DeSoto: Chrysler's Forgotten Child

By Jack Mercer

Once a proud and vital member of Chrysler Corporation's automotive family, DeSoto rose swiftly during the late 1920s and became a symbol of style, innovation, and American optimism. From its Art Deco Airflows of the 1930s to the bold, finned masterpieces of the 1950s, DeSoto offered a unique blend of engineering excellence and daring design. But beneath the chrome and tailfins lay the shifting sands of market forces, economic upheavals, and corporate decisions that would ultimately seal the brand's fate.

DeSoto: Chrysler's Forgotten Child is the definitive chronicle of DeSoto's complete history, tracing its meteoric rise, postwar golden years, and its quiet, corporate-driven disappearance in 1961. Grounded entirely in documented historical facts, this book brings to life the people, the cars, and the moments that defined DeSoto's journey-offering readers a vivid window into an era when automobiles were not only transportation but expressions of America's dreams.

Through twenty-five detailed chapters and rich narrative storytelling, this work pays tribute to DeSoto's legacy, examines the economic and industrial forces that led to its demise, and captures the enduring place the brand holds in the imagination of classic car lovers and automotive historians alike.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1923545248
• ISBN13: 9781923545243
• Release Date: July 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 212 Pages
• Weight: 0.64 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"