The Chrysler New Yorker is an automobile model that was produced by Chrysler from 1940 until 1996, serving for several decades as either the brand’s flagship model or as a junior sedan to the Chrysler Imperial, the latter during the years in which the Imperial name was used within the Chrysler lineup rather than as a standalone brand.

A trim level named the “New York Special” first appeared in 1938, while the “New Yorker” name debuted in 1939. The New Yorker helped define the Chrysler brand as a maker of upscale models that were priced and equipped to compete against upper-level models from Buick, Oldsmobile, and Mercury.

It served for several decades as either the brand’s flagship model or as a junior sedan to the Chrysler Imperial, the latter during the years in which the Imperial name was used within the Chrysler lineup rather than as a standalone brand. The Chrysler Town & Country wagon was reintroduced with all-steel construction in 1951, in both Windsor and New Yorker variants through the end of Windsor model production for the 1960 model year, and then in Newport and New Yorker models through 1965. The 1964 model of the Chrysler New Yorker Town and Country was offered as a hardtop coupe, hardtop sedan, salon, sedan, town & country station wagon, and town & country wagon.

Chrysler got a boost in sales in 1963 with the introduction of a five-year/50,000-mile warranty, a business practice that was unheard of by its competitors in the 1960s. The New Yorker used Chrysler’s completely redesigned body with only the windshield showing traces of the previous Forward Look designs, although, under the skin, platform changes were near zero, with only a change from 12-inch “Total Contact” to Bendix-made 11-inch Duo-Servo brakes. A new, more luxurious Salon four-door hardtop was added at midyear as a trim package in the U.S. Engine output was 340 hp (254 kW) and the wheelbase was 122 in (3,100 mm).

Changes for 1964 included a new grille, a larger rear window, and small tailfins giving the car a boxier look from the side. Canadians were given the choice of a new two-door hardtop, while Americans continued with the Salon option for the four-door pillarless hardtop. A convertible body style was no longer offered and would never be used again.

The New Yorker was Chrysler’s most-prestigious model throughout most of its run. Over the decades, it was available in several body styles, including as a sedan, coupe, and convertible. Until its discontinuation in 1996, the New Yorker was the longest-running American car nameplate.