"08 Imperial, a mistake looking for an identity?............>>>>>

[Johnny SixPack]

Here's the first pic we'd already seen, and a couple more:







Alright, I'll be the first to admit that for many it's not very exciting news that Chrysler is possibly bringing back the Imperial name, but as an Imperial owner ("72 Le Baron) I was stoked to hear that they might.

Now flash forward to the release of the pix, and I've gotta be honest, I'm disappointed.

The car in no way stands on it's own merits from a pure design standpoint.

There's flashes of Roll Royce, Auburn and even Jeep in there.

Even the stance of the the concept is more SUV/truck than luxury car to say the least.

And what's with the half-assed attempt at a boat-tail?

Plus that ride height is killing me!

I guess DCX is making it easier for when some future owners begin putting 24"s and 26"s on the car.

More bling for the buck might become a selling point for DCX if the tread continues.

There's interesting bits to the car, but all of those bits together make it lose its singularity.

Anyone else got an opinion on this one?

Let's just stray away from Hater this time around, mmm-kay?


Johnny

[Silver R/T]

well people like dubs...as far as car its not best looking, looks like New Yorker prototype imo

[TruckDriver]

You are hitting it right on the head by saying you see "Rolls Royce" in it, cause that is all I see

[ChargerBill]

This POS has CREED written all over it...it's a HUGE MONSTROSITY bastard child of RR, Hindenburg and Oscar Meyer Wienermobile...

[Mefirst]

It looks exactly like the thing I left in the toilet earlier today...

[Johnny SixPack]

You are hitting it right on the head by saying you see "Rolls Royce" in it, cause that is all I see

As I see it the 300C is a poor man's Bentley, and the Imperial will be the poor man's Rolls.

You can't hardly turn around without seeing a 300 with a Bentley grille on it, even livin' out here in 'Hicksville', Texas.

It completely falls in line with the idea that DCX is using Chysler as a stepping stone to Mercedes.

Although is a pretty big f'n step to go from the "08 Imperial to let's say... a Maybach?

[ChargerBill]

I KNEW it was looking familiar, but couldn't place it. Then it dawned on me:













Yep, Snuffleupagus....looks just like him.

[Steve P.]

When are they bringing back the K-Car??

[Telvis]

You have got to be kidding me.......

[Daytona R/T SE]

As the owner of a "Real" Imperial   ( 72 Lebaron ) I've got to say this new Imperial concept car is a total disaster.   I didn't think it was possible, but Creed and the gang have actually succeded in making a car uglier that the '06 "Charger"     The car that should have been built as an Imperial was actually presented to the public in concept form back in '98 , it was called the Chronos, and some of the articles I read back then actually called it the "Imperial Chronos"....


http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/chronos.html

[TheGhost]

As the owner of a "Real" Imperial  ( 72 Lebaron ) I've got to say this new Imperial concept car is a total disaster.  I didn't think it was possible, but Creed and the gang have actually succeded in making a car uglier that the '06 "Charger"   The car that should have been built as an Imperial was actually presented to the public in concept form back in '98 , it was called the Chronos, and some of the articles I read actually called it the "Imperial Chronos"....


http://www.allpar.com/cars/concepts/chronos.html

That's a sharp looking car.

I agree, this was made to be a poor man's Rolls.  DCX is hoping for another smash hit, ala 300.  Somehow, I don't think this will live up to expectations.

[beedees]

  Anybody else see a hint of Volkswagen in that pos?

[Darkness]

It has ricer taillights. Hmmmm another great idea by Creeder. Oh wait this gets better. Have you folks heard about the Chrysler Aspen? Yep, it's Chrysler's version of a Dodge Durango.

[Silver R/T]

front doesnt look too bad

[CFMopar]

I dont think its that bad....

[Brock Samson]

what happened to my thread you guys?.. 

[Paul G]

What are you supposed to do with it? Maybe go plow snow with that big flat front end?

[Old Moparz]

what happened to my thread you guys?.. 

It was diseased.

[Brock Samson]

 oh really?... and who's fault was that?..   

[DodgeChargerNeeded]

WOW, I thought the 06 Charger was sick looking but that Imperial takes the cake as worlds ugliest car.

[Silver R/T]

does look like they wanted it to look like rolls

[bull]

I've always wondered what a four-eyed monkey would look like. Well, not really, but now I know.

[Orange_Crush]

Here's the first pic we'd already seen, and a couple more:







Alright, I'll be the first to admit that for many it's not very exciting news that Chrysler is possibly bringing back the Imperial name, but as an Imperial owner ("72 Le Baron) I was stoked to hear that they might.

Now flash forward to the release of the pix, and I've gotta be honest, I'm disappointed.

The car in no way stands on it's own merits from a pure design standpoint.

There's flashes of Roll Royce, Auburn and even Jeep in there.

Even the stance of the the concept is more SUV/truck than luxury car to say the least.

And what's with the half-assed attempt at a boat-tail?

Plus that ride height is killing me!

I guess DCX is making it easier for when some future owners begin putting 24"s and 26"s on the car.

More bling for the buck might become a selling point for DCX if the tread continues.

There's interesting bits to the car, but all of those bits together make it lose its singularity.

Anyone else got an opinion on this one?

Let's just stray away from Hater this time around, mmm-kay?


Johnny

I'm not crazy about it.  Its got potential, but the problem is that they tried to incorporate several anachronistic design cues.

Take the headlights, for example.  The headlights are supposed to mimic the "stand-alone" headlights in the early sixties imperials.

Then there's the grille.  The early sixties imps had split grilles and the designer tried to put a "shadow line" center division in the grille.  It didn't work.

Lastly, the high "bustle" rear-end races its roots back to the mid-sixties cars  In any case, those design cues have not translated well to a modern car.

I can see what they were going for, which is to say, a tall, upright American-looking sedan with a loooong hood and short deck in the vein of the early-mid sixties Imps.

The idea is a good one, but I ain't crazy about the execution.  I'd like to keep the general profile of the car (long hood, high front, high rear) but change out the "retro" touches.  I'd like to see the high rear balanced out with a horizontal taillight treatment (like the sixties imperials).

As far as the interior is concerned, keep it the way it is...its gorgeous.

[74-StreetMachine]

Paint it metallic pea and it bears a strong resemblance to the Wagon Queen Family Truckster. 

http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/74dodge@sbcglobal.net/album?.dir=92fb&.src=ph&store=&prodid=&.done=http%3a//photos.yahoo.com/ph//my_photos

[Johnny SixPack]

OC, I will give you the fact that the interior is very nice:







I still choose to disagree with you on the exterior styling.

Maybe if you'd pass over whatever you were smokin' I'd see it your way on this.