Imperial (J-Body)

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Imperial
1981imperial.jpg
Imperial
Production period: 1981-1983
Class : Upper class
Body versions : Coupe
Engines: Otto engine :
5.2 liters (169 kW)
Length: 5418 mm
Width: 1847 mm
Height: 1351 mm
Wheelbase :
Empty weight : 1814 kg

Based on the J platform , the Imperial was a personal luxury car class coupe that Chrysler offered in the North American market from 1981 to 1983. With it, a brand name was revived that the Chrysler Group had used for its most expensive models until the mid-1970s. The exclusive Imperial Coupé caused a sensation with its unusual design, but it was an economic failure. Only 12,300 copies were built. Today the car is one of the most sought-after young timers in the United States .

background

Emblem of classic imperial models: the imperial eagle. The models from 1981 to 1983 had a pentastar as a radiator emblem instead of an eagle.

In the first decades of its existence, the Chrysler concern had sold its most expensive and most exclusive car models under the Chrysler brand; as model name while mostly the term Imperial chosen ( "Imperial"). For the 1955 model year, Imperial was upgraded to an independent car brand under the Chrysler umbrella, which was to compete with Cadillac ( General Motors ) and Lincoln ( Ford Motor Company ) in the upper-class market segment . Imperial Chrysler's top brand remained for the next 20 years, but could not prevail against the competing brands of other American companies. With the exception of the 1959 and 1960 model years, Imperial regularly sold significantly fewer automobiles than Cadillac and Lincoln. On the one hand, this was due to the lack of a history of the brand - in public the cars were still called “Chrysler Imperials” -; on the other hand, the Imperial models were technically and externally closely related to the cheaper vehicles from Chrysler, Dodge and Plymouth . Over the years, the similarity steadily increased; the last Imperial generation, which was offered from 1974 to 1975, was just a high-quality Chrysler New Yorker , which differed from the base vehicle by concealed headlights. After only 8800 Imperials had been sold in 1975, the Chrysler Group discontinued the Imperial brand . The previous Imperial models were externally unchanged in the following three years, but with a significant price reduction under the name Chrysler New Yorker Brougham .

The discontinuation of the Imperial brand coincided with a severe economic crisis in the Chrysler Group, which in 1979 nearly led to bankruptcy . The reason for the problems is mostly cited as the fact that Chrysler did not react in time to the oil crises of the 1970s and failed to develop smaller, more economical cars at an early stage. When the former Ford manager Lee Iacocca took over the management of the Chrysler Group in the autumn of 1978, he immediately stopped production of the unprofitable, no longer attractive models of the C platform ( Chrysler Newport / New Yorker) and the B platform ( Dodge Monaco and Plymouth Fury ). At the same time, he pushed the development of the compact, front-wheel drive Chrysler K-Car , which was sold from the fall of 1980 and made a significant contribution to saving the company.

At the same time as the small, front-wheel drive K-Car, Chrysler presented the Imperial Coupé, a large, heavy car with which Chrysler was once again present in the luxury class. Iacocca saw this as a contradiction to his company policy. He publicly distanced himself from the Imperial even before the market launch and stated that the project had been decided by the former Chrysler management; when he took office it was too far advanced to stop.

Development history

The vehicle was initially developed under the project name La Scala ; Only shortly before the market launch did the Chrysler management decide to revive the name Imperial .

The Imperial was based on the Chrysler Group's J platform. It was a modified version of the M platform presented in 1976 , which in turn was derived from the F platform ( Dodge Aspen , Plymouth Volaré ). The J platform has been used for the second series of the Chrysler Cordoba as well as for its twin Dodge Mirada since 1979 . From these models the Imperial took over the basic technical conception, the chassis, the mechanics and also many body and glass elements.

design

With pop-up headlights and waterfall grill: Chrysler Imperial
Looks like a hooper rear end

The basic concept of the design, including its special features, was already established in January 1977.

The design of the Imperial was based on the younger Chrysler Cordoba, but had special features at the front and rear. The Imperial was designed by Chrysler stylist Steve Bollinger; The American designer Tom Tjaarda, who lives in Italy, was also temporarily involved.

