingly becoming some of the most valuable models of all 1950s performance cars due to their exquisite styling, high performance, and rarity. The 300C through 300G convertibles are the most desirable price-wise due to their scarcity and low survival rates; the coming of the regular 300 series cars in 1962 makes

11786-463: The first front-wheel drive personal luxury car. The Toronado provided the platform for the Cadillac Eldorado (eighth generation) to switch to a smaller high volume 'personal luxury' front-wheel drive layout the following year. Up until 1967, personal luxury cars were grouped with muscle cars and pony cars as the "specialty cars" classification. Rather than marketing to broad income classes as with their standard models, each of these car classes

11928-414: The first cars with all new styling to be produced after World War II (Studebaker's slogan during this period was "First by far with a post war car"). As acknowledged by Robert Bourke, Virgil was the final designer of the acclaimed 1947 Studebaker Starlight coupe, though Raymond Loewy received the public acknowledgment because his legendary name was a major advertising attraction. Exner is actually listed as

12070-451: The front brakes cool a cooling duct was installed with the air intake located just below the headlights that fed air directly to the front brakes. The exterior color list was expanded to offer Jet Black, Parade Green metallic, Copper Brown metallic, Gauguin Red and Cloud White while the interior was tan leather standard and optional interior choices were available from the New Yorker list of which

12212-412: The front bumper was canted up at each end, scoop-like. At the rear, the taillights were moved from the fins to the tail below them, and the fins were made sharper-pointed. Power windows were standard. The standard equipment rear bucket seats continued with a full-length console from the dashboard along the tunnel containing the driveshaft, and were also offered on the New Yorker Custom coupe. Mechanically,

12354-415: The front grille adopted the corporate look used by all Chrysler-branded products, ending a tradition where the 300 had unique styling not shared with other Chrysler branded vehicles. A controversial "Continental"-style trunk lid appeared, shared with the Imperial and was gone for 1961. Sales increased to 969 coupes and 248 convertibles with a suggested retail price of US$ 5,411 ($ 55,729 in 2023 dollars ) for

12496-657: The grille, was taken from the Imperial of the same year, but the rest of the car did not look like an Imperial. The midsection was from a New Yorker hardtop , with a Windsor rear quarter. Exner also included base-model Chrysler bumpers and removed many exterior elements such as back-up lights, hood ornament, side trim, and exterior mirrors. An electric clock and two-speed windshield wipers were standard. There were few options available including selection of three exterior colors of Black, Tango Red or Platinum White and only one color of tan leather interior. Power windows and power front seat adjustment were available but air conditioning

12638-503: The hardtop and US$ 5,749 ($ 60,089 in 2023 dollars ) for the convertible. The 1960 model offered a 375 hp (280 kW) "Cross-Ram" version of the 413 cu in (6.8 L) Wedge Head V8 introduced in 1959. To boost power at lower and mid rpms, a special intake manifold was derived. Instead of the normal V8 central intake manifold with carburetor (s) on top, the cross-ram consisted of two pairs of 30 in (760 mm) long tuned pipes that criss-crossed so that each set fed

12780-413: The hardtop coupe and US$ 5,841 ($ 60,158 in 2023 dollars ) for the convertible. The 1961 model saw another restyle. The grille, formerly wider at the bottom than the top, was inverted; the quad headlights, formerly side-by-side, were canted inward at the bottom, in a manner reminiscent of 1958-1960 Lincolns and 1959 Buicks . Small parking lamps below the headlights were likewise slanted and V-shaped, and

12922-572: The last use of the FirePower Hemi in the 300. The engine was still 392 cu in (6.4 L), but tuned to 380 hp (280 kW) as standard, while the 392 CID engine was exclusive to the 300 and Imperials. Thirty-five cars were built with an extremely rare option called the Bendix "Electrojector" fuel injection , with which the 392 cu in (6.4 L) V8 was rated at 390 bhp (291 kW). Due to reliability problems with

