The Chrysler Corporation took some unusual steps in 1962-64 to rebuild its declining sales in the premium-priced and luxury-car fields. That included getting rid of the New Yorker two-door hardtop in 1962, downsizing senior Chryslers to a 122-inch wheelbase in 1963, and at mid year introducing a new luxury model called the New Yorker Salon.
J. “Kelly” Flory Jr. stated that the rationale for the Salon was to fill the void “left by the impending cancellation of the Imperial Custom line” in the 1964 model year (2004, p. 220).
The Salon pushed the Chrysler brand back into the luxury field for the first time since the Imperial was spun off as a brand in 1955. Whereas the standard New Yorker four-door hardtop was priced at $4,118 in 1963, the Salon went for $5,860. That was not only higher than the Imperial’s entry-level Custom, but it was also slightly higher than the mid-level Crown.
Note that we aren’t making an apples-to-apples comparison. The Salon was noteworthy for that time period because it was advertised as the “world’s most completely equipped car.” This included standard features that were optional on the Imperial, such as air conditioning, power door locks, rear-window defogger, auto-pilot and, AM-FM radio and a (partial) vinyl roof.
The Salon did not take the market by storm. In an abbreviated 1963 model year under 600 cars were built. In 1964 production rose to just over 1,600 units. If the goal was to make up for the elimination of the Imperial Custom, the Salon failed to do so. The Custom four-door hardtop tallied over 3,000 units in 1963.
Motor Trend lauds the New Yorker Salon
The Salon didn’t sell well despite a boost from Motor Trend magazine, which ran a glowing road test of the car in its April 1964 issue. Bob McVay noted that buying a Salon would save you “at least $1,000” compared to an Imperial, Lincoln or Cadillac with equivalent features. He further argued that the Salon was a worthy alternative because it had “such a good combination of comfort, luxury, and silence, without sacrificing braking or road-holding” (1964, p. 73).
In a way the Salon showed what the 1961-63 Lincoln Continental could have been. Because the senior Chrysler’s wheelbase had been cut four inches, the Salon was almost as short as the Continental but was 646 pounds lighter despite also having unit-body construction.
The Salon’s relatively short and light body contributed to its greater nimbleness, faster acceleration and better gas mileage than the Continental, which was road tested in the same issue of Motor Trend. The Chrysler’s styling wasn’t as dramatic as the Lincoln’s, but it was unusually clean for a higher-priced American car of that time period. In other words, it even looked “continental.”
Does the Salon’s weak sales prove that a more sensibly-sized, good-handling American luxury car wasn’t viable at that point in time? It wasn’t a good sign but I wonder whether the bigger problem was the high price tag — and Chrysler’s unwillingness to point out in its marketing that the Salon was more affordable than the luxury brands once you factored in equipment levels.
Chrysler may have anticipated the fully-equipped pricing strategy now popular with automakers, but the public clearly wasn’t ready for it in 1963-64 — particularly with a brand lacking stature in the luxury-car field. However, as we discuss further here, the Salon could have made a fine Imperial.
NOTES:
Specifications and production figures from Flory (2004) and McVay (1964a, 1964b).
Share your reactions to this post with a comment below or a note to the editor.
RE:SOURCES
- Flory, J. “Kelly” Jr.; 2004. American Cars, 1960-1972. McFarland & Co., Inc.
- McVay, Bob; 1964a. “Lincoln Continental road test.” Motor Trend. April issue: pp. 26-33.
- ——; 1964b. “Chrysler New Yorker Salon road test.” Motor Trend. April issue: pp. 68-73.
ADVERTISING & BROCHURES:
- oldcarbrochures.org: Chrysler (1963, 1964)
I would wager that New Yorker and Imperial buyers often bought their cars optioned with most of the Salon’s major ticket options. I imagine if you’re ordering a car instead of pulling one off the lot, you might be able to grab a Salon quicker as all hou would have to do is pick a cp;pr and interior making it easier on the factory. Also, “Salon” strikes me as subdued, tasteful, elegance. New Yorker is your grandpa’s Chrysler.
First, the build quality of Chrysler’s full-size cars (Chrysler and Dodge 880) were a mixed bag. Several road tests of these cars (“Car & Driver” 1963 test 300-J, especially) revealed many flaws in test cars. No wonder Lynn Townsend was forced to institute the 5-year / 50,000-mile warranty midway through the model-year.
Second, Chrysler’s investment in television advertising was NBC-TV’s “Bob Hope Chrysler Theater”…Nothing else except spot TV ads. I guess my teenage self and my parents did not subscribe to the right magazines, as I did not even know about the New Yorker Salon.
Finally, why would anybody want an American luxobarge whose family design inspiration was the 1959 (for 1960 model-year) Valiant ?
What the heck are “the 38 items of personal equipment”?…Gold-plated curb-feeler ? After going through the usual items of “froo-froo”, my mind winds up in the gutter, batteries not included !
Was the Salon an almost-orphaned idea that someone thought was too good to give up on? Perhaps it had originally been proposed as the all-new 1962 Imperial LeBaron, which makes some sense to me, otherwise why would you introduce a car that is contented and priced beyond your premium brand’s models? I doubt that Chrysler, at the time, had the prescience to out-Continental Ford, though the comparison is a good one. I also wonder if the Salon and the last of the 300 letter series cars could have been amalgamated then rebranded as premium Chryslers, with unique grilles, taillights and maybe even front fenders, thus supplanting Imperial?
You have a great idea there, CJ.
I accidentally cut myself off. To continue- Make it the Chrysler 300 (letter) Salon. Part of the letter series, but a gentleman’s touring sedan. This would be something to compete with the European sedans in the premium/luxury market, leaving the Imperial the Caddy fighter.
Chrysler should bring back the the imperial because back in the day it was ahead of this time and very innovative then Cadillac or Lincoln at the time and still
That would certainly have been unique market positioning for an American car at that time. I could see a 300M Salon giving contemporaries Jaguar, Bentley & Mercedes some keen competition.
I don’t know the backstory on the Salon, but it was a harbinger of the brougham era, albeit a more serious one. Oldsmobile would do the same with the 98 Luxury Sedan, aiming to leapfrog Buick with Cadillac-level amenities.
One has to remember the power division general managers had in those days to get what they wanted – at least for a while.
And as an aside, the ’63-’64 Chrysler dash is one of my all-time favorites. Clean, modern, and sporty. And quite the contrast to the Chrysler dashes it bracketed.