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Veteran
Posts: 212
Location: Ontario | http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/01/08/detorit-2006-chrysler-imperi...
what do you, boys and girls, think of this? |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 558
Location: Grenoble - France | Personally, I find it quite ... ugly or "fat". They could have designed something less "heavy". It appears that the front end has been inspired by the 1961 Imperial, whereas the dash seems to have been inspired by the 1957-1958, with the 2 big chrome rings in front of the driver. Concerning the rear end, well, I think it lacks of ideas ... (basically, the car is too similar to the Rolls-Royce Phantom ...). I would have expected something lower and longer in aspect. |
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Expert
Posts: 1302
Location: Skaneateles,NY(summer)/Port St.Lucie,FL(winter) | At first glance, it looks like a rebadged PT Cruiser. I would have thought that an Imperial would have a longer, more comfortable riding wheelbase and be a bit wider and lower. And the hood treatment for the "fake" Hemi is not in the imperial tradition of under stated power. It just doesn't impress me as being an Imperial... |
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Board Moderator
Posts: 3186
Location: The not-so-great, dirty-white North ( Michigan) | I agree...
The wheelbase and the rear leading fender flares give it a "squashed" look.
The front end, whlie just OK head-on (see recommendations below), loses its appeal in the oblique views.
NOT what I would think of in an Imperial design.
I also take exception with the embossed "wing" pattern surrounding the Chrysler badge.
The Imperial had its own emblem (the EAGLE), and I think that should be incorporated.
Basically, I think this thing needs a lengthened wheelbase (by about 7-9%).
This will expand the cabin room, allow a longer hood and trunk bustle, and improve the flow of the rest of the vehicle (getting rid of those darn fender flares as well).
I also think the grille opening should be made more rectangular than it is. The Imperial crest can then sit on the new metal upper valence created by doing this, and would make the front a lot "softer" to the eye.
Too much to hope for these days with "gunsight" tail lights, but THAT would really add to the retro Imperial styling.
Any comments on these changes?????? |
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Expert
Posts: 2721
Location: Minneapolis | Initially, I thought it was great, but seeing it from different angles, don't know. It may be one of those vehicles that just does not photgraph well like the AMC Gremlin or the F0RD Maverick (kidding, of course).
I think the body lines below the belt are great and the suicide doors kick total @ss!
BUT, the jury is still out on the decklid (too Acura-like) and the obnoxiously large winged nameplate is ridiculous. (When Chrysler used the Imp eagle previously, its when it was a seperate division, not just a Chrysler model like now.) The grille is a disgrace and the headlamps don't go with it. The tail lamps are all BUT gun-sight, they look like a dozen others on the road today, ie. the Lexus 300 SUV. Mount them on TOP of the d@mn quarters somehow if you want to reflect some heritage! Oh, and did I mention the nameplates were obnoxious? Those ARE totally PT Cruiser.
It really could be something with some easy fixes. But if gets the green light, as it probably will, they probably won't change the right things. But those suicide doors, well, d@mn!
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 483
Location: near St Augustine, FL | IMO, everything looks out of proportion to what I would imagine a new Imperial to be.... |
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Expert 5K+
Posts: 7210
Location: Victoria, BC, on Vancouver Island, Canada | It looks to me like it's coming and going at the same time, its hard to tell the rear end is actually a rear end, looks more like a front end. With Chrysler's past unsuccesful attempts at the Imperial and its re-introductions in 1981, 1990 etc I think they should lay it to rest. |
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Expert
Posts: 2824
Location: Snohomish, WA. | Ugly. It looks just like all the other new crap on the road. From 50 feet you can't tell one car from another, with very few exceptions these days. From the 50's thru the 70's you could glance at a car from very great distances and know it's pedigree.
That's one reason I have the dodge Pick-up. It can't be mistaken for a pick-up of any other brand. Both my '71 and my 2004.
Mike |
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Expert
Posts: 2011
Location: Ballwin, Missouri | ICK !!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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Expert
Posts: 1303
Location: Farmingdale NJ | I agree with the idea of stretching it a little and lowering it. Its so bad that I hope the pics are just out of proportion for some reason. Reminds me of that 4 wheel drive AMC car. The interior is classy, but is that neon lighting in there? Oh and one more thing, am I the only one that noticed those hideous and huge rear view mirrors on the exterior? |
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Member
Posts: 37
Location: Ann Arbor, Mi | "Its so bad that I hope the pics are just out of proportion for some reason." After seeing it in person, I have to agree that it does indeed have odd proportions.
Ugly, Cartoonish, Garish..just plain bad.........but the bling blingers will love it. Can't you just see a padded Gucci vinyl roof and some 26" wheels with gold and rhinestone spinners. Big Pimpin. |
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Expert
Posts: 4533
Location: Ripon, WI | Big pimpin... good song... |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 709
Location: Poznan, Poland, Europe | Well...what can I say...first, it's again a CHRYSLER Imperial. And this car seems to get inspiration from pre-1955 Imperials, before they were separated from Chrysler. Raised hood, like all the cars from 1946-1954 had, there's also something in a shape of separated rear fender, and reminiscents of side step sculptured at the quarters. And isn't the "higher-than-longer" type of proportions a copy of the K.T. Keller's motto for designing cars ?
I may eventually agree with the sugestion about 1961 grille and headlights. Winged Chrysler ornament isn't Imperial eagle-inspired, all Chryslers were getting that last times. Generally I may accept the look of it, (but it isn't shocking in the positive way), but I won't forgive the separated rear seats, it's an luxury car, not the Chrysler 300 ! The hood and the decklid look like they're interchangeable becouse of their shapes. Too bad they didn't made a 4 door hardtop out of it (but I keep saying that about all new cars which aren't hardtops, my little obsession). |
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Expert
Posts: 1208
Location: Ponder, TX | Perhaps I'm biased, but here's one I did to try and morph the current Chrysler body into a modern iteration of the '56 Imperial.
(You're right, I have almost no experience with Photoshop and I didn't make a special effort to go into great detail.)
http://www.imagestation.com/album/pictures.html?id=2131778127&idx=2 |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 709
Location: Poznan, Poland, Europe | GaryS - 2006-01-14 6:04 PM
I did to try and morph the current Chrysler body into a modern iteration of the '56 Imperial.
Looks very interesting |
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Veteran
Posts: 238
Location: The Potter Meat Market, Potter, WI | I like the Imperial concept. Sure, there are some things I would change. The gigantic fake-chrome side mirrors look stupid, and the taillights are pretty Lexus-y for the rest of the car. But it really does look like a little Rolls Royce Phantom. And I don't see anything wrong with that. I'm not sure what I'd like to see for taillights, but I always thought the Imperial taillights on top of the rear quarters looked tacked-on at the last minute. I wouldn't want taillights on my car that a kid could grab onto and snap off, and I dont' want a car to look like it has an aftermarket set of trailer taillights stuck on the fenders either.
The sad part is, all the best aspects of it won't make it into production, and the ugly s**t will. Suicide doors will end up being deemed too dangerous for production, but the clear taillights are the standard of the industry, so they'll be a go, and so will the big ugly mirrors, because apparently all new cars have to have power heated mirrors with at least 2 square feet of mirror face on them.
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Veteran
Posts: 118
Location: alpena,michigan,USA | About as far away as you can get from the Forward Look! It needs FINS,and a lot of other help! |
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