 The 1957 Chrysler New Yorker defined elegance and style for the late 1950s. See more pictures of classic convertibles. |
The Chrysler-branded '57s were perhaps the handsomest of the bunch, thanks to a simple grille and rear end, plus tastefully restrained ornamentation. The $4638 New Yorker convertible was particularly elegant with the top lowered.
Like sister divisions, Chrysler also set new standards for ride and handling by introducing torsion-bar front suspension for '57. Another benchmark was new three-speed Torque-Flite automatic transmission, a quick, smooth shifter that would prove exceptionally trouble-free, though not its gimmicky pushbutton controls. Further enhancing performance, Chrysler's efficient Hemi V-8 was enlarged for New Yorkers from 354 to 392 cubic inches, good for 325 standard horsepower.
 The 1957 Chrysler New Yorker revealed the new Torque-Flite automatic transmission. |
Though Chrysler sales were strong in '57, the droptop New Yorker attracted just 1049 orders. Rarer still was a new high-performance 300 convertible with 375 or 390 bhp; it saw only 454 copies. Today, collectors wish there'd been a lot more of both.
For more classic convertibles of the 1950s, see:
For more information on all kinds of cars, try these:
- Classic Convertible Cars: See profiles on more than 70 classic convertibles.
- Muscle Cars: Get information on more than 100 tough-guy rides.
- Consumer Guide New Car Reviews: Looking for a new car? Get the Consumer Guide rating.
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