They were styled under the leadership of Chrysler's new Design Vice President Virgil Exner. Work began apparently in 1952, a very short development timeline for a line of cars to be introduced towards the end of 1954. It was fairly quickly decided to base the design on Exner's 1952 Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaeton -- of which three were built and all still exist (though extensively facelifted).
I posted on 1955 DeSotos here, Chryslers here, and Imperials here. Today's post covers much of the same ground, but takes a slightly different perspective. Here are featured exterior trim variations used on four-door sedan and hardtop coupé bodies for the three brands using the same basic bodies. Differences in grille design are ignored in order to simplify the presentation.
Unless noted, image sources are of cars listed for sale or are factory publicity photos.
The basis for the 1955 basic body.
Imperials featured restrained, dignified trim aside from their gunsight taillights.
Sedans and hardtops shared the same side chrome strip.
Chryslers had odd, tacked-on looking taillights. The sporty 300 model had a very simple side chrome strip.
Entry-level Windsor hardtops also featured simple side trim.
But the upscale New Yorker St Regis hardtops had a bold two-tone paint scheme.
More conservatively-inclined New Yorker hardtop buyers could opt for the Newport with its simpler two-toning. Both models had about the same price, but the St Regis outsold the Newport by a 2:1 ratio.
Again, simple side trim for some Windsor sedans.
But others received fancy lower-body two-toning.
New Yorker sedans and Newports shared the same side trim.
But, in a mid- model year effort to boost sales, some New Yorkers received trim incorporating Windsor along with New Yorker two-tone areas.
Attractive side chrome trim that follows the fender shape.
Less attractive was DeSoto's two-tome scheme. Taillights are a more logical design than Chrysler's.
DeSoto sedans featured the same trim schemes as the hardtops.
However, a three-tone paint scheme was added during the model year. Some 1955 Dodges also were three-toned.
I have always loved the 1955 Imperial four door The Chrysler front end (except for 300) looks bizarre. The DeSoto looks great too. But.. as much as I love the Imperial, if I were in the market at that time, I would get a lot more interior room for the buck with a senior Buick (Super or Roadmaster) not to mention the Cadillac 62 sedan. I read a comment somewhere with a guy showing up in an Imperial and someone asked him how much it cost. He stated the cost and the guy said, "For that kind of money you could have bought a Cadillac!"
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