13064-458: The letter series. The redesigned, otherwise low-key interior featured an oddly squared steering wheel, shared with all Chrysler products for that year. The 300J was faster than the standard 300H of the year before, with a 142 mph (229 km/h) top speed, 8.0 seconds 0-60 mph, and a standing quarter mile time of 15.8 seconds with a terminal velocity of 89 mph (143 km/h). Sales were especially poor, with only 400 cars produced, while

13206-519: The market for personal luxury cars to decline even more. The Oldsmobile Toronado was discontinued in 1992. The Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar were discontinued after the 1997 model year (although the Cougar nameplate was revived for 1999 as a mid-size sport compact ). The Lincoln Mark VIII , introduced for 1993, was discontinued in 1998, thereby ending the Mark series. The total production of Mark VIII

13348-439: The marketing focus changed due to the 300 Sport Series, and this reduced the baseline price of the 300K by over a thousand dollars, and sales responded with the largest total ever; 3,022 coupes and 625 convertibles, with the coupe available at US$ 4,228 ($ 41,536 in 2023 dollars ) and the convertible at US$ 4,694 ($ 46,114 in 2023 dollars ). A center console was standard and distinguished it from the 300 Sport Series coupe. Later in 1964,

13490-492: The masses". The introduction of the Monte Carlo and Cutlass Supreme did cut into the Grand Prix's dominance, and sales dropped 40%. The 1972 Ford Thunderbird (sixth generation) had a significant increase in size over the previous generation, making it larger than most other personal luxury cars. The 1974 Mercury Cougar XR-7 was upsized to an intermediate platform (shared with the Ford Torino and Mercury Montego), since

13632-401: The next letter of the alphabet as a suffix (skipping "i"), reaching the 300L by 1965, after which the model sequence was discontinued while the "300" remained. At its introduction it was advertised as "America's Most Powerful Car". The 300 "letter series" cars were among the vehicles built by Chrysler after World War II that focused on performance, and thus can be considered the beginning of

13774-414: The no-cost option 4-speed manual with Hurst shift linkage. Every feature on the 300L could be ordered as an option on the regular 300; thus, the only difference was the 300L-exclusive ornamentation. This consisted of round "300L" medallions at the center of the die-cast grille star and in the middle of the textured aluminum applique between the taillights, a red-paint-filled full-length beltline molding, and

13916-406: The odometer and a speedometer that went to 150 mph (241.4 km/h), while the right side contained an ammeter, fuel gauge, oil pressure indicator, and water temperature gauges. A clock with a sweeping second hand is installed between the two directly centered to the steering column. Power adjustable swivel seats were standard but were synchronized to the opening of the door while accommodating

14058-488: The only engine option. With the introduction of the Chrysler B platform Dodge Coronet and the Plymouth Satellite , the performance coupe tradition was handed off from the 300 and the subsequent letter series model naming convention was discontinued. Engine output was 360 hp (268 kW; 365 PS), as in the previous year. The buyer could choose between the standard 3-speed TorqueFlite automatic and

14200-418: The opposite side of the engine. The carburetors and air cleaners hung off the sides of the engine over the fender wells. These long tubes were tuned so that resonances in the column of air helped force air into the cylinders at those engine speeds. A special 400 hp (300 kW) "short ram" version optimized for higher engine speeds was produced for competition. The overall tube length remained at 30", but

14342-434: The passing of the designers, further complicated by the overlapping work of the key players. A definitive individual attribution on Karmann Ghia's was never made. Segre and Virgil Exner had become close professionally and personally, eventually traveling Europe together. Peter Grist wrote in a 2007 Exner biography that when Exner in 1955 eventually saw the Karmann Ghia, which cribbed heavily from his Chrysler D'Elegance, "he

14484-462: The previous eggcrate grille and only appeared for 1959. New for 1959 was the installation of Goodyear Blue Streak bias-ply tires on 14 in wheels which are now classified as Vintage Racing tires. Attention to detail was evident in the standard features included. The instrument cluster continued the tradition of easy-to- read gauges with two large circular gauges with a engine turned , sometimes also called perlée appearance. The left cluster contained

