These traits made later six-cylinder DeSotos quite popular as taxicabs.ĭeSoto first observed a model year with the January 1932 introduction of its SC-Series "All New Six." This wore chunky but attractive styling as a standard sedan, seven-passenger sedan, and Custom sedan, convertible, and phaeton. It was also fairly thrifty, returning up to 22 mpg with gentle use. Though never exciting, DeSoto's six was sturdy and reliable, happily running for long spells with little maintenance other than an occasional quart of oil. This became a 100-horsepower, 241.5-cid for 1934-36, after which a destroked 228.1 with 93 or 100 horsepower took over. All models carried an 82-horsepower 217.8-cubic-inch six. Reflecting this sales decline, DeSoto cut prices for 1933: as low as $665 for a standard sedan or coupe and $875 for the top-line Custom convertible sedan. The tally dropped under 23,0, by which time DeSoto had climbed from 15th in a field of 31 makes to 10th out of 26. Model-year volume totaled some 32,0-31, then fell below 25,000 for '32. Actually, the six was but a single engine that was periodically enlarged - essentially a smaller version of Chrysler's six.ĭeSoto started the '30s in the middle of the industry production pack, but moved upward through 1933 despite building fewer cars each year.
But Eights appealed to only about one in three buyers, so DeSoto offered nothing but sixes from 1932 until its hemi-head "FireDome" V-8 of 1952. The five-main-bearing eight was smoother and quieter than the four-main six, but neither was a powerhouse.Įights cost around $1000, early-'30s Sixes around $800-$850. All were orthodox side-valve designs with cast-iron construction. Sixes and eights were available through 1931. Styling was bolt-upright formal through '31, then smoothed a bit with barrel-like grilles. The 1930-33 DeSotos reflected general Chrysler Corporation trends. The result was a sales disaster that briefly threatened DeSoto's existence. Even so, DeSoto history generally parallels Chrysler's with one key exception: While Chrysler offered a group of conventionally styled Sixes for 1934, DeSoto relied exclusively on that year's radical new Airflow.
The make didn't settle into its long familiar "middle-middle" role until the late '30s. Early DeSotos, though, were pitched just above Plymouth in size, power, and price.