This generation of New Yorkers was debuted in 1974 and had a lot of massive slab-sided effect. They were built at a time that coincided well with the ’73 OPEC oil embargo, which contributed greatly to Chrysler’s economic struggles in the late 1970s. The ’74 models were the last full-sized models designed by Chrysler from scratch, the 1979-81 models, with R-bodies were improved versions of the old mid-sized B-bodies.
The New Yorkers consisted of front and rear styling of the Imperial which had been dropped in 1976 plus it’s interior. This restyling increased sales of the New Yorker for it looked different from the Newport whose market was low. Design features used on the New Yorkers in 1974-75 were now applied on the Chrysler Newport. Despite these changes sales of the New Yorker and the Newport continued to decrease.
1975 Chrysler had dropped the Chrysler Imperial brand so Imperials for ’76-’78 were sold as Chrysler New Yorker Brougham. The original New Yorkers were built with a V8 Fire-Power engine, which was the first V8s produced by Chrysler. This engine is referred to as the Hemi due to its hemispherical combustion chambers. The New Yorker V8 engine in its second year in the market was improved to allow smooth airflow and fuel/air mixture ignition. As a result, the engine became more efficient and decreased thermal loss of energy. For this year the 360 engine was optional and New Yorker had an 18 V8. The cars were shorter and less bulky. The New Yorker would be distinguished from the R-body, Gran Fury, and the Newport due to its headlamps and taillights. In 1980, Fifth Avenue offered a stainless steel roof car and a smaller rear window. Fabrics were the new options for this year and the exterior colors were included. For 1981, the New Yorker acquired a standard grille with simplified vertical ribs.