14626-410: The primitive onboard computer which controlled the injection system, however, vehicles installed with the fuel injection option were recalled and retrofitted with dual four barrel carburetors . Cars that were originally installed with the fuel injection had a special "300D" badge attached to the rear fender with additional "fuel injection" script included. Due to the 300D continuing to be a sub-model of

14768-578: The racetrack. The listed retail price was $ 4,242 ($ 47,539 in 2023 dollars ). The 1957 model year 300C was corporately shared with an all new appearance for Chrysler products called the " Forward Look " and featuring a "yawning" wide trapezoid-shaped front grille which was unique to the 300C, "Vista-Dome" windshield, dual headlights, and gradually rising tailfins starting from the doors similar to Chrysler-branded products. The wheel diameter changed from 15 in (381 mm) to 14 in (356 mm) while continuing to use drum brakes for all wheels, and to keep

14910-465: The retail price was listed at US$ 5,184 ($ 51,592 in 2023 dollars ). The exterior color list was updated to Formal Black, Claret Red, Oyster White, Alabaster, and Madison Grey metallic while the standard (and only) interior was Claret Red leather. The 300 convertible was now demoted to the Sport Series, and was the official pace car for the 1963 Indianapolis 500-Mile Race, and the car could be provided with exterior markings on commercially sold cars, where it

15052-606: The single-letter suffix of its forebears and appeared five years after the last Letter Series Chrysler, the 300L. Many automobile historians do not include the Hurst 300 as a Letter Series model. The concept of the car, however, does fit with the Letter Series cars, as it was a high-performance variant of the luxury 300, built with the input of aftermarket parts manufacturer Hurst Performance . Only 485 units are believed to have been built. The Hurst 300s were all 2-door and shared

15194-436: The size of fins till some thought they were stylistically questionable and they became a symbol of American excess in the early 1960s. The 1961 models are considered the last of the " Forward Look " designs; Exner later referred to the finless 1962 downsized Plymouth and Dodge models as "plucked chickens". He believed Chrysler executives had "picked" away at the cars to make them lower in cost. Although fins were out of favor by

15336-517: The sole inventor on the design patent . Rivalry and bad feeling between the two resulted in Exner having to leave Studebaker, whose engineering chief Roy Cole provided personal introductions for him to Ford and Chrysler . In 1949, Exner started working in Chrysler 's Advanced Styling Group, where he partnered with Cliff Voss and Maury Baldwin. He also worked with Luigi "Gigi" Segre , of Italian coach builder Carrozzeria Ghia S.p.A. The men forged

15478-436: The steering wheel returned to the center position. To the right of the steering wheel but left of the radio were pushbutton controls for the ventilation and air conditioning while retaining the use of a lever for temperature control. The bodywork was also redone for 1960, using Chrysler's new lightweight unibody construction and given sharper-edged styling with outward-tilting fins that were visually separated from sides, while

15620-405: The styling of the 300C and subsequent generations remained minimal. A total of 1,918 coupes and 484 convertibles were built. All Chrysler products introduced the all-new torsion bar front suspension , called Torsion-Aire, which replaced the previous coil spring front suspension and the new Airtemp air-conditioner, a $ 495 option, was offered ($ 5,370 in 2023 dollars ). The 1958 model year was to be

15762-599: The subsequent letter series seem less special and less desirable to collectors. At an auction at the Robson Estate in Gainesville, Georgia on November 13, 2010, the sole 1960 300F convertible equipped with the factory 400 hp (298 kW) engine and the Pont-a-Mousson 4-speed sold for $ 437,250. There was one concept vehicle called the Chrysler 300, created in 1991. It featured a sports car body and

15904-549: The success of the 1969 Pontiac Grand Prix, other GM divisions followed suit and introduced similar cars in 1970. The  Chevrolet Monte Carlo — considered an upscale vehicle for GM's lowest-priced division— was slightly shorter than the Grand Prix due to being built on the Chevrolet Chevelle platform. The Monte Carlo was marketed as providing "elegance and prestige", however, some reviewers found it more similar to Chevrolet's more utilitarian models. The coupe model of

