While the 1959 Imperial Crown marked the end of Virgil Exner’s “Forward Look” design theme, it also heralded a number of firsts.
Mechanically, Chrysler Corporation’s hemispherical-head V-8 was replaced by the new 413-cubic inch “wedge” with single Carter four-barrel carburetion, developing 350 hp and 475 ft-lbs of torque while weighing a staggering 101 pounds less than the “Hemi” it replaced.
The ’59 Imperials were the first cars to be assembled at Chrysler’s all-new Dearborn, Michigan plant, where each vehicle received quality-control checks at every station.
Reinforcing its technological dominance, the ’59 Imperial lineup introduced fingertip-controlled dual-front swivel seats and a pushbutton-actuated heater/air conditioner unit. These Jet Age innovations joined the finger-controlled TorqueFlite transmission, Auto-Pilot cruise control, radio, six-way power seats, power windows and power door locks in pampering the Imperial driver and passengers. Optional Imperial features debuting for 1959 included an air suspension enhancement to its torsion-bar setup, a self-adjusting rearview mirror and an electronic headlight beam changer.
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