Coronet Kingfisher

The Coronet Kingfisher was a luxury car produced by Coronet from 1932 to 2001.

## First Generation

First Generation 1932 Kingfisher in Kingfisher Blue.

The first generation Kingfisher was Coronet's first car. It featured a fabric, manual convertible roof, spare tire, steel wire wheels, dual headlamps, a horn, a full bench seat, 2 middle seats, and 1 rear small bench seat, for a total of 5/3 Seats. The car was luxurious and practical because of this, and was a success. The car was powered with Coronet's *Steelhammer* Inline-6 engine, which produced 89.8 horsepower.

It is considered one of the most beautiful cars made by Coronet and is celebrated as the original Coronet car that stood for the brand's luxurious standards of automobiles.

By the time 1935 came along, the style of the Kingfisher could have already been considered outdated, and sales slowed afterwards because of this. In 1937, the car was pulled from production.

## Performance

### Top speed

~95.9 - 123.0 mph

The second generation Kingfisher was already a drastic departure from the first.

The vehicle had 2 full bench seats, plus a small third in the backmost row, only accessible through the back door. The vehicle once again was made with luxury and comfort in mind but also practicality. The same engine as the first gen powered the second, however the new car's added weight slowed down the engine slightly. A spare tire was included on the back of the door, and the mirror was relocated to the driver's side door. The car also once again included dual headlamps. Since this generation was an enclosed design, a front windshield was present. Thus, wipers were added to the design for rain or inclement weather. The car was praised for its new, exciting design, and was a success. However, production was cut short due to the war. Otherwise, it could have sold for the ensuing years quite well.

## Performance

### Top speed

~127.9 - 143.6 mph

The third generation was once again a massive change in the design of the Kingfisher. The body style was changed to a half-wagon, half-sedan design, another mirror was added for safety, the dual headlamps were removed, a radio & antenna was added, and the spare tire was nowhere to be seen. It was, however, hidden away under the rear compartment door, in the back of the vehicle. The car had 5 seats, 2 full front seats with a full bench in the back. The car retained the "luxurious yet functional" philosophy of the Kingfisher model line. The car was the first post-war Kingfisher and post-war car Coronet made. The car was successful, and ran until 1951.

    The car was considered one of the best looking "modern" designs of the Kingfisher and was well-praised.

However, the Kingfisher mysteriously ended production in 1951, never being renewed for a 1952 generation.

## Body and chassis

### Suspension

MacPherson Strut (F)Semi Trailing Arm (R)

## Performance

### Top speed

~139.9 mph

The Coronet Kingfisher was resurrected in 1967 as the fourth generation. Sales of the car were somewhat decent and it was praised for its design. However, it was an unsuccessful attempt at reviving the car and did not constitute enough sales for a continued generation.
The car featured a revised design that was drastically different from the previous generation. It retained essentially nothing from the previous generations design wise except for side chrome trim and hood trim, and hood vents. The car was the first Kingfisher to introduce hydraulic power steering.

The premise of the car was different too, as it was no longer focused as much on practicality. The car did have a spare tire in the trunk, and 5 seats, a rear bench and 2 seats in the front, however it was less economical and practical than the other generations, more focused on luxury than anything else. This was one of the shortcomings of the new fourth generation Kingfisher and the reasons for its unpopularity, as previous-generation buyers looked to the car as a functional yet luxurious car were disappointed.

**Engine**

The Kingfisher was powered with a brand-new engine, the Coronet 477. Awful at being economical, it made 10.2 mpg.

## Body and chassis

### Suspension

MacPherson Strut (F)Semi Trailing Arm (R)

## Performance

### Top speed

~134.3 - 137.6 mph

The fifth generation Kingfisher was released in 1974, once again resurrecting the car for a second time. This time, the car was focused on trying to look like a sports/muscle car, appealing to a wider audience, while still being luxurious and functional on the inside. However, it failed awfully at this, with the engine, the Coronet 477 EC being even worse than the fourth generation's engine. The 1974 model year still used the regular 477, however once 1975 rolled around, the car switched to just using the 477 EC. The car was praised for its beautiful design, but ridiculed for its pitiful performance and abominable functionality. Still, the car was somewhat successful. It featured highway lights, fender-mounted turn signal indicators, a two-tone paintjob, and the trademark spare tire in the trunk. The car had 5 seats, 2 in the front and a bench in the back, and was made with luxury materials. The car had hydraulic power steering. Sales were promising but unfortunately not viable enough for a 1979 model or generation.

The car came in several colors, including:

* Walnut / Cream (Pictured)
* Candied Apple / Cream
* Orange Sherbet / Cream
* Golden Yellow / Jet Black
* Pine Leaf Green / Snow White
* Robin Blue / Snow White
* Purple Grape / Jet Black
* Snow White / Golden Yellow
* Ash Grey / Jet Black
* Jet Black / Ash Grey

**Year-to-year Changes**

The Kingfisher was revised and changed slightly throughout its model years, receiving minor updates and facelifts.

* **1974-1975:** No changes were made.
* **Early 1976:** Mirrors were updated to a more modern, rectangular design.
* **Mid 1976:** Introduced a color-coded option for hood fender indicators.
* **1977:** Introduced a color-coded mirror option, updated bumpers with guards, and updated the wheels to a more modern look.
* **1978:** Made front grille outline color-coded to the body, and revised the front fascia slightly with an updated grille.

## Body and chassis

### Suspension

MacPherson Strut (F)Semi Trailing Arm (R)

## Performance

### Top speed

~123.9 - 128.0

The sixth generation was the third attempt at the revival of the Kingfisher name. Finally, this time, however, it was successful. The car brought back dual headlamps (albeit in a different position), a more visible spare tire (outlined on the trunk), chrome trim on the sides and hood, and fender-mounted indicators from the previous generation. The car was well-received for its nice design and styling, a modern, updated representation of older generations. The interior was similarly praised, being very comfortable and modern. The car had 5 seats in total, 2 in the front, and a rear bench-row seat in the back. A luxury cassette player was included, as well as a high-quality stereo system.
The car also featured hidden headlamps.

    The car remained unchanged until 1986, when a facelift was issued.

**1986 Facelift**

In 1986, the sixth gen Kingfisher received a facelift, updating the design to reflect the new style of the mid-late 80s.

The design of the car remained largely unchanged, except the bumpers were replaced with plastic, as were various other small trims on the car. The wheels were changed, and the grille and taillights were given a small redesign. The mirrors were changed to body color, and the interior remained largely unchanged. Safety systems in the car were upgraded slightly. The newly federally-required third brakelight was also added.

## Body and chassis

### Suspension

MacPherson Strut (F)Semi Trailing Arm (R)

## Powertrain

### Transmission

4-speed automatic

The Kingfisher was brought back for a seventh generation in 1988, bringing along with it an updated design and overall base.
The car was updated with a brand new, modern body style, and had a luxurious interior with a luxury cassette player.

In 1989, the interior was revised to use a more upscale and luxurious design, which included wood trim.

    **1992 Facelift**

In 1992, a facelift was introduced, to update the design of the car. Some small changes were made including updating the front fascia, rear taillights, sidelights, rear quarter window, hubcaps, and various other changes.

## Body and chassis

### Body styles

4-door sedan

The Kingfisher came back once again, for this time what would be the last time, the last and final generation.