Chrysler New Yorker

The Chrysler New Yorker was a premium automobile built by the Chrysler Corporation from 1939 to 1996, serving for several years as the brand's flagship model.

The New Yorker name helped define the Chrysler brand as a maker of upscale models priced and equipped above mainstream brands like Ford, Chevrolet, and Dodge, but below full luxury brands like Cadillac and Packard. During the New Yorker's tenure, it competed against models from Buick, Oldsmobile, Lincoln, and Mercury.

History

The Chrysler "New York Special" first appeared in the 1930s, and the New Yorker moniker first appeared in 1939. Until its discontinuation in 1996, the New Yorker had made its mark as the longest running American car nameplate.

1954

The 1954 was a premium version of a standard 1950s size body.

1957

Redesigned with Virgil Exner's "Forward Look", the 1957 New Yorker had a powerful 392-cid Hemi V8 with 325 horsepower. This stylish car was a hot seller with 10,948 built and only 1,049 convertible models. The '57 model also had TorqueFlite 3 speed transmission and Torison-Aire suspension that gave smoother handling and ride quality to the car.

1970s

The new for 1969 New Yorker was a premium version of a full-size V8 automobile, available as a two or four door hardtop, four door sedan, and Town and Country Station Wagon, competing against high end Buicks, Oldsmobiles and Mercurys. The so called "fuselage" styling featured on all full size Chrysler products remained relatively unchanged until the introduction of the 1974 models which featured a far more massive slab sided effect. These 1974 models timed to coincide precisely with the 1973 OPEC oil embargo, and were a significant part of Chrysler's economic woes in the late 70's. In fact the 1974 models were the last full-size models Chrysler would ever design from the ground up, as the short lived 1979-81 R-bodies were stretched versions of the old mid-sized B-bodies. Chrysler, as the corporation's only division without a smaller "personal" size model, suffered worse than most, stimulating the introduction of the new Chrysler Cordoba, and later LeBaron models.