1957 Imperial Crown Convertible

The Chrysler Corporation had used the Imperial model name to define its finer motor car offerings since the late 1920s, but they first chose to use the Imperial name as a stand-alone marque at the beginning of 1955. By 1957 the Imperial lineup was well into its second-generation body styles by Chrysler's chief stylist Virgil Exner. His modern 'Forward Look' futuristic style featured huge tailfins with gun-sight taillights and a large rear 'deck' that was almost nautical in its appearance.

This 1957 Imperial Crown Convertible is one of just 1,167 produced. It was powered by Imperial's 392 cubic-inch Hemi V8, which produced 325 horsepower to move this 4,830-pound, 18-foot-long monster proudly out of the showroom after the buyer had paid the $5,598 price tag. This is truly an exceptional example from the era of 'bigger is better.'