DeSoto Firedome

The DeSoto Fire Dome was a great car, the Chrysler offered under the car brand DeSoto in the model years 1952 to 1959. In the first two years of production Firedome represented the flagship model of the brand, in 1955 and 1956, he served as the cheapest model in order to occupy the central position in the last three years.

1952-1954: top model

The Fire Dome of the Model 1953 was introduced shortly before the 25th anniversary of the brand and replaced as the flagship custom, which had been set in late 1952. The entire range of DeSoto has been revised; the price list for the Firedome started at U.S. $ 2,740. In model year 1953 emerged 64 211 copies.

The Firedome had 6 seats. It was available as 4-door sedan, 5 - door station wagon, 2 -door coupe and 2-door convertible.

The cars had a V8 Chrysler Hemi engine with 160 bhp (118 kW) and reached a top speed of 160 km / h They weighed about 1,700 kilograms and accelerated in 15.5 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h For the first time since 1931 DeSoto offered a car with a 8 cylinder engine.

1955-1956: entry level

1955 DeSoto was on the Power Master with 6- cylinder engine and introduced instead the top model Fireflite ago, so the Firedome mutated into the entry-level model. Still the Fire Dome was not a cheap car, because he had a V8 engine, a lot of equipment inside and outside; Things that have not been made in the Powermaster. Although an automatic transmission as standard of Firedome belonged, he was officially offered with a manual three-speed transmission, but few copies were ausgelierfert it.

1957-1959: Medium Model

The series went into the model range again, as the 1957 DeSoto Dodge -based, smaller Firesweep offered.

In 1958, the engine power increased while available on request 5,920 cc V8 to over 300 bhp (221 ​​kW). This accelerated the car in just under 8 seconds from 0 to 100 km / h and left him 184 km / h top speed reached. Nevertheless, in 1958 the sales figures fell to just 60% of the previous year's figures, partly for economic reasons, partly due to amalgamation with the 1957 models (not sold remainders of them were still sold off in 1958 ).

In order to attract the interest of customers stronger, DeSoto offered the 1959 model of the Dome Fire in 26 exterior colors and 190 different two-color paintwork. But at the end of this model year had DeSoto still fight for every car sale. Although there were so many different models, the buyer, to purchase a DeSoto afraid because rumors were circulating, Chrysler would set the whole brand.

With the end of the model year 1959 ended the production of the Fire Dome in October of the same year.