By Jeff Glucker
We’ve got Chargers and Challengers. Recently, there was a new Ford GT. Now we’ve got the all-new Ford Bronco. These are revived names from the past, and they’ve been brought back to life for good reason or given retro-inspired styling because people have strong emotions tied to the history that exists in their heads. So what’s next? Does anything else out there need to come back?
I say yes if you look at the Imperial Crown.
Remember a point in time when Chrysler struck the Imperial family out as its own luxury brand of sorts? You had some amazing machines with excellent style. Not as ostentatious as the Cadillacs of the time, but just as luxurious, if not more so. One of my favorites of the era is the 1970 Imperial Crown. Interestingly enough, the car pictured above (which I found on Wikipedia) was snapped cruising around in the Netherlands!
I believe Chrysler (…or I guess, S T E L L A N T I S) could let its design team have a crack at a full-size sedan that sits above the current 300. Give it classically cool styling brought modern, throw some luxury at the interior, and stuff a 6.4-liter V8 under the hood. Draw up the Imperial badging now, and let me drool over what might be. Even if they’ll probably only sell a handful, it’s still more appealing than whatever Cadillac is building (or killing too early) right now.
What else is out there? What other sedan do you think should be brought back to life?
The Imperial needs to go after the same market that the recent suicide door Lincoln did. Ultra luxury American style. For most of its life Imperial was a separate marque. Many years Imperial was priced above Cadillac.
We should only bring back sedans with troubling, anti-democratic names. The Imperial, The Toyota Crown, The Buick Regal, The NSU Prinze, The Ford Crown Victoria and Tudor, The Mercury Monarch and Marquis (especially in Marauder trim, because what builds empires? Marauding.) We can leave the Iron Duke in the museum, though.
Studebaker Dictator and President. Commander, too.
Not the Dodge Diplomat, though, huh? Too conciliatory?
Nothing they build today would match the beauty of this jewel. Damn, but Chrysler’s mid-50s offerings were stellar.
https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.hagerty.com/vehicle/web/55_imperial_crownimperial_sedan_wikimedia_rank1.jpg
Well, it wasn’t a sedan, but Chrysler’s 300 letter series had similar style with only two doors.
Maybe Chrysler could resurrect a 300 letter model.
Chrysler already has the 300, but it’s not nearly as gorgeous.
https://di-uploads-pod15.dealerinspire.com/capecoralchryslerdodgejeepram/uploads/2019/09/2018-Chrysler-300S-0008-1024×603-1024×603.jpg
I’m pretty sure that’s a
LamboFord, dude.https://img.hmn.com/fit-in/900×506/filters:upscale()/stories/2018/08/619225.jpg
The question I asked myself is, what sedan was shaped differently enough from the cars of today to warrant a revival, and which had a specifically “sedan-y” reason for its shape, instead of just having four doors cut into an otherwise generic profile. Framed that way, the answer became obvious: BMC’s ADO17, aka the “Landcrab.” And if I’m bringing that back, I’m going for the Wolseley version’s distinctive grille.
http://www.aronline.co.uk/images/1800_08.jpg
Whatever it is, tailfins need a comeback.
https://barrettjacksoncdn.azureedge.net/staging/carlist/items/Fullsize/Cars/230249/230249_Rear_3-4_Web.jpg
Sensible fins for sensible times?
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/55/Moskvich_412_rear_3.jpg
Sensible Finns?
https://www.icesi.edu.co/blogs/cineycrispetas/files/2013/01/Leningrad-Cowboys-1.png
I can’t believe that film is over 30 years old and I still haven’t watched it.
What movie is it?
“Leningrad Cowboys Go America”
(The Leningrad Cowboys are still an active band, and still from Finland not Siberia.)