The glazing, doors and front fenders of the Imperial were identical to those of the Cordoba. However, the front overhang was lengthened by an attachment piece. The front section was designed independently. It carried an exposed grille with vertical, chrome-plated struts (so-called waterfall grill). The recessed headlights were hidden behind wide, body-colored covers when deactivated . The basic concept of this design can be traced back to the Chrysler Le Baron Turbine Car , a styling study by Chrysler designer Bob Marcks from 1976, which was based on the Cordoba (B-Body).

The rear of the Imperial was also designed independently. It had a so-called Hooper rear , in which the rear line of the C-pillar was extended into the sides of the car so that the trunk looked as if it had been attached. This design feature was intended to take up the design of classic British luxury cars, especially Rolls-Royce models from the early post-war period, which had been dressed in this form by the bodywork manufacturer Hooper, among others . That of Hooper Empress Line and Razor Edge Design modeled Bustle Back or Hooper tail had in the early 1980s, the most expensive models of all three American car companies. The best known was the second series of the Cadillac Seville , which was presented in the fall of 1979 - half a year before the Imperial; a little later, Lincoln followed suit with the little Continental . Chrysler later claimed that its own stylists were the first to use this design feature; For financial reasons, however, the company was unable to bring the Imperial onto the market before the Cadillac Seville.

technology

In technical terms, the Imperial largely corresponded to the Chrysler Cordoba. Among other things, it had its wheel suspension , which corresponded to the design of the mid-range Dodge Aspen / Plymouth Volaré models. There was, however, one major difference in the area of ​​drive technology: The drive was a 5.2 liter eight-cylinder engine that had been used in many Chrysler models since the early 1970s. While it was equipped with a carburettor system in the other Chrysler models , Chrysler combined it with electronic manifold injection as standard for use in the Imperial . The injection system was not adequately tested and turned out to be very unreliable in everyday life. Even the workshops were often overwhelmed with the complex electronics. Chrysler therefore offered from 1981 to upgrade the vehicles to a conventional carburetor system as part of the guarantee. Numerous customers made use of this. Alternatively, it was possible to equip the Imperial with the larger 5.9-liter engine that was no longer used in new vehicles at the factory. This variant was also chosen frequently.

The Imperial was equipped with disc brakes on the front wheels and drum brakes on the rear . This differentiated it from its predecessor from the 1974 and 1975 model years, which had disc brakes on all wheels as standard.

The Imperial was 250 kg heavier than the Cordoba it was based on. With a full tank, the car weighed over 2,000 kg. The extra weight was - apart from the modified body parts - due to thicker steel in some body areas and the increased use of noise-insulating materials compared to the Cordoba.

Furnishing

The Imperial was fully equipped from the factory. The standard scope of delivery included electrically operated windows, electrically adjustable seats, air conditioning and a variable steering column. Buyers could choose between a Mark Cross leather interior or fabric upholstery at no extra charge . There were also four different cassette radios and different wheels or hubcaps to choose from. The only detail that was subject to a surcharge was an electric sunroof ("moonroof"). The Imperial was thus the first American car in recent history to be delivered fully equipped and without extras at extra cost.

Frank Sinatra Edition

A special version was the Imperial "Frank Sinatra Edition", which was named after the singer and entertainer Frank Sinatra .

Sinatra, a personal friend of Chrysler boss Lee Iacocca, was involved in the marketing of the Imperial Coupé at an early stage. A television commercial in the early autumn of 1980 showed Sinatra selling a brand-new Imperial to actor Gregory Peck .

In June 1981 Chrysler introduced the "Frank Sinatra Edition" (also: "Imperial FS"). It differed from the regular Imperial primarily through a special paintwork: The Imperial FS was painted in Glacier Blue, a light shade of blue that should be reminiscent of Frank Sinatra's eye color. Associated with this was either a blue leather interior or a blue fabric cover for the seats. In the interior, the "Imperial FS2" had a small center console with the Sinatra logo and a special radio. The scope of delivery finally included 16 music cassettes with Sinatra's best songs.

