The earliest vehicles to carry the LeBaron nameplate were Chrysler's Imperial cars. The original LeBaron, unlike the late body type, the sporty j-body, were true Chrysler luxury liners. The 1959 Imperial LeBaron, which is the earliest model I could find, has styling that speaks for itself -- and would set you back around $6,000.
1960 brought an interesting change in styling with more emphasized wingtips and molded chrome bumper. She was designed a true luxury car, one which was partially handcrafted, and advertised as "America's most carefully built cars" -- a shock to anyone who owns a Chrysler vehicle of today. Also, the '60 Imperial LeBaron boasted the world's highest torque for a passenger car.
As time went on the Imperial LeBaron began to become more conservative in styling, and by 1966 resembled the Dodge Dart. Around this time the LeBaron had the pushbutton automatic three speed, which died out in the 70's. This car was advertised for being incredibly automatic for it's time, to "enjoy the sheer fun of driving a great automobile."
1967 saw another big change in the LeBaron, with more sleek refined lines, incredible length, and a more professional look. This car introduces a look that is classic for this time period.
The 1970 Imperial LeBaron's styling changed with the times, yet still kept its prestigious look. At this time the car was known for it's finish: a 7-step rust protection process, two coats of primer, three coats of acrylic enamel, then oven baked. The color pictured here is Satin Tan Metallic, also known to some as "classic 70's gold."
During this time the car took a new turn: away from the luxury liner days of the 60's to the muscle cars of the 70's. Chrysler redefined the Imperial's body by using the inspiration of an aircraft - long before Ford's "breakthrough" with aerodynamic design with the Thunderbird. The sleek LeBaron's design was called fuselage styling, given its wide body and curved attributes. The once luxurious LeBaron was now built for one purpose: performance.
1975 was the last year of the Imperial, with this design to continue under the Chrysler LeBaron nameplate. This car was the beginning of the m-body series, which would soon be renamed the New Yorker, that continued until Chrysler's "new image" in the mid 90's. The change to the m-body returned the Imperial to her earlier days of luxury, a final tribute to a great series of cars.
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