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Description
Introduced in 1956 as a sporty speciality model of the Belvedere, the Plymouth Fury was about as limited as limited production cars went. It was only offered in a single body style, a single colour option, a single engine option, and with a price tag that assured it was going to remain the treat for only the few. Still there was no denying it was also an enticing car, particularly considering it was introduced while Plymouth was still sporting its considerably less-than-exciting mid-50s tubby family sedan body styles. This, however, was to drastically change the very next year as Chrysler unveiled its sweeping "Forward Look" cars, designed by Chrysler's new resident stylist Virgil Exner, having previously been responsible for designing the 1955 Imperial and Chrysler 300 models before being handed the reigns as head stylist for the entirety of the Chrysler range for 1957. With these new models, Exner dramatically pushed Chrysler to the forefront of car design, his long, low-slung, and aggressively sleek designs originating seemingly light years ahead of either competing GM or Ford products. But while all Chrysler marques sported similar basic styles to one another, it was perhaps Plymouth that proved the most attractive of them all due to its forward-pushing nose sporting an angry-looking grille, which was wonderfully complemented by the almost rocketship like wings in the rear end, creating a forward-thrusting appearance to the car's low waistline that made it look all the more sleeker and meaner than any of the other Chrysler cars of the year - something that was proven by stellar customer reception.

The Fury remained just as limited as it was the previous year, sporting an off-white colour scheme over its two-door hardtop body based on the Belvedere Sport Coupe, and was blazed with gold-coloured accents in its trim as a specific identifying feature over cheaper Plymouths. Power was supplied by a 290 horsepower, 318 cid V8 engine coupled with Chrysler's reliable TorqueFlight push-button transmission, making it a grand tourer of the highest calibre… in an American sense, that is. For 1958 the car saw little real change outside of further finessing its features, particularly by eliminating the somewhat strange looking inner parking lights for a more conventional quad-headlight arrangement and homogenising the front grille by continuing the barred grate to also continue under the front bumper in place of the somewhat more brutish-looking slits the cars previously sported. The Fury colour-scheme also underwent a slight shift from white to a creamy beige (called "buckskin beige"), while engine options were increased from just the 318 cid "V-800" engine (both as two- or four-barrel setups) to also include an optional 350 cid V8, called the "Golden Commando" (this was similarly available on lesser Plymouths as well). As a unique option this year there was also a 315 horsepower, electronically fuel-injected engine, though this proved to be so problematic that every car fitted with said engine were later recalled by the company and replaced with a more regular four-barrel engine.

Sales for the Fury remained expectedly low in face of its closest alternative, the Belvedere Sport Coupe, with the latter selling well over 36,000 in 1958 alone as opposed to the 7438 Furies built in 1957 and the 5303 made in 1958, making it quite a rare beast from the get-go. Unfortunately, with all the good, there also came some bad. For as much as these cars were sensational in a stylistic way, they also fell into a significant dip in regarding quality control. Many Plymouths experienced serious premature rusting issues that decimated the car's ranks within only a few years of use, and which also caused appreciation levels to dip only further as wings went out of fashion and the previous trendsetters became more akin to kitschy embarrassments on the road. This trend continued well through the 1960s and 70s before this periods Plymouths suddenly experienced a great surge of renewed interest following Stephen King's best-seller Christine hitting the shelves in 1983, followed soon after by a film version directed by John Carpenter. Featuring a red and white '58 "Fury" (King obviously wasn't all too knowledgeable about the car) turned jealous murderer, the combined book and film suddenly made the "Forward Look" Plymouths highly desirable cars, and Christine clones soon started popping up all over the place. Today it is perhaps one of the most iconic of 1950s cars and much desired by car enthusiasts both young and old. As for the Fury itself, 1958 was the final year for the car's special model status, the Fury being split into two for 1959. The Belvedere was pushed down a notch and a more regular base Fury model took its place, while the old Fury model basically became the Sport Fury (this time also available as a convertible). However, the Fury never really regained its sense of exclusive uniqueness in the ensuing years of its integration into a more standard Plymouth model range and it left the 1956-1958 models standing in a very special position in the marques history.