In the remainder of the 1981 model year (June to September 1981), 170 “Imperial FS” were built; in 1982 there were 326. The glacier blue paintwork was also available in the 1983 model year; At that time, however, the name "Frank Sinatra Edition" was dropped.

Production and prices

The Imperial was manufactured from August 1980 to April 1983. The car was positioned in the luxury class. Marketing saw the main customers in above-average educated men over 50 years of age. The competitors of the Imperial were the Continental Mark VI and the front-wheel drive Cadillac Eldorado .

Production process and sales

The Imperial was built in Chrysler's small-series factory in Windsor , Canada , where the Cordoba and Mirada models were also manufactured. Chrysler claimed that the Imperial was assembled only by workers who had been with the company for at least 25 years. The components used for the Imperial were selected with particular care. Upon completion, each Imperial should be subjected to a simulation test and a subsequent 5.5 mile test drive.

The Imperial was not sold by all North American Chrysler dealers. It was reserved for 416 US and 42 Canadian dealers who had to apply for sales authorization and meet special requirements.

Scope of production

Initially it was planned to produce a total of 25,000 copies of the vehicle. However, these plans could not be kept; in fact, only 12,385 Imperial were made in three years. The production volume decreased continuously over time. 8,113 vehicles were built in 1981, 2,717 in 1982, and another 1,555 cars were built in the first four months of 1983. Four-digit production figures were only achieved in three months (September to November 1980); in all other months, production was in the low three-digit range, and occasionally only in the double-digit range.

Imperial production figures 1981–1983
and its competitors in comparison
Model year Imperial Cadillac Eldorado Continental Mark VI Coupe
1981 8,113 60,643 18,740
1982 2,717 52,018 11,532
1983 1,555 67,416 12,743

Prices

The Imperial was offered at a price of US $ 18,690 in 1981. It was the most expensive passenger car of the Chrysler concern. Chrysler's most expensive and largest sedan, the New Yorker based on the R platform , sold for US $ 10,982 in the same year, and an almost identical, but more simply furnished Newport for US $ 8,032. Chrysler's new volume model, the Plymouth Reliant , cost less than a third of the Imperial in the basic version at US $ 5,880.

The Imperial was also more expensive than its immediate competitors. A Continental Mark VI Coupé was offered at a base price of US $ 17,237 in 1981, and a Cadillac Eldorado was sold for US $ 16,871. It should be noted, however, that with both competing models - unlike the Imperial - numerous equipment details were subject to a surcharge, so that they were ultimately more expensive than Chrysler's Coupé with comparable equipment.

The Imperial in the motor press

Driving impressions

The American press put the Imperial through a series of tests in 1980 and 1981. The test reports praised the low noise and the suspension, which is soft but not spongy. On the other hand, the servo-assisted steering was criticized as callous.

reviews

Critical voices described the Imperial as "yesterday's car" or as a "luxury toy for people who are not very interested in cars." It is a car with a "Darth Vader styling" that is based on an outdated small car chassis and has a new fuel injection system that is too demanding even for Chrysler.

The Imperial in motorsport

Buddy Arrington's Chrysler Imperial

Some Imperial vehicles took part in NASCAR races from 1981 to 1985 . Drivers were Buddy Arrington , Rick Baldwin , Cecil Gordon and Maurice Randall . An Imperial took sixth place in the 1982 summer race in Brooklyn, Michigan.

Special bodies

The Imperial was only delivered from the factory as a two-door coupé. A convertible version was not planned, and the vinyl roof, which was very popular in America and curved in the style of a convertible, could not be delivered. Independent workshops like Global Coach (1981) and Carelli Autoworks (1983) converted some Imperials into convertibles at the request of customers.

In addition, several four-door sedans were built at independent workshops, both with a short and a longer wheelbase.

The Swiss car manufacturer Felber refined an Imperial Coupé in 1983 at the customer's request. The exterior was taken over unchanged; essentially the interior has been upgraded.

