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Kicking off the 1950s, consumers were
treated to the freshened look of "The Beautiful Chrysler" --
the brand's advertising theme since 1947. In order to heighten
the visual presentation of the Chrysler lineup's elegant lines
and luxurious interiors, fashion illustrator Frederick Siebel
was commissioned to develop the print advertisements.
Chrysler's advertising for the '50s not
only pictured elegance in automotive design, it also highlighted
advancements in engineering. Hydraglide, the industry's first
power steering unit, was introduced in 1951 and reduced steering
effort by 80 percent. Following on the heels of Hydraglide,
were two other significant innovations -- air-cooled brakes,
and the Hemi-head V8 engine.
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Eventually, a 300-horsepower Hemi-head engine
would find its way into one of the Chrysler brand's most notable
achievements -- the 1955 Chrysler C-300. As the most powerful full-size
car in the world, the 300 soon found a happy home in the NASCAR
circuit, winning 20 out of the 40 races held in '55. Realizing the
awesome power generated by the Hemi-powered C-300 engine, NASCAR
officials made a decision to ban it from sanctioned racing. Oddly
enough, this type of dubious publicity contributed to the popularity
of the Chrysler C-300 and led to a proliferation of similar "super
cars" in 1956.
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Chrysler innovations during the
'50s did not stop with the Hemi. In 1956, Chrysler teamed up
with CBS to offer the "Highway Hi-Fi" -- a compact phonograph
mounted under the dashboard that played specially-made records.
1957 saw the introduction of the now famous torsion-bar front
suspension, which provided superior handling and allowed for
much lower bodies. And, closing out the decade in 1958, Chrysler
created a more efficient and dependable alternative to the carburetor
with the development of electronic fuel injection. |
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While America's youth focused on "revolution"
during the 1960s, Chrysler maintained its focus on "innovation."
With this in mind, Chrysler started the decade with a bold
move in November of 1961. Designer Elwood Engel had been lured
away from his post at Ford, and was charged to reshape Chrysler
styling. His first creation, the 1963 Chrysler Turbine --
or "Englebird" -- was built in 1963 to test reaction to his
design and the effectiveness of a gas turbine engine. Only
50 of the 1963 Chrysler Turbines were manufactured, and they
featured headlight/taillight bezels styled with a rotary-blade
motif to emphasize the unconventional power source.
Chrysler also continued production of
the popular 300 series automobiles through the decade. The
term "muscle car" refers to the 300 and others like it, because
they were unassuming sedans and coupes that included high-performance
V8 engines. This did not mean, however, that the Chrysler
engines were inefficient. To the contrary, a Chrysler 300
placed first in its class in the 1967 Mobil Economy Run. In
addition, a Chrysler New Yorker took first in its class the
following year during the 2,272-mile Mobil Economy Run from
Los Angeles to Indianapolis.
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