16046-420: The tan leather interior remained. NASCAR team owner Carl Kiekhaefer 's raced the 300B, among other cars, and won 22 out of 41 races, including 16 races consecutively; One of his racers was famous racer Buck Baker , who drove 300B's. Kiekhaefer would purchase cars from Chrysler and modify a few appearance features but essentially raced the cars as they were, with leather interior and other standard features, on

16188-467: The three dimensional instrument cluster. The exterior color list was shortened to Formal Black, Toreador Red metallic, Alaskan White, and Terra Cotta metallic while the standard interior color remained as tan leather. The dash had been designed with Chrysler's push-button controls for the TorqueFlite automatic in mind, with the "AstraDome" instrument cluster covering the part of the steering column

16330-461: The time promoted them as "sports cars." This connoted "anything with a convertible top, lots of performance, a few unique styling touches, and top-of-the-line price tag. These included the Cadillac Eldorado , Buick Roadmaster Skylark , Oldsmobile 98 Fiesta , Imperial Newport , Chrysler New Yorker , Chrysler 300 and Chrysler Windsor , Packard Hawk , and Packard Caribbean . All models had two-door convertible or hardtop body styles, built on

16472-612: The traditional rear-wheel drive layout and was based on the Ford DEW platform . With styling cues from the original 1955 through 1957 Thunderbirds, it was part of an early-2000s retro styling trend that included the Volkswagen New Beetle , Chrysler PT Cruiser , Plymouth/Chrysler Prowler and Mini Hatch . It was initially well received by the automotive press, garnering accolades such as the Motor Trend Car of

16614-509: The tuned portion of the stacks was only 15 in (380 mm), favoring high RPMs. Only 15 "short ram" cars were produced; these were also fitted with the exotic but often troublesome French manufactured Pont-a-Mousson 4-speed manual transmissions developed for the Chrysler-powered Facel Vega . Approximately 4 of these "Special Gran Turismo" are known to exist, including one convertible and one with air conditioning; it

16756-556: Was a linear look and the panoramic windshield that had been used since 1957 was abandoned. The car had grown two inches in wheelbase and three inches in overall length. Both 2-door hardtop (with crease lines in the roof sheetmetal for the then-popular "convertible look") and 2-door convertible body styles were available. The cross-ram 390 hp engine had been discontinued, leaving the 413 cu in (6.8 L) engine with regular inlet manifold, single 4-barrel carburetion, unsilenced air cleaner, special camshaft and dual exhaust as

16898-477: Was a young child. His first work in design was for General Motors , where he was hired by GM styling czar Harley Earl . Before age 30, he was in charge of Pontiac styling. In 1938, he joined Raymond Loewy 's industrial design firm Loewy and Associates, where he worked on World War II military vehicles and cars, notably Studebaker's 1939–40 models, and advance plans for their revolutionary post-war cars. "But working on Studebaker designs… Exner struggled to get

17040-439: Was also influenced by the retro trend, incorporating styling cues from its 1970s and 1980s predecessors. The Monte Carlo was the final, personal luxury car in production when it was discontinued at the end of the 2007 model year. Virgil Exner Exner is widely known for the "Forward Look" he created for the 1955–1963 Chrysler products and his fondness of tailfins on cars for both aesthetics and aerodynamics . Prior to

17182-520: Was available for 1969 and 1970 as its model line of personal luxury cars in base and X-100 trim. The Marauder utilized Ford's redesigned XL hardtop's wheelbase that was 3-inch (76 mm) shorter than other full-sized Mercury models and included a 429 cu in (7.0 L) V8 engine. It featured hidden headlamps, a flying buttress-style roofline with available matte-black rear and trunk lid finish, rear fender skirts as well as five-spoke aluminum wheels with white wall bias-ply tires. Also, for 1969,

17324-500: Was available for the first time and was listed at US$ 5,359 ($ 58,136 in 2023 dollars ) while the two-door hardtop was listed at US$ 4,929 ($ 53,471 in 2023 dollars ). In comparison, a 1957 Imperial Crown Convertible was listed at US$ 5,598 ($ 57,655 in 2023 dollars ). GM's Pontiac Division introduced the Pontiac Bonneville as a convertible only, offering fuel injection and a similar price tag but offered lower luxury content and