Trivia

A four-door sedan based on the Imperial was shown in the movie On the Highway all hell is going on again : two amateur racers embodied by Burt Reynolds and Dom DeLuise use the military-colored sedan in an illegal cannonball race and give speeding orders to declare before that the American army was carrying nuclear fuel in the car on a secret mission.

literature

  • Richard M. Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930-1980 . New York (Beekman House) 1984. ISBN 0-517-42462-2 .
  • Thos L. Bryant: Chrysler 1981 Preview . In: Road & Track, issue 10/1980, p. 51 ff.
  • John Craft: Last flight out. Presentation of the Imperial by Buddy Arrington in: High Performance Mopar, issue 9/1995, p. 16 ff. </
  • David E. Davis, Jnr .: Chrysler Imperial. Return with us now to the thrilling days of yesteryear . In: Car & Driver, issue 1/1981, p. 69 ff.
  • Jim Dunne, Ed Jacobs: Three Classy Coupes . Comparison test Imperial, Cadillac Eldorado and Continental Mark VI. In: Popular Science, Heft 4/1981, p. 42 ff.
  • Jim McCraw: The Imperial strikes back . In: Motor Trend, issue 10/1980, p. 48 ff.
  • Jim Smith: It's time for Imperial . 1981-1983. WPC News, issue July 1993, p. 5 ff
  • NN .: Driving the 1981 Dodge, Chrysler and Plymouth Models . In: Popular Mechanics, issue 10/1980, p. 98 ff.

Web links

Commons : Chrysler Imperial  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930-1980, p. 388.
  2. ↑ Cadillac sold 264,700 vehicles in the same year, Lincoln 101,800.
  3. ^ Langworth: Encyclopedia of American Cars 1930–1980, p. 265.
  4. ^ Car & Driver, Issue 5/1981, p. 82.
  5. ↑ a b Motor Trend, Issue 10/1980, p. 48.
  6. ↑ Images on the history of the development of design on the website http://www.imperialclub.com/Articles/Bollinger/index.htm (accessed on June 7, 2012).
  7. ↑ In addition: Hemmings Classic Cars, issue 12/2006, p. 72 ff.
  8. ↑ Note on the website www.tom-tjaarda.net (accessed on June 7, 2012).
  9. ^ Image of the Turbine Car on the website www.imperialclub.com (accessed on June 7, 2012).
  10. ^ "We did not copy the Seville". See Road & Track, Issue 10/1980, p. 52.
  11. ↑ a b Jim Smith: It's time for Imperial. 1981-1983. WPC News, issue July 1993, p. 5 ff.
  12. ↑ Motor Trend, Issue 10/1980, p. 49.
  13. ↑ Car & Driver, Issue 1/1981, p. 79.
  14. ↑ Note on the website www.allpar.com (accessed on June 7, 2012). Sinatra was also called "Old Blue Eyes" because of its light blue eyes.
  15. ↑ On the whole: s. http://www.lov2xlr8.no/brochures/mopar/81imp/81imp.html Sales prospectus of the Imperial Frank Sinatra from 1981.
  16. ↑ Jim Smith: It's time for Imperial. 1981-1983. WPC News, July 1993, p. 10.
  17. ↑ Car & Driver, Issue 8/1980, p. 51.
  18. ↑ For the whole section see Motor Trend, issue 10/1980, p. 48.
  19. ^ Road & Track, Issue 10/1980, p. 52.
  20. ↑ The stated production figures refer to the model years, which last from August of one year to July of the following year. Spread over calendar years, the individual figures differ. See the website www.imperialclub.com (accessed on June 7, 2012).
  21. ↑ Production figures for the Cadillac Eldorado: See information on the website www.motorera.com (accessed on June 9, 2012).
  22. ↑ Prices according to: Auto Catalog No. 25 (1981/82).
  23. ↑ Car & Driver, Issue 1/1981, p. 69.
  24. ↑ Quotations from Car & Driver, issue 1/1981, p. 69.
  25. ^ Presentation of the Imperial by Buddy Arrington in: High Performance Mopar, issue 9/1995, p. 16 ff.
  26. ↑ Image of an Imperial "Frank Sinatra Edition" converted into a convertible on the website www.imperialclub.com (accessed on June 7, 2012).