Chrysler attempted to position Imperial as an independent brand to fight Lincoln and Cadillac, but it never really worked. Imperials were always sold at Chrysler dealerships, though for some years, the cars looked distinctive and tended to have the latest technology before its sister divisions.

The marque began in 1955, though Chrysler had sold Imperial models for many years before that. This lasted till 1975, when the oil crisis saw the division’s sales plummet. Cars which had been Imperials became the Chrysler New Yorker Brougham.

Imperial had its final fling with a two-door personal–luxury coupé for the 1981–3 model years, related to the Chrysler Cordoba and Dodge Mirada.

• Imperial (1981–3)