Could you imagine a modern day Imperial Lebaron (72-73)?

[CBODY67]

With only ONE plant for the LaX cars (and former LH cars), the Magnum;s place on the assembly line was filled by Challenger.

There WERE a few years in the LX cars which had a longer version of the 300. The added length as in the rear seat area, with the existing rear section of the car staying the same. That car needs about another 9" in the rear quarters and a few more inches in front of the front wheels.

Oh, and don't forget that all of the "large cars" are really the '70s intermediate cars, just with a longer wheelbase. Basically the same interior "shoulder room" as a '69 Satellite.

People who need a "full size car" are buying GM Suburbans and such. A new Maserati SUV that looks pretty neat. But at those $75K+ prices????

IF they do another Imperial, it needs to be something better than that last awesomely awful "Imperial" they had at the car shows a few years ago. The one with the burnt-out tail light!

Everybody's got some form of ATC these days. The idea of doing a re-design/update of a '72 Imperial is intriguing and interesting to see how much lighter it would now be and still have all of the comfort and character of old! Magnetic-fluid shocks. VVT, 10-speed automatic, computer controlled everything, voice commands, etc.

CBODY67

 

[CBODY67]

I agree. Just wish they still made the Magnum.

When I first saw the Magnum that summer at Mopar Nats, it was amazing! Looked very neat! But when I finally rented a couple later, I wasn't that impressed. The rear section was neat, but not a lot of added utility, other than for long items (as was pictured in the "hauling" tv commercial), compared to a normal Charger with the fold-down back seat. The car was a little porky for the 3.5 V-6 and (I believe) had a deeper rear axle ratio to compensate for the added weight. That decreased highway fuel economy a tad. So, as much as I wanted to love it, just didn't happen. In Europe, it had a Chrysler front end and badging.

As the general handling feel of the LX v2 improved greatly from the Daimler influence, perhaps the Magnum would feel better now, if those new bushings and such could be adapted to the LX
v1 platform?

CBODY67

 

[azblackhemi]

When I first saw the Magnum that summer at Mopar Nats, it was amazing! Looked very neat! But when I finally rented a couple later, I wasn't that impressed. The rear section was neat, but not a lot of added utility, other than for long items (as was pictured in the "hauling" tv commercial), compared to a normal Charger with the fold-down back seat. The car was a little porky for the 3.5 V-6 and (I believe) had a deeper rear axle ratio to compensate for the added weight. That decreased highway fuel economy a tad. So, as much as I wanted to love it, just didn't happen. In Europe, it had a Chrysler front end and badging.

As the general handling feel of the LX v2 improved greatly from the Daimler influence, perhaps the Magnum would feel better now, if those new bushings and such could be adapted to the LX
v1 platform?

CBODY67

I've got a 05 magnum R/T. I love it. Fun car to drive and plenty of room inside. If they were still made today I'd buy a new one in a heartbeat. It would probably have 50-80 more HP and be even more of a pleasure to drive.

 

[Carmine]

Those cars are dead because of Jimmy Carter's CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) mandate which killed a profitable segment for the D3.

Since trucks were factored differently, that loophole begat the Navigator, 'Slade and for a moment, the "Aspen".

Importers selling under 400k units per year (basically Germany) are free to ignore CAFE. (Thank you coastal US for that loophole.) Thus the S-class, 7-series and now the A8 were free to mature in this market, and readily available in their home market that taxes fuel, not manufacturers. (That's called a market economy.)

And you think Macomb County swung MI to Emperor Trump just because we don't understand economics? I like to think the OpEd piece I wrote on the subject above swung a few votes.

HaHaHaHaHa!!!!!

 

[1970cat]

new cars =

just add your favorite company badge

 

[cantflip]

Could you imagine for a moment what a new version of the 72-73 Imperial Lebaron body would look like if they brought it back to life in today's world with a modern twist like they have with other models...I would stretch the rearend more on this Caddie.



View attachment 165976

Sorry Doc... I don't hate GM cars entirely, but I have higher expectations from an Imperial.

The only thing is that the market manufacture has shifted from America to Europe. Look at the Volvo S90, the MB S-Class and the BMW 7 Series.

Longwheel bass luxury cars are still here.

The only cars I would want to see one stacked up against are the biggest and the best...

Has anyone seen the all new 2018 Lincoln lineup with the Continental and Navigator? Reviewers are saying they are miles ahead of their European competion in the same class - which because of the last 20 years of subpar American luxury cars, means a lot.

