The 1963 Imperial Crown is a legendary American luxury land yacht that represented the paek of post-war automotive extravagance. Marketed under Chrysler's standalone ultra-luxury Imperial brand rather than as a Chrysler model, it was built to compete head-to-head with Cadillac and Lincoln. The 1963 model year is highly significant as it marked the grand finale of legendary designer Virgil Exner's dramatic "Forward Look" styling era.
Distinctive Design Features
- Floating Headlights: The front fascia prominently featured standalone, chrome-pedestal headlights nestled in alcoves beside the grille.
- Tamed Tailfins: Unlike the towering tailfins of 1961 and 1962, the 1963 model integrated low-profile, sleek, circular "gun-sight" pod taillights.
- Record-Breaking Width: Reaching a maximum exterior width of 81.7 inches, this generation retains the record for the widest non-limousine American production car in history.
- The "Squircle" Steering Wheel: : Drivers navigated via a famously unique, rounded-rectangular steering wheel designed to improve thigh clearance and forward visibility.
This Imperial was purchased at The Raleigh Classic in 2014. Represented as a highly original, 1-owner car with 17,000 actual miles.
