More than two million passenger cars and trucks bore the DeSoto brand in North American markets during its existence.

It offered electric lights and a compressed air engine starter, which a customer could decline for a credit of US$100 ($3,083 in 2023 dollars [2]).

[3] The DeSoto marque was founded by Walter Chrysler on August 4, 1928, to compete with Pontiac, Studebaker, Hudson and Willys in the mid-price class.

[4] However, shortly after the DeSoto was introduced, Chrysler completed its purchase of Dodge Brothers, giving the company two mid-priced makes.

As a result, the DeSoto received Chrysler's streamlined 1934 Airflow bodies, but on a shorter wheelbase; the design proved unpopular with consumers.

Unlike Chrysler, which still had more traditional models on which to fall back, DeSoto was hobbled by the Airflow design until its 1935 Airstream arrived.

Initially, the 276 cu in (4.5 L) DeSoto "Fire Dome" Hemi engine was installed in the French luxury performance Facel Vega.

[7] For the 1956 update, Exner gave the DeSoto soaring tailfins fitted with triple taillights, and consumers responded by buying in record numbers.

As was conventional in the era, subsequent years within the typical three-year model block were distinguished by trim, bumper and other low-cost modifications, typically by adding bulk to bumpers and grilles, taillight changes, color choices, instrumentation and interior design changes and often additional external trim.

The introduction of the lower-priced Newport to the upscale Chrysler brand no doubt hastened the decision to end production of the DeSoto, which was very similar in size, styling, price and standard features.

Again based on the shorter Chrysler Windsor wheelbase, the DeSoto featured a two-tiered grille (each tier with a different texture) and revised taillights.

At the time, Chrysler warehouses contained several million dollars in 1961 DeSoto parts, so the company ramped up production in order to use up the stock.

Making matters worse, Chrysler continued to ship the cars through December, many of which were sold at a loss by dealers eager to be rid of them.

The market segment DeSoto was positioned in was already filled with brands made by rivals Ford and General Motors.

However, as Chrysler attempted to spin Plymouth off into standalone dealerships, existing dealers typically chose to become higher-volume Plymouth dealerships rather than taking on the slower-selling DeSoto brand, leaving the marque with a weakened dealer network and fewer outlets selling its cars.

Dodge moved upmarket with the Custom Royal in the mid-1950s, which cut into and eroded DeSoto's traditional market segment.

In an era of strong make identification, when DeSoto began to lose any distinctive styling, trouble lay ahead.

Chrysler Corporation introduced the DeSoto brand of trucks in 1937 to provide a greater number of sales outlets overseas for the American-built Dodge and Fargo commercial vehicles.

The DeSoto brand was badge-engineered sporadically on Dodge trucks made in Argentina by its Chrysler local subsidiary (for the D-100 and the D-400[8] since 1960 to 1965), Australia, Spain, Turkey and the United Kingdom.