Description
Introduced in 1956 as a sporty speciality model of the Belvedere, the Plymouth Fury was about as limited as limited production cars went. It was only offered in a single body style, a single colour option, a single engine option, and with a price tag that assured it was going to remain the treat for only the few. Still there was no denying it was also an enticing car, particularly considering it was introduced while Plymouth was still sporting its considerably less-than-exciting mid-50s tubby family sedan body styles. This, however, was to drastically change the very next year as Chrysler unveiled its sweeping "Forward Look" cars, designed by Chrysler's new resident stylist Virgil Exner, having previously been responsible for designing the 1955 Imperial and Chrysler 300 models before being handed the reigns as head stylist for the entirety of the Chrysler range for 1957. With these new models, Exner dramatically pushed Chrysler to the forefront of car design, his long, low-slung, and aggressively sleek designs originating seemingly light years ahead of either competing GM or Ford products. But while all Chrysler marques sported similar basic styles to one another, it was perhaps Plymouth that proved the most attractive of them all due to its forward-pushing nose sporting an angry-looking grille, which was wonderfully complemented by the almost rocketship like wings in the rear end, creating a forward-thrusting appearance to the car's low waistline that made it look all the more sleeker and meaner than any of the other Chrysler cars of the year - something that was proven by stellar customer reception.

The Fury remained just as limited as it was the previous year, sporting an off-white colour scheme over its two-door hardtop body based on the Belvedere Sport Coupe, and was blazed with gold-coloured accents in its trim as a specific identifying feature over cheaper Plymouths. Power was supplied by a 290 horsepower, 318 cid V8 engine coupled with Chrysler's reliable TorqueFlight push-button transmission, making it a grand tourer of the highest calibre… in an American sense, that is. For 1958 the car saw little real change outside of further finessing its features, particularly by eliminating the somewhat strange looking inner parking lights for a more conventional quad-headlight arrangement and homogenising the front grille by continuing the barred grate to also continue under the front bumper in place of the somewhat more brutish-looking slits the cars previously sported. The Fury colour-scheme also underwent a slight shift from white to a creamy beige (called "buckskin beige"), while engine options were increased from just the 318 cid "V-800" engine (both as two- or four-barrel setups) to also include an optional 350 cid V8, called the "Golden Commando" (this was similarly available on lesser Plymouths as well). As a unique option this year there was also a 315 horsepower, electronically fuel-injected engine, though this proved to be so problematic that every car fitted with said engine were later recalled by the company and replaced with a more regular four-barrel engine.

Sales for the Fury remained expectedly low in face of its closest alternative, the Belvedere Sport Coupe, with the latter selling well over 36,000 in 1958 alone as opposed to the 7438 Furies built in 1957 and the 5303 made in 1958, making it quite a rare beast from the get-go. Unfortunately, with all the good, there also came some bad. For as much as these cars were sensational in a stylistic way, they also fell into a significant dip in regarding quality control. Many Plymouths experienced serious premature rusting issues that decimated the car's ranks within only a few years of use, and which also caused appreciation levels to dip only further as wings went out of fashion and the previous trendsetters became more akin to kitschy embarrassments on the road. This trend continued well through the 1960s and 70s before this periods Plymouths suddenly experienced a great surge of renewed interest following Stephen King's best-seller Christine hitting the shelves in 1983, followed soon after by a film version directed by John Carpenter. Featuring a red and white '58 "Fury" (King obviously wasn't all too knowledgeable about the car) turned jealous murderer, the combined book and film suddenly made the "Forward Look" Plymouths highly desirable cars, and Christine clones soon started popping up all over the place. Today it is perhaps one of the most iconic of 1950s cars and much desired by car enthusiasts both young and old. As for the Fury itself, 1958 was the final year for the car's special model status, the Fury being split into two for 1959. The Belvedere was pushed down a notch and a more regular base Fury model took its place, while the old Fury model basically became the Sport Fury (this time also available as a convertible). However, the Fury never really regained its sense of exclusive uniqueness in the ensuing years of its integration into a more standard Plymouth model range and it left the 1956-1958 models standing in a very special position in the marques history.