Featuring in Stephen King's horror
flick "Christine"
did little to enhance the reputation of the Plymouth
Fury as a sought after classic for the collecting connoisseur,
nevertheless it remains as one of the finest examples
of stylist Virgil Exner's 'Forward Look' period at
Chrysler, a watershed in 1950's contemporary design.
The process had begun quietly, with the
1955 Plymouth's
marked by a gradual increase in fin size in the fight
to 'out-glam' its mid priced rivals. The Fury was Plymouth's
top of the range vehicle at the time, topping the ever
popular 'Belvedere'.
Available in either 2 door coupe or convertible, the
purchaser could choose from either a 5.2 liter V8 or
the 'Sport Fury', fitted with a 6.0 liter "Golden Commando"
V8 delivering over 300bhp.
As manufacturers have re-learnt in recent times, (such
as Nissan with the 350Z and Mazda with the RX7), having
a "hero car" in your lineup improves buyers
perceptions of the marque, and so the Fury played an
important part in helping sales in 1958, Plymouth rising
to 4th position in the US sales charts.
1960 saw the demise of the Fury, and with it the tail
fins that were now considered an excess of the previous
decade.