26. Imperial
To be able to fight the competitors in all classes, the Chrysler Corporation or Mopar needed a luxury brand. Although they first introduced it as a model line on full-size Chryslers, they upgraded the Imperial to a separate model in 1955. And that marked Chrysler’s entry to the full-size luxury market, directly competing against GM’s Cadillac and Ford’s Lincoln. However, the Imperials were impressive cars in all aspects. Big, luxurious, powerful, and built with the highest standards of the day, they soon became a respectable adversary to the Cadillac and Lincoln. However, the Imperial still was the lowest-selling brand of the three, even though it had one big problem.
Some engines or components were interchangeable between Lincoln and Ford, but this wasn’t the case with the Imperial. It looked like a luxury Chrysler, but with different trim and insignias. Over the years, it proved hard to sell luxury cars that looked like much less expensive models, despite the evident quality, power, and equipment. So, Chrysler discontinued the Imperial after the 1975 model year. However, the Imperial had one more chance in the form of a luxury coupe they produced from 1981 to 1983. It was a cool-looking two-door model with hidden headlights and a plush interior they designed to attack the Cadillac Eldorado and Mercedes SL. But, even with the help of Frank Sinatra as their spokesperson, it didn’t succeed. After that, the Imperial name appeared on several trim levels and concept vehicles, but the brand remained dead.