The last of the massive C-Body Chryslers, the Newport and New Yorker Brougham, saw their final year in 1978 as the company set out on a new course.
When the Imperial was discontinued for 1976, the New Yorker was now left as the Chrysler Corporation’s most premium model—flagship of the line. But the Imperial did live on in a small way, as its elegant front end with hidden headlamps and waterfall grille was transferred to the New Yorker Brougham, along with some other features.
But it was already becoming all too clear that the giant Chrysler C-body platform’s days were numbered, as shoppers sought more efficient vehicles and the EPA’s CAFE fuel economy requirements were coming into view. While Plymouth, Dodge, Chrysler, and Imperial had once all shared the corporate C-body platform, by 1978 the Chrysler Newport and New Yorker Brougham were the only C-bodies still in production. They were limited to just two body styles, Hardtop Coupe and Hardtop Sedan, and this would be their final year.
1978 Chrysler Newport Hardtop Coupe and Hardtop Sedan
At 231 inches long and nearly 80 inches wide, the New Yorker Brougham was as massive as any standard passenger car then on the market. The Newport was slightly shorter at 227 inches, but both shared the same Unibody platform with 124-inch wheelbase and Chrysler’s traditional front suspension with longitudinal torsion bars. A 400 cubic-inch big-block V8 was standard in both cars, while the 440 CID V8 was optional. However, both engines were choked by the primitive emissions hardware of the time, to just 190 hp and 195 hp respectively. This would be the last year of production for Chrysler’s big-block V8s as well.
1978 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham
The New Yorker Brougham’s interior, however, was still the acme of Motor City opulence, with overstuffed, pillow-cushion upholstery in the buyer’s choice of Verdi Crushed Velvet or the famed Corinthian Leather. Power seats, locks, radio antenna, and deck lid release were all standard, while the extra-cost audio options included a built-in 40-channel citizen’s band radio.
1978 Chrysler Newport
Newport interiors were considerably more subdued, with the same 50/50 front bench seat arrangement but with standard upholstery in cloth and vinyl or the optional-at-extra-cost Tuscany cloth (above right). Not surprisingly, there was a considerable difference in price between the Newport and New Yorker: $5,888 versus $7,831, a whopping 33 percent gap. Yet the pricier New Yorker outsold the Newport by a fair margin, no doubt benefitting from the lack of an Imperial in the corporate lineup.
While the big C-body Newport and New Yorker were discontinued after 1978, the New Yorker name, introduced back in 1938, would carry on through multiple product generations. Though we haven’t studied the claim, it’s said New Yorker has the longest tenure of any model name in the U.S. industry. From ’83 through ’88, the New Yorker was a front-drive K-car variant, and for its final appearance in 1994-96, it was produced on the Renault-derived Chrysler LH platform.
1978 Chrysler New Yorker Brougham Hardtop Coupe
