Virgil Exner's reversed-fin 1961 redesign bombed so badly that full-size Dodge sales crashed to their lowest since the company's 1914 founding — just 14,032 built.
Lead trim: Polara 383 V8
Dodge PolaraPOLARA-1960 · 1960–1961
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Dodge Polara 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.
FactVirgil Exner's reversed-fin 1961 redesign bombed so badly that full-size Dodge sales crashed to their lowest since the company's 1914 founding — just 14,032 built.
The Dodge Polara is an automobile introduced in the United States for the 1960 model year as Dodge's top-of-the-line full-size car; the name refers to the Polaris star in a marketing attempt to appeal to the excitement of the Space Race. The 1960 Polara and other full-sized Dodges featured styling carried over from 1959 (Virgil Exner's "Forward Look") and it was the first year that all Chrysler models except the Imperial used unibody construction; the Polara and Dodge Matador used a 122 in (3,099 mm) wheelbase while the new full-sized Dodge Darts rode on a shorter 118 in wheelbase shared with Plymouth. It was available as a two-door convertible and hardtop, a four-door hardtop sedan and hardtop station wagon, and a pillared four-door sedan, with stacked "jet pod" tail lights and shortened fins; for 1961 Dodge dropped the Matador, Exner's department reversed the fins and the front bumper became a simple bar, and consumers turned away — full-size Dodge sales fell to only 14,032 units produced in the US, the lowest since the firm's 1914 founding, down 53% on 1960, while the Dart carried the make with 142,000. A total of 1,236 units were a special order for the California Highway Patrol (999 trim code), with a 383 high-output V8, a 413 camshaft and a four-barrel Carter carburetor. Engines: 383 cu in (6.3 L) and 361 cu in (5.9 L) V8, with a 2-speed PowerFlite or 3-speed manual; length 214–217 in, curb weight about 3,880 lb. The page gives no power figures for this generation.
Collectors Spotted in the Dodge Polara Lineage
No member has published a public street spot of the Dodge Polara 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polara 361 V8 | 1960–1961 | 5.9 L V8 | — | — | — | RWD | — | — |
| Polara 383 V8 | 1960–1961 | 6.3 L V8 | 325 hp | 460 lb-ft | — | RWD | — | — |
Owning one
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Owners’ builds
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Photographs
A plain-looking police Polara held a speed record for 25 years: 149.6 mph, the fastest four-door sedan on Chrysler's test track, until a 1994 Caprice finally beat it.
The Argentine Dodge Polara borrowed its name from Dodge's big American sedans, but underneath it was really a reskinned 1967-69 Dodge Dart.
Argentina's hottest engine ever lived in this car: the Dodge GTX's 318 cubic-inch V8 is considered the most powerful engine Argentina ever produced.
Dodge's full-size comeback came with a catch: 383-powered Polaras of this era averaged just 13.8 mpg, a number owners complained about even in an era of cheap gas.
The downsized '62 Polara exists because Chrysler's president overheard Chevy's chief and misread it as a sign GM's big cars were shrinking — so Dodge frantically shrank its whole lineup to match a Chevy downsizing that was never actually happening.
This Polara exists because of a rumor gone wrong: Chrysler's president overheard and misunderstood a GM executive, and panic-shrunk the whole lineup to match a downsizing Chevy never actually did.
Virgil Exner's reversed-fin 1961 redesign bombed so badly that full-size Dodge sales crashed to their lowest since the company's 1914 founding — just 14,032 built.
Rivals
Same body, same money, other badges — tap any card to flip.
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