1955 Dodge Custom Royal V-8 4-door Sedan

"TAKE COMMAND . . . Get the thrill first hand!"

And a thrilling machine it is, this Dodge Custom Royal. After a period of rather dull and uninspiring cars, Dodges and Chryslers alike paraded the eye-opening "Forward Look" upon their introduction in 1955. Man in charge of the styling of the 1955 Dodge was Maury Baldwin, who was Virgil Exner's assistant and responsible for the look of Dodge and Plymouth. Although having a shorter wheelbase than the Chryslers, 1955 Dodges shared many elements of Exner's "Forward Look", and overall looked equally stunning.

This generation of cars was Virgil Exner's first volley against GM's design leadership. Still, Chevrolets or Buicks were widely considered as more beautiful, but already with the next generation of Exner-styled cars, Chrysler should change the game and snatch the crown of design leadership from GM.

Enjoy some quotes of Dodge's advertisement: "We want you to get the thrill of commanding a car that's really big — up to 9 inches longer than any car in its field. We want you to see what it's like to guide all this highness and beauty with a touch of your fingers. The way it handles will open your eyes to an entirely new kind of driving.

We want you to discover the aircraft-type power that swept Dodge to victories in the Pan-American Road Race and Mobilgas Economy Run. You won't believe the things you've heard about Dodge until you drive it yourself. And you won't believe the low, low price until you hear it with your own ears."