November 30, 1960 – The last DeSoto
1961 DeSoto
Less than a week after Chrysler acquired Dodge Brothers, it debuted its new mid-priced DeSoto line for 1929. The two brands gave Chrysler two makes aimed at the same consumer, resulting in a back and forth flip flop in terms of price seniority. The original plan had Chrysler at the top, followed by DeSoto, then Plymouth as their entry level ride, but buying Dodge threw a bit of a wrench in things. Ultimately, DeSoto faced identity problems as executives tried to figure out where it sat on the Mopar totem pole. At its introduction, DeSoto rode below Dodge and above Plymouth. In an attempt to boost Dodge sales, Chrysler reversed the Dodge and DeSoto pricing models in 1933. This resulted in DeSoto receiving a futuristic new design that mimicked top-of-the-line Chrysler cars. U...
