Dodge Royal

The Dodge Royal was part of a small fleet of cars rolled out by Dodge in 1955. Among them included the Coronet, Royal, and ornate Custom Royal. All three were meant to be entry level vehicles.

History

The Chrysler Corporation was in dire straits by the time the year 1953 rolled around. Chrysler was nearly driven out of business in 1953 and again in 1954. They were subsequently saved, however, by a loan from Prudential Bank and new model cars designed by Virgil Exner. The three Dodge lineup was meant to be an “in-between” car of sorts, placed between DeSoto and Plymouth.

Characteristics

The 1955 Dodge’s all were equipped with a longer wheelbase and overall length as compared to the 1954 lineup. At their core, they were essentially DeSoto Custom cars. However, they were the recipients of special styling that made them unique while still affordable and functional. The design for the Dodge lasted from 1955-1956 before being completely redesigned in 1957.There were six different body styles and four trim lines for the 1955 line:

• A 2-door sedan, 4 door sedan, 2-door hardtop coupe, 2-door wagon, 4 door wagon and 2 door convertibles. The Royal was offered in the 4-door sedan, 2-door hardtop coupe, and 4 door wagon varieties. The Custom Royal was offered in a 4-door sedan, 2-door hardtop coupe, and 2 door convertible.

Royal Line

The Royal itself was considered to be the next step up from the Coronet line. The Royal itself featured a V-8 engine. The early models did not include the “Lancer” script on their logo, even though they were technically of the Lancer variety. This was later changed and the Lancer name was added so that the badges read “Royal Lancer”.

The Custom Royal was considered to be the flagship model of the 1955 Dodge. The Custom Royal Lancer name was given to all hardtop coupes and custom Royal only convertibles. The Custom Royal featured chrome tail fins (late year models), unique tail light surrounds, and upscale sophisticated interiors. Additionally, backup lights were standard on the Custom models, but not included in all others unless requested. Finally, the Custom Royal boasted a hemi 270 CID Super Red Ram engine.

La Femme

A special package was offered for and oriented toward female drivers. Dodge saw an increase in the number of female drivers as they became an increasingly large share of Dodge buyers. The Femme package came in Heather Rose and Sapphire White colors. It also included a cape, boots, umbrella, and shoulder bag. The interior was designed with floral/tapestry like fabrics, which all matched the accessories. In addition, there were extra compartments for all accessories included.