I have spent a little time with the Continental... I wish it was road time... When it arrived we took turns seeing how long it took us to figure out the controls, as in how many minutes it took to get it out of park and release the park brake... or how long to figure out how to open the door.

I see it as a nice car and about the size/price of an E class... but she's still no S, 7 or whatever... the car is just a little too gimmicky for my tastes, but seems to impress all who view her.

 

[jct]

Closest we got

 

[detmatt]

I like the new Continental.

 

[CBODY67]

What kept Suburbans selling in the 1990s was the way the GWBush admin allowed flex-fuel vehicles to add to the CAFE ratings. As a result, there were MANY Suburbans sold with a rear view mirror hang tag announcing that vehicle would burn E85 fuels (which were generally not available back then!). Nobody really noticed. Same with 4 cyl S-10s, too . . . . until it came time for fuel filter replacement on the S-10s and the customer found out the mere fuel filter would cost $90.00 for the part. That's where the fuel-type sensor was located. End result was that GM kept building 15mpg Suburbans that were factored up to about 20mpg for CAFE uses.

CAFE didn't kill the Magnum, maxed-out plant capacity did. Magnum or Challenger, that was the choice. Certainly, there were some "interpretations" of "truck" that have been stretched over the years, in both directions. Subaru BRAT come to mind, as with those extra two seats in the bed, it suddenly became a "passenger vehicle" and not subject to the restrictions on import small trucks being imported into the USA back then. Or the re-badging of Chevy 2500HD pickups as "1500" so they could advertise a larger standard engine than Ford that year. Hence the 8-lug wheels and the "1500" nameplates.

In a few years of GM flex-fuel 1500 model pickups, those vehicles had fewer emissions controls than similar gas-only models. Guess it had to do with the "cleaner burning" fuel it could use, IF available?

CBODY67

 

[CBODY67]

Lincoln's iconic history is with the earlier '60s cars. A while back, they had a concept show car with suicide-doors and NO center lock pillar. It was a neat car and looked good, with many of the iconic Continental styling cues.

Unfortunately, they've used variations of the '60s Continental grilles on several vehicles over the past decade. Now that they've finally named a car "Continental" is great and needed as a flagship for them. But not with such "soft curvy" lines.

Ford and Chrysler tend to do "retro" better than GM has, by observation. That the Charger and 300 are top-selling vehicles in their segments is great, but also illustrates how far that segment of USA vehicles has decreased to what it now is!

In all fairness, that Imperial show car had many historic Imperial styling cues on it. I looked long enough to find them. That Bently-look might fit an existing platform, but how they all fit together just didn't work for me. Certainly "distinctive", though, as Imperials always tended to be, but in a more positive manner.

CBODY67

 

[Carmine]

At work I have a PDF that shows Ford sales by model. Every Lincoln vehicle, including the Continental, excepting the Navigator, shows double-digit declines. The brand itself is down 27%.

Ford is likely losing their a$$ on the Continental.

 

[Carmine]

Closest we gotView attachment 166278

Hideous.

 

[Carmine]

Here is where things were headed if the US auto-design world hadn't taken a side trip to medieval Spain...

 

[jct]

I like the new Continental.

The other message board i'm on. One member he let ford borrow his mark II for design inspiration

 

[CBODY67]

We know the narrower width of the cars is driven by two things . . . width of European "city streets" (some not wide enough for a '67 Caprice to navigate without some scrapes and bumps) AND $$$$$ not needed for thinner doors and narrower bodies.

Moving the wheels more toward the ends of the body, plus the A and C pillars with more slope in them, give the optical illusion of length. Then you open the short deck lid and see how much space is under the rear glass area! Put a more upright rear window, more upright windshield, using the existing roof panel to define the interior length, and you end up with something that tells us our "big cars" aren't really bigger than a '68 Satellite, generally. Maybe a little more rear leg room.

Chrome/satin trim only has a few places to be, any more. Deleting the moldings for the windshield/back window were supposed to indicate the "precision of assembly" in some foreighn makes (which started that), but probably also helped decrease warranty wind noise complainte. BUT $$$$ saved with fewer labor ops on the assembly line, too. ALWAYS some fancy reason to make us feel good about paying more for less?

CBODY67

 

[LocuMob]

A co-worker was shopping for a new truck, he was telling me the new Navigators are $90k and they can't build them fast enough. Glad I have more taste than that, and not enough money to buy one. Of course if I did, it wouldn't go to anything new.

 

[rapidtrans]

The LX cars still look great imo. I would like a more refined ride in them though. I’d by a Hemi powered stretch LX Luxury sedan. Instead i’m thinking a twin turbo six next. Either the Conti or CT6 awd.