1926

Imperial is a word of empire. It suggests dominance, strength and majesty. It describes items of special size or quality. When young and expansionistic Chrysler Corporation decided to build a luxury car, that car appropriately was christened Imperial.

The name sounded a note of challenge and arrogance, as did the promotions. Said one piece of advertising during the Imperial's 1926 debut, "[It is a] Chrysler through and through, Chrysler at its utmost and best, Chrysler now claiming for its own the top most fine-car market."

The established grand marques like Packard, Pierce and Peerless surely cast condescending glances towards the new Imperial. Chrysler seemed to have no place among their rank. It had no pedigree, and the corporation itself was scarcely seven months old when Imperial arrived with intent to conquer.

However, it was quickly evident by its excellence that Imperial was more than a corporate boast. In a price class populated primarily by V-eights and straight eights, the six cylinder Imperial debuted as luxury motordom's 2nd most powerful car. Ninety-two horsepower was smoothly delivered from just 288.7 cubi c inches. The 1926 Cadillac V8, in contrast, produced just 80 horsepower from 314.5 cubic inches. The high-powered Imperial, Chrysler declared, was good for 80 m.p.h. cruising, and emphasized the fact by dubbing Imperial the Imperial "80".

Imperial's capabilities were ably demonstrated by automobile-pioneer Floyd Clymer. Clymer took an Imperial touring car in June of 1926 and furiously drove the 702 miles between Kansas City, Kansas and Denver, Colorado. Mr. Clymer covered the mostly unpaved distance in 13 hours and 56 minutes attaining an average speed of 51.8 miles per hour. Average speed for the final 90 mile leg of the journey was 62.8 miles per hour, including time taken to change a wheel.

One year later, drivers L. B. Miller and J. E. Weiler would break the transcontinental speed record, both ways, in an Imperial five passenger tourer. The total trip covered 6,721 miles and took one week minus a minute at an overall speed of 40 miles per hour to complete.

These accomplishments to its credit, Imperial was chosen to pace the 1926 Indianapolis 500. The first Chrysler Product ever chosen for the task, an Imperial E-80 took to the track sporting a roadster body complete with rumble seat and gulf club compartment. The honor of driving the snazzy two door went to, of all people, Louis Chevrolet.

What followed Imperial's sparkling 1926 arrival were nearly fifty years of fine cars.

Imperial History Continued