17466-645: Was cancelled in November 1964 "to reduce scheduling and plant complexity". But in 1965 the 300M was revived, this time powered by the 425 hp (317 kW), 426 Hemi engine and a planned production run of 4298, of which 500 were to have the Hemi engine, a $ 1250 option. The Hemi cars would also feature a dual-faced "7-Liter Hemi" medallion. This proposal was also cancelled as the letter series 300s had lost their prestige and exclusivity as they were simply non-letter series 300s with letter badges. The 300M name would not be used again until 1999. The 1970 Hurst 300 lacks

17608-558: Was discontinued after a short 1988 model year run (replaced by the 1990 Chevrolet Lumina mid-size coupe). With the discontinuation of the Chevrolet Celebrity and Pontiac 6000 , the Regal, Cutlass Supreme, and Grand Prix moved from the personal luxury segment to the conventional mid-size segment and were also offered in the four-door sedan body style. In the early 1990s, the trend towards four-door sedans and SUVs caused

17750-511: Was discontinued in 1983. The 1980 model year Ford Thunderbird (eighth generation) and Mercury Cougar (fifth generation) were downsized to a mid-size car and described by some as "stodgy-looking". Sales were drastically reduced, resulting in extensive revisions for the 1983 model year. While remaining a personal luxury coupe, the redesign of the Thunderbird and Cougar introduced highly aerodynamic body design to Ford vehicles in North America and significantly increased sales. In 1981, sales of

17892-601: Was introduced in 1975 as the company's first coupe produced specifically for the personal luxury market (despite the company declaring earlier that there would "never be a smaller Chrysler"). The Cordoba used vintage styling cues like Rolls-Royce -style radiator grilles, opera windows , and vinyl roofs . By 1975, other models that had entered the personal luxury car segment included the AMC Matador (second generation) , Buick Regal , Dodge Charger (fourth generation) . The two highest-selling personal luxury cars for 1975 were

18034-451: Was key, the American personal luxury car typically blunted performance by mating large engines to heavy vehicles. The cars were usually mass-produced and often shared major mechanical components with other models from the manufacturer to reduce production costs. The initial luxury cars of this category during the 1950s in the United States were expensive, niche market , low-volume vehicles. Described as "quasi-custom" models, marketers at

18176-439: Was limiting sales. The convertible/roadster body style was replaced by two models, a fixed hardtop and convertible. Sales totaled 198,191 over three model years, approximately four times that of the earlier two-seat model. The Thunderbird received the 1958 Motor Trend Car of the Year award. Two competitors inspired by the continued marketplace success of the four-seat Thunderbird appeared for model year 1963, both shown at

18318-405: Was marketed as a personal car and is often credited with playing a key role in the creation of the personal luxury car segment. In the early 1950s, both Ford and General Motors were developing competitors to address what they perceived as the growing popularity of the European sports car niche in the North American market. The result was the Ford Thunderbird , Studebaker Speedster , and

18460-459: Was marketed as the 300 Pacesetter, an approach previously used on the 1956 DeSoto Fireflite Pacesetter . Power steering was standard and an addition was made to the TorqueFlite control panel where a "Park" lever was added alongside the control buttons so that when the transmission was placed in neutral the park lever was moved to the bottom to engage the function. The convertible returned for

18602-569: Was not available in 1955. Measured at 127.58 mph (205.32 km/h) in the Flying Mile, and doing well in NASCAR , the C-300 aroused interest that was not reflected in its modest sales figure of 1,725, and the listed retail price of US$ 4,100 ($ 46,633 in 2023 dollars ). When the C-300 competed in NASCAR, it was painted to advertise that it was the "world's fastest stock car". In February 1954

18744-402: Was pleased with the outcome and glad that one of his designs had made it into large-scale production." Chris Voss, a stylist in Exner's office, reported in 1993, that Exner considered the Karmann Ghia the ultimate form of flattery. Segre in turn sent Exner the first production Karmann Ghia imported into the state of Michigan, in gratitude. After Volkswagen approved the design in November 1953,

