Luxury was in flux in the early days of the 1980s. Size was no longer king and buying luxury cars by the foot was no longer the ultimate in status symbols. The Europeans were building smaller cars that cost more and formerly bulletproof luxury brands like Cadillac, Lincoln, and Chrysler (Imperial) were starting to realize that the market was getting sliced up into smaller pieces of pie. Spurred on by fresh competition, they tried innovative technology and pushed styling boundaries, resulting in some of the most interesting cars of the period—a time when “interesting” was almost treated like a four-letter word. And while Chrysler was on the ropes (Lee Iaccoca’s coup was only a few months away when this 1982 Chrysler Imperial was built) they didn’t skimp when it mattered. No, the top-of-the-line at Chrysler still meant you got something special.

Honestly, when was the last time you saw one of these handsome Imperials? It’s been so long for me that I just stood back admiring this 19,158-mile example when it landed in the showroom. It’s had just two owners and the second owner was the dealer who sold it to the first owner, so it’s led a very easy life. It was originally sold here in Ohio, but almost immediately it went to Florida, where it spent the next three-and-a-half decades in the warmth of the southern sun. That means rust is a non-issue and the original Pearl White paint is in excellent condition. There are no touch-ups, no repaints, and only one or two nearly invisible door dings that a skilled tech could remove pretty easily if you want perfection. The angular styling is arguably more attractive than the bustle-back Sevilles that would show up a year later and with hidden headlights up front and that long, long hood, it looks like nothing else on the road. Padded roofs were not available on the Imperial (thank God!) and the use of chrome was restrained. Details like the hood ornament (which is real French crystal, not plastic), the matching ornaments on the opera lights, and the notable lack of Chrysler badging mean this car was designed to stand out. It definitely looks like money, but you can also count on excited onlookers asking you, “What is that?”

The interior is equally well appointed and while it dates itself with the tufted leather upholstery, isn’t travelling to another time period why you own an old car? With contrasting dark blue carpets, dash, and trim, it is upscale and bright, almost nautical in its execution, and it’s first class travel even today. There are lots of thoughtful little touches including the leather-wrapped wheel, a trip computer, and old-fashioned grab handles for rear seat passengers. The leather is in excellent shape, showing only very, very minor discoloration after all these years, but no rips, tears, or scuffing. The deep pile carpets are almost sinfully soft, and even the dash pad is in excellent shape—notable after its time in Florida. Cool features include the fully operational digital dashboard with bright, clear displays, an AM/FM/CB stereo system (the mic is included!), and the usual stuff like power windows and locks, power seats, and air-conditioning. A little ahead of its time, this Imperial even includes heated outside mirrors, a nice touch. Weather seals are still supple, so the car seals up like a tomb and just whispers along at highway speeds. The back seat is reasonable for two adults and the trunk is truly massive.

1981 was not the height of performance, technology, and horsepower, but the 5.2 liter V8 (that’s a 318 to the rest of us) is torquey and smooth, going about its business with a minimum of fuss. These cars used an early form of throttle-body fuel injection that proved to be horribly unreliable, so the factory issued retrofit kits to install carburetors instead, which is how this car is equipped. In reality, there are probably only a handful of these Imperials still carrying their original fuel injection systems and enthusiasts know that the carburetor is a much better choice. It still looks quite stock under the hood, right down to the air cleaner that proudly proclaims “Electronic Fuel Injection” on its lid, but underneath there’s a 2-barrel carb that works just fine. In fact, this one acts like a modern fuel-injected vehicle, starting with a turn of the key and no fussiness, idling smoothly even when it’s cold, and generally pulling the car around without any drama. The engine bay is almost entirely OEM and it’s quite clean and tidy, as you’d expect from a car with just under 20,000 original miles. Everything works, although the A/C system seems to have a small leak—it’s functional, but a charge only seems to last a week or two. Otherwise, it runs and drives like a virtually new 1981 Chrysler Imperial. It’s quite impressive.

The only transmission, of course, was the bulletproof TorqueFlite 3-speed automatic, and it’s feeding downright steep 2.24 gears, making this a fantastic highway cruiser. The suspension is familiar and rides like the quintessential American luxury car, and power steering and power disc brakes were standard. That might be the original exhaust system, and if so it’s remarkable, and it keeps the Imperial’s V8 muted to an appropriate hum both at idle (where it’s almost silent) and at speed (ditto). It was undercoated by the dealer when it was new, which was common practice in 1981, so it’s not shiny underneath but it’s also totally solid with no critical rust issues. Recent shocks mean it rides right and those 205/75/15 Firestone whitewall radials have only a few thousand miles on them.

The documentation package on this car is extraordinary, the kind of thing that would add $10,000 to its value if it were a Hemi Charger. Most importantly, we have the original Mark Cross box that includes a binder and umbrella that’s never been used. We also have the original window sticker, owner’s manual, warranty booklet, and other factory documents for operating your new 1981 Imperial. Then there’s the original purchase contract and invoice, a letter about the Chrysler 5/50 warranty, and even the registration card in case you sell the car to someone else. It’s pretty impressive.

We’re seeing a trend where high-quality ‘70s and ‘80s American luxury cars are catching on with collectors. They represent a way to get a high-end car for not a lot of cash, a car that will be welcome at club events, and in the case of this Chrysler, own a unique car that you won’t see at every show. And it’s available for the same price as it was in 1981! We’d call that a genuine bargain. Call today!