page_title: Imperial (automobile)
section_title: 1956
hierarchical_section_title: Imperial (automobile) / First generation (1955–1956): A separate make / 1956
caption_attribution_description: 1956 Imperial Two-Door Southampton Hardtop photographed in Laval, Quebec, Canada at Auto classique VACM Laval.
context_page_description: Imperial was the Chrysler Corporation's luxury automobile brand from 1955 to 1975, and again from 1981 to 1983.
  The Imperial name had been used since 1926, as a Chrysler luxury model, the Chrysler Imperial. However, in 1955, the company spun off Imperial into its own make and division to better compete with its North American rivals, Lincoln and Cadillac. Imperial would see new or modified body styles introduced every two to three years, all with V8 engines and automatic transmissions, as well as technologies that would filter down to Chrysler Corporation's other models.
context_section_description: The 1956 models were similar, but had small tailfins. The Hemi V8 was enlarged to 354 cu in (5.8 L) with 280 brake horsepower (209 kW), and a four-door Southampton hardtop sedan was added to the range. 10,268 were produced. With a wheelbase of 133.0 inches (3,378 mm), longer than the previous year's by 3.0 inches (76 mm), they had the longest wheelbase ever for an Imperial. This also contributed to an increase in their overall length to 229.6 inches (5,832 mm), making them the longest non-limousine post WWII American cars until the advent of the Imperials of the "Fuselage Look" era later in the 1970s.
  1956 was the year that Chrysler introduced the push button PowerFlite automatic transmission, with the three speed TorqueFlite becoming available mid-year; Packard also introduced a similar system called the Touchbutton Ultramatic in the Imperial's competitor, the Packard Caribbean and the Patrician.
  On April 28, 1955, Chrysler and Philco announced the development and production of the world's first all-transistor car radio, the Mopar model 914HR. It was developed and produced by Chrysler and Philco and was a $150.00 "option" on the 1956 Imperial car models. Philco manufactured the Mopar 914HR starting in the fall of 1955 at its Sandusky Ohio plant, for Chrysler.
caption: 1956 Imperial Southampton Two-Door Hardtop
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