The De Soto (later DeSoto) was a brand of automobile based in the United States of America, marketed by the Chrysler Corporation from 1928 through 1961. A small variety of cars, the most popular kind of automobile. ... The Chrysler Corporation is a formerly United States-based automobile manufacturer. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The De Soto make was founded by Walter P. Chrysler on August 4, 1928. It was named after the Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto. Chrysler wanted to enter the brand in competition with its arch-rivals Oldsmobile, Nash and Pontiac in the middle-price class. Shortly after De Soto was introduced, however, Chrysler completed its purchase of Dodge Brothers, giving the company two medium priced makes. Had the transaction been completed sooner, De Soto never would have been introduced. Initially, the two-make strategy was relatively successful. The last decent selling year for De Soto was 1957, at the time when big tailfins and triple taillights were De Soto's trademark. Because the make was fitted with the same body work as the Chrysler, De Soto lost its place in the hard-selling market of the late 1950s. Walter Percy Chrysler (April 2, 1875 - August 18, 1940) was an American automobile pioneer. ... August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. ... 1928 (MCMXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Hernando de Soto Hernando de Sotò (born 1496? in Spain, died 21 May 1542, probably on a branch of the Mississippi river near present-day Lake City, Arkansas) was a Spanish navigator and conquistador. ... The final Oldsmobile Logo used from the 1990s until the final Olds rolled off the line. ... Also see: Kelvinator and American Motors Corporation Nash Motors was an automobile manufacturer based in Kenosha, Wisconsin in the United States from 1916 to 1938. ... Pontiac is a marque of automobile produced by General Motors and sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 1926 to the present. ... 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The height of the tailfin era; the 1959 Cadillac. ... The Chrysler Corporation is a United States-based automobile manufacturer, since 1998 merged with Daimler_Benz into DaimlerChrysler. ...

The production of De Soto automobiles ceased on November 30, 1960, shortly after the 1961 model year was announced. However, the name survived on a line of heavy trucks built overseas (particlarly in Turkey). November 30 is the 334th day (335th on leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, with 31 days remaining, as the final day of November. ... 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1961 (MCMLXI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ...

De Soto had been a successful medium-priced line for Chrysler for most of its life. It fell victim to the 1958 recession that dropped the bottom out of the market for medium priced makes, and had claimed Edsel a year earlier. In addition, De Soto's price range was being infringed upon by higher-line Dodge models and the lower priced Chryslers. After De Soto was discontinued, Chrysler introduced the lower-priced Chrysler Newport that filled in at De Soto's price point (just under US$3,000), and was tremendously successful. 1958 Edsel Pacer The Edsel is a make of automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company, // History The Edsel was introduced amidst a considerable amount of publicity on E Day -- September 4, 1957. ... The Chrysler Newport name was used by the Chrysler Corporation for two different automobiles. ...

See also

• List of automobile manufacturers

It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with List of cars. ...

External links

• http://www.desoto.org
• http://www.desotoland.com