Although they have performed with the Red Army Choir.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7GMgR2vkvtI&list=RD7GMgR2vkvtI&start_radio=1
This YT video doesn’t seem to have the subtitles. The movie switches to English about 9 minutes in, and most of those 9 minutes are either music or visuals, but much of the remainder of those first 9 minutes is the film’s set-up that might be a little hard to follow unless you understand Russian. If you have a subscription to another service that’s showing it, watch it there, instead.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTRz1YqKpl8
I’ve never met a Finn who’s been sane, never mind sensible once you got past the quiet exterior. Probably why they make good rally drivers though.
I’ve never met a Finn who’s been sane, never mind sensible once you got past the quiet exterior. Probably why they make good rally drivers though.
Not a big fan of fins unless they are super subtle, though I make an exception for the 1800.
https://ccnwordpress.blob.core.windows.net/journal/2018/11/volvo-p1800-rear.jpg
Are some of the character lines on modern crossovers subtle Easter eggs?
https://www.nissan.ca/content/dam/Nissan/Canada/Vehicles/murano/2020/vap/vehicle-profile/2020-nissan-murano-s-fwd-plus-versions-jellybean.png.ximg.l_12_m.smart.png
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/2017_GMC_Terrain_SLE_front_3.25.18.jpg/280px-2017_GMC_Terrain_SLE_front_3.25.18.jpg
Brilliant observation!
Singular central tailfins have been back in LMP1 for ages.. but LMP1 is gone this year.
https://www.racefans.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/toyota-ts050-hybrid-2017-5.jpg
Doesn’t the sedan itself need a revival? If Buick brought back the Electra, it would be some abominable igloo shaped suv-over pile. There are scarcely any American (or British) marques left to produce any of the old sedans, anyway. What’s left, the Isuzu Bellet? BMW Bavaria?
I’m with you. A sedan revival – ANY sedan revival – would be welcome at this point. I missed it when it happened but a few weeks ago Ford quietly announced that it was killing the Continental at the end of this year.
All I want is a car that is maybe a little bit more than just enough. I don’t need ground clearance. I don’t need all wheel drive. I just want light, efficient, attractive, and if it’s not too much trouble.. a little bit of fun.
It’s certainly doable. here’s a peugeot take on that idea
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/9456e19d68a019d8eca1cacb274c8666f9b8bd2db3686f1e268d09f66f115ef7.jpg
the nissan IdX was another good take on that concept. and includes the ‘visual fin’ shared with the murano
https://uploads.disquscdn.com/images/aebf53379106d27b15c7d74e66f2b2e7d69da9ac00725f2b1974f6b39c406fd5.jpg
But aren’t those coupes?
The full name is “two-door sedans”. Think four-door coupe, but different.
Remember, the Type 1 VW Beetle was a sedan, too.
Of modern concepts, those two are a couple of my favorites. I was pissed when Nissan abandoned the idea.
The question I asked myself is, what sedan was shaped differently enough from the cars of today to warrant a revival, and which had a specifically “sedan-y” reason for its shape, instead of just having four doors cut into an otherwise generic profile. Framed that way, the answer became obvious: BMC’s ADO17, aka the “Landcrab.” And if I’m bringing that back, I’m going for the Wolseley version’s distinctive grille.
http://www.aronline.co.uk/images/1800_08.jpg
All you need is some communists to throw it together shoddily, so outsource it to China but tell them to scale back the QC (yeah technically before the BMC / BL rot set in, don’t overthink the joke)
All you need is some communists to throw it together shoddily, so outsource it to China but tell them to scale back the QC (yeah technically before the BMC / BL rot set in, don’t overthink the joke)
I was thinking more like the basic body shape and interior, but no other carryovers from the original. With those small wheels, I have to think that Fiat Abarth underpinnings would be a good starting point. Now that I think about it, that would approximate the quality and reliability parameters you set fourth.
https://classicmoto.rs/cdn/thmbs/87/05/8705c2307aceb9baada963059453c43e.jpg
https://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/1966_volvo_122s_1561421183f8d80babf074-e1562729824390.jpg?fit=940%2C627
2CV because nothing else compares to it, and the Amazon because it’s one of my faves.
I would love to see a modernized Tucker 48.