[3] In 1926, Walter P. Chrysler decided to compete with North American marques Cadillac, Lincoln, Packard, Pierce Arrow, Studebaker, Cord, and Duesenberg in the luxury car field, while the newly formed company only had a large displacement straight-six to offer.

Chrysler offered a variety of body styles: a two/four-passenger roadster (four passenger if car had the rumble seat[9]), a four-seat coupé, five-passenger sedan and phaeton, and a seven-passenger top-of-the-line limousine.

[10] Imperials could be distinguished from Chrysler products by the use of a distinctive scalloped hood and radiator shell and a 120 in (3,048 mm) wheelbase, which shared an appearance with Packard and the Buick Master Six.

Total Chrysler calendar year production was recorded at 160,670, their all-time high pre-war until decades later[5] Model years 1929 and 1930 Series 80L were essentially unchanged from the 1928 version as engineering efforts were focusing on the 1931 Series CG Straight Eight, while there were some engineering advancements, to include thermostatically controlled automatic adjusting exterior radiator shutters, vertical hood louvers and a four-speed manual transmission.

Coachbuilder Locke provided four convertible choices in both coupe and sedan configurations, and hydraulic four wheel brakes were now standard on all Chrysler products.

The Imperial introduced a vee-type radiator, a long straight hood that displayed "torpedo" styling, and wide flowing fenders with a split and slanted windshield and showed visual similarities to the Cord L-29.

[5][14] Various features considered luxurious in nature at the time included dual sun visors, adjustable front seats and steering column, rust-proof fenders, wire-spoked wheels, automatic heater control, safety glass and Lockheed supplied hydraulic brakes.

[5] Stock car driver Harry Hartz set numerous speed records with a 1933 Imperial sedan at Daytona Beach, Florida.

[5] It was introduced shortly after the Rolls-Royce Phantom II, Mercedes-Benz 770, Packard Eight, Duesenberg Model J, Renault Reinastella, Cadillac Series 355, and Lincoln K-series.

Total documented CG production shows that 3,228 of all body style choices were manufactured, including chassis only supplied to individual coachwork providers.

The Series CH and CL featured all steel body work, a double drop "girder truss" chassis frame, split windshields, dual sun visors, and trumpet horns.

It led to a rethinking of the fundamental design of Chrysler's cars with a primary focus on reducing wind noise inside the passenger compartment.

Its prestige was similar to the Cadillac Series 90 limousine, Rolls-Royce Phantom III, Packard Twelve, Mercedes-Benz 770, Renault Suprastella and the Lincoln Custom.

The top level Series CW recorded only 32 limousines that could accommodate eight passengers, offering four different coachwork choices for a minimum listed price of US$5,000 ($111,117 in 2023 dollars [11]).

The front windshield was either split or curved one piece on the Imperial Custom and continued to be extendable from the base outwards while a separate retractable cowl ventilator remained to provide fresh air inside the passenger compartment.

The top level Imperial Custom Series CW continued to be offered but was very exclusive, using a 146.5 in (3,721 mm) wheelbase while eliminating the "Airflow" nameplate.

Innovations for 1937 included built-in defroster vents, safety-type interior hardware (such as flexible door handles and recessed controls on the dash[19]), seat-back padding, and fully insulated engine mounts.

[20] Unusually for ventilation, it had a concealed crank to extend the base of the split windshield outward and the top edge of the engine hood was hinged at the cowl and opened from the grille and up.

An Imperial Custom Series C-15 Convertible Sedan by Derham was used as the AAA Official Car at the 1937 Indy 500 and was painted silver and black to celebrate the racetracks 25th anniversary.

It was allegedly repainted black from the original Brewster Green and put into wartime service in 1942, used by Admiral Chester Nimitz as a staff car.

One of three Imperial Custom Convertible Town Car by Derham was specially built for the 1939 royal tour of Canada of British King George VI and Queen Elizabeth when their visit was in the United States.

[5] Following an assassination attempt in 1937, an armoured Chrysler Imperial was purchased as the official car for António de Oliveira Salazar, the Prime Minister of Portugal.

[28] The 1950 Crosley Hot Shot is often given credit for the first production disc brakes but the Chrysler Imperial Crown had them first as standard equipment at the beginning of the 1949 model year.

Lack of sufficient research caused enormous reliability problems, especially in regions requiring the use of salt on winter roads, such as sticking and corrosion.

[33] In 1954 the Imperial Custom had a new grille consisting of a heavy wraparound horizontal center bar with five ridges on top and integrated circular signal lights.

Beginning in 1967, the Imperial Division, offering three ranges (Custom, Crown, and LeBaron), retreated from their separate body-on-frame construction and their unique body on a 129.5-inch wheelbase.

The Imperial name was again resurrected for a model built from 1981 through 1983, as a malaise era two-door coupe based on the second-generation Chrysler Cordoba platform with the designation Series YS.

Other domestic competitors in this segment included the Cadillac Sedan de Ville/Fleetwood, Oldsmobile 98 and Buick Electra/Park Avenue, all of which shared General Motors' then-flagship C platform.

Power equipment came standard, as did automatic climate-controlled air conditioning, anti-lock brakes, cruise control, driver's side airbag, and its distinct landau vinyl roof.

Riding on 22-inch (560 mm) wheels, the car presented "a six-figure image but at a much lower price" according to Tom Tremont, Vice President of advanced vehicle design for Chrysler.