DeSoto Model History

United States · founded 1928

Chrysler's mid-price division (1928–1961) — from the record-setting DeSoto Six and streamlined Airflow to the finned, Hemi-powered Fireflite and Adventurer of the Forward Look era.

Models

Six

DeSoto's debut model — the 1929 Six set a US first-year production record of 81,065 cars that stood for 31 years.

Full-size car · 1929–1936
Airflow

DeSoto's radical aerodynamic sedan (1934–1936) — a commercial failure that nearly sank the brand but pioneered streamlined design.

Full-size car · 1934–1936
Airstream

The conventional companion to the Airflow (1935–1936), rushed out to win back buyers turned off by the streamliner.

Full-size car · 1935–1936
Custom

DeSoto's upper postwar series (1946–1952) — six-cylinder cars that included the long-bodied Suburban people-mover.

Full-size car · 1946–1952
Deluxe

DeSoto's entry-level postwar series (1946–1952), sharing the L-head six with the costlier Custom.

Full-size car · 1946–1952
Suburban

A long-wheelbase eight-passenger DeSoto (1946–1954) — a roomy sedan-wagon hybrid for taxi, livery and large-family use.

Full-size car · 1946–1954
Firedome

The car that brought the Hemi V8 to DeSoto — its 276-cubic-inch FireDome V8 (1952) gave the brand eight cylinders again for the first time since 1931.

Full-size car · 1952–1959
Powermaster

DeSoto's six-cylinder series of the early 1950s, sold alongside the new Hemi V8 Firedome.

Full-size car · 1953–1954
Fireflite

DeSoto's flashy flagship of the Forward Look (1955–1960) — Hemi V8 power under Virgil Exner's finned, jet-age bodywork.

Full-size car · 1955–1960
Firesweep

DeSoto's lower-priced V8 (1957–1959), built on shorter Dodge underpinnings to reach down-market.

Full-size car · 1957–1959
Adventurer

DeSoto's limited high-performance halo (1956–1960) — a Hemi-powered hardtop that was the brand's answer to the Chrysler 300.

Full-size car · 1956–1960

Other makes