1956 Imperial Crown Limousine
When Chrysler elevated Imperial to its own marque for 1955, the Crown Imperial limousine became the flagship of an entirely independent luxury line.
Riding a 149.5-inch wheelbase (compared to 133 inches for standard Imperial models), the C70-series offered eight-passenger seating with a formal divider separating the rear compartment from the chauffeur’s section.
Virgil Exner’s Forward Look gave all 1955–56 Imperials a distinctive identity, with a bold egg-crate grille and dramatic “gun-sight” taillights inspired by the Ghia-built K-310 and d’Elegance concept cars.
Standard equipment included power steering, power brakes, and Chrysler’s pushbutton-operated PowerFlite automatic transmission, with power windows and factory air conditioning available as options.
Power came from Chrysler’s 354 cubic inch Hemi V8, rated at 280 horsepower in 1956, providing smooth and effortless performance for a vehicle measuring over 229 inches in overall length and weighing approximately 5,500 pounds.
Production figures were extremely limited, with 51 Crown Imperial sedans and 119 Crown Imperial limousines built for 1956.
That year proved to be the last for factory-assembled Crown Imperial limousines in Detroit; beginning in 1957, long-wheelbase Imperial models were built by Italy’s Carrozzeria Ghia, ending a long tradition of fully domestic formal coachwork from Chrysler.
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