18886-425: Was released, moving further upmarket and with a four-door pillarless hardtop body style being added. The Continental Mark III two-door coupe was introduced for the 1969 model year as the flagship vehicle of Ford Motor Company and as a successor to the 1956 and 1957 Continental Mark II . The Mark III was based on the chassis of the Ford Thunderbird (fifth generation) to lower development costs. Styling features of

19028-506: Was slightly more than 126,000 units. General Motors ended production of the Buick Riviera in 1998, with 1,956 cars produced in the final model year. For the 1995 model year, the Chevrolet Monte Carlo was re-introduced and built on the front-wheel drive GM W-body platform. It was the two-door coupe version of the updated Lumina four-door sedan replacing the previous year's Lumina two-door coupe. In 2001, General Motors announced that

19170-512: Was still recovering from the heart attack, the 1962 models Exner took credit for were downsized by associates. This downsizing drastically changed the cars' appearance. This reduced the cars' appeal and caused a significant drop in sales. It turned out that the Chevrolet rumor was false and consumers disliked the smaller Plymouth and Dodge cars introduced for 1962, the styling of which was bizarre compared to more sedate Ford and GM products. Needing

19312-474: Was targeted by the automakers to smaller and more specific market niches while offering long lists of options to satisfy consumer demands for individuality. For 1967, the AMC Marlin was increased in size but still considered an intermediate, a "larger 3+3 family coupe designed to appeal to the market's trend toward bigger cars with more appointments." Also for 1967, the Ford Thunderbird (fifth generation)

19454-573: Was the Highway Hi-Fi phonograph player. This was the last year that coil springs were used for the front suspension. With the optional 10:1 compression ratio, brake horsepower became 355 hp (265 kW) from the same 354 cu in (5.8 L) engine, and the 300B became the first American car to produce 1 horsepower per cubic inch, besting Chevrolet with their fuel-injected 283 cu in (4.6 L) by one year. Colors were updated to Regimental Red, Cloud White and Black while

19596-678: Was the intermediate -sized 1965 Rambler Marlin . The Marlin was described as "unusual, distinctive and in a class by itself". Its design feature is the fastback roofline that terminates at the rear bumper. It was renamed as the AMC Marlin for 1966 to focus it on the personal luxury market. The Dodge Charger was introduced in 1966 and is similar in size to the AMC Marlin. The cars like the Charger were still classified "specialty cars" as they were not muscle cars but included premium trim and other features. The 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado became

19738-475: Was the 300K Silver Edition. It was offered only as a 2-door hardtop in Silver Mist metallic paint, a vinyl half-roof that gave a targa top appearance and bucket front seats with a reclining passenger seat. The bucket seats in all cars were redesigned with the result being a thicker, more substantial look. Previous generations starting in 1955 earned the 300 the reputation of being "the banker's hotrod", but

19880-477: Was the last one styled during Virgil Exner's term as Chrysler's styling chief. Medallions featuring CHRYSLER THREE HUNDRED lettering surrounding a large J were mounted on the C-pillars and the rear deck. The standard leather-upholstered interior did away with the swivel feature for the front bucket seats while the previous full-length center console was now limited to the front with the rear compartment reverting to

20022-463: Was the last year of body on frame chassis. Total sales included 522 coupes and 125 convertibles and the front grille and exterior styling retained the previous years appearance instead of adopting the corporate Chrysler appearance shared with Imperial for 1959. A small "300" badge was installed on the left side of the grille perpendicular to the headlights, while the grille was updated to narrow horizontal red bars highlighted by four chrome bars in place of

20164-482: Was updated to offer Raven Black, Aztec Turquoise, Mesa Tan, Tahitian Coral, Matador Red and Ermine White while the interior was tan leather standard and optional interior choices were available from the New Yorker list of which the 300 was based. A 300D was driven to 156.387 mph (251.7 km/h) at the Bonneville Salt Flats that year, and another was driven at the Daytona Flying Mile, producing

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