A gold-and-white Fireflite paced the 1956 Indy 500 — track president Tony Hulman said the committee picked it unanimously for its handling, not its looks.
Lead trim: Fireflite 291 cu in Hemi V8 (200 hp, 1955) · up to 230 hp
DeSoto Fireflite1955–1956
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a DeSoto Fireflite yet. See one on the street, point the app at it, and the first card is yours — with your @handle permanently credited on this page.
FactA gold-and-white Fireflite paced the 1956 Indy 500 — track president Tony Hulman said the committee picked it unanimously for its handling, not its looks.
The DeSoto Fireflite was a full-size premium car built from 1955 to 1960, introduced in 1955 as DeSoto's top trim above the Firedome, wider and longer with a hemispherical-head 291 cubic inch (4.8 L) V8 of 200 hp with the 4-barrel carburetor, PowerFlite automatic operated by a dashboard "Flite-Control" lever, a weight of 4,070 lb and a price of US$3,544 (over 114,765 DeSotos were built in 1955, the best year since 1946). The 1956 car was best known for its long tapering tail fins, often in two-tone finish, with a longer 3.80 in stroke giving 330 cubic inches (5.4 L), 8.5:1 compression and 230 hp, 0 to 60 mph in 11 seconds and a 110 mph top speed; a gold and white Fireflite convertible was the 1956 Indianapolis 500 pace car (390 to 426 built). Wheelbase 126 in, length 217.9 in (1955) and 220.9 in (1956), width 77 in (1955).
Collectors Spotted in the DeSoto Fireflite Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the DeSoto Fireflite yet — the First · Worldwide stamp is wide open.
Trims & Figures
2 published trims in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fireflite 291 cu in Hemi V8 (200 hp, 1955) | 1955–1955 | 4.8 L V8 | 200 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Fireflite 330 cu in Hemi V8 (230 hp, 8.5:1, 1956) | 1956–1956 | 5.4 L V8 | 230 hp | — | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
We don’t estimate running costs for a car like this. What it costs depends on its condition, its specialist and how it is driven, and an average would mislead.
Owners’ builds
Nobody has claimed one yet.
Photographs
The Fireflite's dramatic 1957 restyle had a famous hand behind it: Chrysler's own head of styling, Virgil Exner, personally worked on the look.
A gold-and-white Fireflite paced the 1956 Indy 500 — track president Tony Hulman said the committee picked it unanimously for its handling, not its looks.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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