May, 2011

 

Marque of the Month of May

Chrysler

was established in 1925 by Walter P. Chrysler.

was the maker of the first mass-produced streamlined car, the Airflow, in 1934.

was the maker of the famous "hemi" V8 engines from 1951-1958.

was the first to reintroduced the factory-made American convertible in 1982.

was the purchaser of American Motors Corporation in 1987.

was merged with Daimler-Benz AG in 1998

was sold to U.S.-based Cerberus Capital Management LP in 2007, becoming Chrysler LLC

sold  20% interest of "New Chrysler" to Fiat in 2009
c1936_Chrysler_Airflow.jpg (337825 bytes) c1941_Chrysler_Saratoga.jpg (1921182 bytes) c1942_Chrysler_Town_and_Country.jpg (88961 bytes) c1954_Chrysler_GS1.jpg (732188 bytes) c1955_Chrysler_C300.jpg (17247 bytes) c1956_Chrysler_New_Yorker.jpg (52744 bytes) c1957_Chrysler_300C.jpg (50733 bytes) c1958_Chrysler_Saratoga.jpg (80275 bytes) c1960_Chrysler_300F.jpg (2040988 bytes)

1936 Airflow

1941 Saratoga

1942 Town & Country

1954 GS-1

1955 C-300

1956 New Yorker

1957 300-C

1958 Saratoga 

1960 300F

c1964_Chrysler_300K.jpg (614750 bytes) c1966_Chrysler_New_Yorker.jpg (60084 bytes) c1968_Chrysler_300.jpg (322391 bytes) c1969_Chrysler_Newport.jpg (890812 bytes) c1977_Chrysler_Town-n-Country.jpg (1510961 bytes) c1985_Chrysler_Executive_Limousine.jpg (78677 bytes) c1989_Chrysler-Maseratti_TC.jpg (1104291 bytes) c1999_Chrysler_Sebring.jpg (320714 bytes) c2000_Chrysler_PT_Cruiser.jpg (64894 bytes)

1964 300-K

1966 Town & Country

1968 300

1969 Newport

1977 Town & Country

1985 Executive Limousine

1989 Maseratti TC

1999 Sebring

2000 PT Cruiser

The radical styling of the 1934-1936 Airflow was not accepted by the buying public, and cost Chrysler market share.  Chrysler styling was, as a reaction, conservative for the next 18 years.  The "Forward Look" of 1955-1960 brought tailfins to new heights.  From 1964 on, Chrysler styling again followed the trends rather than set them, until the mid-1990s.

Did You Know?
  • The first 8-cylinder Chryslers were made in 1931.
  • The first ever use of rubber engine mounts was on the 1931 Chryslers.
  • The 1955-1975 Imperials were not Chryslers (Imperial was a separate division).

  • The 1963 Turbine Car program had 50 cars driven by 203 people (each for 3 months)
 

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