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.
Lead trim: Polara 500 361 four-barrel V8 (305 hp)
Dodge Polara 500POLARA-500 · 1962–1964
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Nobody in Burbles has spotted a Dodge Polara 500 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.
FactThe 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.
Among the B-bodied 1962 Dodges was a bucket-seated sporty model called the Polara 500, available as a two-door hardtop and a convertible (a four-door hardtop was added in December); standard equipment included a 305 hp (227 kW; 309 PS) 361 cu in (5.9 L) V8 with four-barrel carburetion and dual exhaust. For 1963 and 1964 the Polara 500 was available only as a convertible or hardtop coupé, and continued as Dodge's sporty mid-size model, competing with the full-size Ford Galaxie 500/XL and Chevrolet Impala Super Sport, with an engine-turned anodized aluminum trim strip along the flanks, bucket seats and deluxe vinyl upholstery. Wheelbase 116 in (1962), 119 in (1963–1964).
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
One published trim in the catalogue. A blank is a figure not recorded, not zero.
| Trim | Years | Engine | Power | Torque | 0–60 | Drive | Gearbox | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Polara 500 361 four-barrel V8 (305 hp) | 1962–1964 | 5.9 L V8 | 305 hp | 395 lb-ft | — | 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
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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