The Chrysler Imperial is a full-size car built from 1981 to 1993 over 5 generations. Most were assembled in the United States — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: V6. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Imperial is
The Chrysler Imperial is a full-size car that Chrysler built from 1981 to 1993 — 13 model years. Our measurements put it at 5 generations, the current one starting in 1990. It has been offered with V6 power. Its closest siblings in the Chrysler range: 300, 300C, Concorde.
Where the Imperial is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 212 Imperials on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| the United States | 1C3 | 1990-1993 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Chrysler VIN decide which of these 5 lines your Imperial belongs to. What every character in a Imperial VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Chrysler Imperial adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Imperial generations, and what changed
These boundaries are not copied from a brochure — they fall out of the measurements. Where the Imperial's length or wheelbase jumps between consecutive model years the platform changed: a facelift moves a bumper by centimetres, a new generation moves the whole car — for the Imperial that gives 5 distinct generations below.
| Generation | Length | Wheelbase | Weight | vs previous | Weight change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-1972 | 583 cm | 323 cm | 2250 kg | - | - |
| 1973 | 598 cm | 323 cm | 2277 kg | +15 cm | +27 kg |
| 1974-1975 | 587 cm | 315 cm | 2248 kg | -11 cm | -29 kg |
| 1981-1982 | 542 cm | 286 cm | 1798 kg | -45 cm | -450 kg |
| 1990-1993 | 516 cm | 278 cm | 1619 kg | -26 cm | -179 kg |
Chrysler Imperial tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Imperial owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Chrysler Imperial have? Power & range
The Chrysler Imperial is offered with 1 powertrain — 3.3L 6-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Chrysler Imperial, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| V6 | 3.3L · 6-cyl | Automatic 4-spd | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The Imperial by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Chrysler Imperial. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Imperial | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 10 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 340 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Chrysler Imperial?
The Imperial is a full-size car, built from 1981 to 1993 across 5 generations. Engines offered: V6.
Where is the Chrysler Imperial made?
Across 212 cars in our records the split is: the United States (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
How many generations does the Imperial have?
5 by our measurements, the latest starting in 1990. We draw the boundaries where length or wheelbase jumps between model years — a facelift moves a bumper, a new generation moves the whole car.
What is the Chrysler Imperial warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the Imperial reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific Imperial?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
More in Chrysler
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chrysler 300 | 1999–2026 | 86 | 23 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chrysler Pacifica | 2004–2026 | 98 | 32 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chrysler 200 | 2011–2017 | 26 | 27 mpg | 4.5/5 |
| Chrysler Town and Country | 1990–2016 | 174 | 21 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chrysler 300C | 2005–2011 | 8 | 21 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Chrysler Sebring | 1995–2010 | 106 | 24 mpg | 3.5/5 |
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