Establishment of Chrysler Australia

In June 1951, when Chrysler Corporation acquired Chrysler Dodge Desoto Distributors (Australia), Chrysler Australia Ltd was founded, a company that was formed in 1935 by 18 independent distributors.

The Chrysler S Series Valiant-Australia Muscle Car

The De Soto Diplomat Sedan-Australian Muscle Car

Chrysler made a substantial investment in Australian manufacturing facilities during the years 1950 and 1960, It was including the opening of a new assembly plant in Tonsley Park in 1964 and an engine casting Lonsdale in 1968. Chrysler Australia established its position as the third of the "Big 3" of Australian motor manufacturers behind General Motors-Holden and Ford Australia during this time.

The Dodge Phoenix-Australian Muscle Car

Prototype of the Hemi 245 cubic inch engine-Australia Muscle Car

Initially, Chrysler Australia assembled American Chrysler cars and trucks. His most popular car in the 1950s was the U.S. trio origin badge engineering: Cranbrook Plymouth, Dodge and De Soto Diplomat Kingsway, each based on the U.S. 1954 Plymouth. A variant coupe utility was also developed by Chrysler Australia and this was sold in nine different versions, Plymouth Cranbrook, Belvedere & Savoy, Dodge Kingsway Custom, Kingsway Kingsway Coronet and Crusader & De Soto Diplomat Custom Diplomat Regent Plaza & Diplomat. The Plymouth sedan was a popular choice for taxi use however the increasing popularity of the Holden in this decade led to the decline of the range cars.

Chrysler CM Regal Wagon-Australia Muscle Car

Chrysler KB Centura-Australia Muscle Car

Chrysler Australia consolidated each of the marques badge engineering a car Chrysler Royal In 1957. This was a facelifted version of the 1954 Plymouth, and was to continue in production until 1963. Starting life as a manual six-cylinder side-valve, 3-speed manual gearchange column, which was gradually modified, with the addition of U.S. origin engineering resources such as power steering, the button "PowerFlite" automatic gearbox and a OHV V8. In front styling USA "Forward Look" style tailfins were grafted into the rear of the car, while the front end got dual (stacked vertically) headlights. These changes could not arrest the slide in sales, General Motors-Holden came to dominate the Australian market, and Royal was seen as being outdated and expensive. Production ceased in 1963.
Engineers have developed a local station wagon Aronde unique to Australia, then with a new wind window down and rear tailgate. The saving grace for Chrysler at this time was the French Simca Aronde a car popular compact four-cylinder Chrysler Australia assembled from CKD kits at its factory in Keswick. (U.S. Chrysler had acquired an interest in Simca in 1958, the base for supplying the car). The assembly and marketing of Simca Vedette Aronde and models of Chrysler Australia was announced on July 1, 1959.

Chrysler Australia released 1959 Plymouth Belvedere, Dodge Custom Royal Firesweep DeSoto and models that were imported from the U.S. in CKD form and assembled on the premises of Chrysler Adelaide in August. The Plymouth was equipped with a V8 engine of 318 cubic inches and Dodge models and Soto had a 361 cubic inch V8.

Chrysler Australia also produced the American home from 1960 to 1973 Dodge Phoenix.