Say what you will about the Chrysler Imperial Concept’s exterior design: we have. In fact, we named it one of the Top 10 Duds from the auto show circuit this year, but that was before we saw it on the road in natural light. The car looks better up close and in person, though it’s not quite a beautiful piece of machinery. This polarizing appearance is by design, since creative types usually want the fruit of their labor to grab attention and spark controversy. Since the company claims plenty of elements were cribbed from a variety of downright ugly Imperials of the past, getting the desired impact was probably pretty easy.

Mike Nicholas was the Chrysler Imperial Concept’s principal exterior designer, and he said stylists wanted the car to blend “stately nobility, hand craftsmanship, and a modern dynamic sculpture and proportion.” His team started with the same platform that serves as the basis of the 300 sedan, stretching the wheelbase 3.3 inches. Not surprisingly, then, the Imperial Concept is longer than a 300, adding 17 inches stem to stern, as well as six inches of height. Sitting on its chrome 22-inch wheels, the Imperial Concept is imposing, about the size of a Rolls-Royce Phantom in height and width, but stubbier by more than a foot.

The Chrysler Imperial Concept’s body is hand-sculpted, like custom coach-built LeBaron bodies of yesteryear (no, not like the highly collectible, era-defining 1988 Chrysler LeBaron Turbo Town & Country station wagon, smart guy). The Imperial’s blunt visage is dominated by a bold V-shaped power dome hood and an audacious grille flanked by distinctive headlamps. Chrysler says the Imperial’s upright radiator grille “impart(s) a stately eminence previously unattainable in all but the most expensive of motorcars.” Well, except for clapped-out Cadillacs wearing an aftermarket E&G “Classic” monstrosity of a grille. Crafted of polished and brushed aluminum, and capped with Chrysler wings and logo, the Imperial’s grille fronts a bright spear of molding that stretches the length of the hood to the base of the windshield. Round headlights mimic the freestanding units on Imperials of the 1930s and early 1960s. Nestled under a heavy brow, the polished aluminum parabolic pods house modern projector beam lamps.

A sweeping character line arcs from the lower front air dam over the front wheels to the door handles, blending into the Imperial’s body in front of similarly flared haunches designed to communicate that this is a powerful, rear-drive vehicle. Brightwork is limited to the door handles, the dished 22-inch wheels, the side mirrors, the window surrounds, and the “Imperial” script on the lower portion of the front doors.

At the Chrysler Imperial Concept’s rear, individual circular taillights with floating outer rings are styled to resemble the “gun sight” lights common on previous Imperials. These, however, contain LED lighting units, underlined by separate thin LED lamps which handle signaling and reverse functions. Designers achieved impressive symmetry with the Imperial’s front end thanks to a raised trunk lid, similarly shaped lighting elements, an identically sized Chrysler badge, and a license plate recess that ties in with the body-colored center panel between the taillights to mimic the proportions of the grille.