I suppose we should feel grateful that someone finally decided to write a history about the under-appreciated DeSoto.
Dennis David’s book is visually appealing, with lots of color photos, reproduced advertising and extra-large type. Collectors may appreciate the emphasis on product information.
That said, don’t expect a nuanced assessment of business strategy. For example, David suggested that the 1957 Adventurer “seemed to be competing with the likes of the Cadillac” (p. 100) when its prices were substantially below those in the luxury-car field. Allpar.com presents more details regarding divisional, assembly plant and dealer-network restructurings that undercut DeSoto’s viability in the late-50s and early-60s (e.g., Redgap, 2013).
Copy editing lapses include “loosing ground” (p. 115) and — as shown below — “sneak peak” (p. 89). To be fair, perhaps in the latter instance the author was not referring to a product preview but was using slang for getting high in secret (Urban Dictionary, 2015). That would go a ways toward explaining the stylistic exuberance of the 1955 “Forward Look” Chrysler Corporation cars.
It’s Delightful! It’s Delovely! It’s . . . DeSoto Automobiles
- Dennis David; 2006
- Iconografix, Hudson, WI
“Between the delivery problems and unconventional styling, the Airflow was a car that found few buyers for 1934. Despite the fact that it was a better year for the auto industry in general, DeSoto would be the only member of the Chrysler family to lose sales over the previous year. DeSoto’s Airflow would be offered in only one series with no DeLuxe or Customer Series. Indeed, when all of the totals were calculated, Plymouth would be ranked third in the industry for 1934, and DeSoto would rank a dismal 13th, building only 13,940 cars for the model year.” (pp. 48-49)
“Chrysler executives realized in 1954 that DeSoto’s proposed designs for the 1955 model year had problems. They were certainly bound to be the trusty and reliable automobile that DeSoto had come to be known for, but when the Chrysler Corporation personnel got a sneak peak (sic) at what General Motors and Ford had in mind for 1955, they knew they were in trouble.” (p. 84)
“Many historians have speculated on DeSoto’s future had the name been assigned to the Valiant, but with Chrysler’s management troubles taking center stage at the time, a new and smaller DeSoto was never considered.” (pp. 122-123)
OTHER REVIEWS:
RE:SOURCES
- Redgap, Curtis; 2013. “Inside Chrysler: Losing DeSoto, 1957-1960.” Allpar.com. Accessed Dec. 15.
- Urban Dictionary; 2015. “Sneak peak.” Accessed May 26.
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