Remembering Classics: The DeSoto Adventurer

Anyone with a soft spot for 1950s automobiles is sure to love the DeSoto Adventurer. One of Chrysler’s premier creations from the mid-1950s, the Adventurer is considered a coveted item among seasoned car collectors. Boasting a snazzy design and a fair amount of power under the hood, this classic vehicle perfectly embodies the golden age of American auto making. If you’re currently on the fence about adding a Desoto Adventurer to your car collection, consider the following advantages. 

1. Good Control

Compared to the other bulky vehicles produced throughout the 1950s, the DeSoto Adventurer provided motorists with a real sense of control. Making use of Chrysler’s relatively new torsion bar front suspension, the Adventurer was able to execute turns, stops, and directional changes with ease. In addition, the convenient rear springs found in the 1957 Adventurer ensured responsive stops and offered protection against rear collisions. The Adventurer was also one of the first vehicles to be equipped with Chrysler’s three-speed automatic transmissions.

2. Loads of Horsepower

Car lovers who relish hearing the roar of a powerful engine will feel right at home in an Adventurer. The vehicle’s hydraulic lifter engine enabled the massive Adventurer to accelerate to speeds of up to 60 miles per hour in just 10 seconds. Furthermore, the car was capable of reaching speeds of up to 140 miles per hour. At the time the Adventurer was created, this was relatively rare in vehicles available to the general public. The 1957 Adventurer is also notable for being the first automobile to feature a standard engine that produced one horsepower for every cubic inch of displacement. 

3. Appearance Suited to Its Time

Collectors looking for cars whose aesthetics masterfully represent the Space Age needn’t look any further than the 1956 and 1957 Adventurers. Despite weighing a ton, these vehicles were fairly slim and sported a sleek set of tail fins. These fins weren’t simply for show, either; they helped stabilize the vehicle when it traveled at high speeds. Virgil Exner, one of Chrysler’s leading post-WWII designers, is primarily credited with developing the vehicle’s look. 

Classic car connoisseurs with an appreciation for Chrysler’s Space Age creations shouldn’t pass up the chance to get behind the wheel of a DeSoto Adventurer. While underappreciated in its time, the vehicle has gone on to garner praise from automotive historians for its control, horsepower, and cutting-edge design.