Following his initial attempts to acquire Dodge Brothers, Walter P. Chrysler decided to introduce a competitor of his own. Rolled out in 1928 as a 1929 model, the DeSoto was such a terrific success that Chrysler was able to acquire Dodge a year later.

The DeSoto model line was named after the famed French explorer of North America who was the first European to reach the storied Mississippi River. Designed as a step up from Plymouth in price, power, and size, over 80,000 DeSotos were delivered during that first year. Although Dodge was ranked higher than DeSoto, by the 1930s, DeSoto models were considered second only to the prestigious Chrysler and Imperial marques. The DeSoto remained in production until 1961.

The handsome 1931 SA roadster offered here has a wonderful appearance in deep red, with darker red moldings, a plum interior, and a black soft top, and is truly striking and beautiful to behold. Astute enthusiasts will notice the body-color radiator shutters, the classic DeSoto radiator mascot, and the DeSoto badge bar running in front of the bumper. A rear-mounted spare adds to the jaunty overall appearance, as does the dashboard with its unusual oval gauges. The car rides on painted wire wheels, shod in whitewall tires.

Everyone loves a DeSoto, and this is a rarely seen early 1930s example, with a fine presentation and a wonderful, sporting body style. It would be an excellent addition to any Chrysler collection, representing Walter P. Chrysler’s genius at its most canny and audacious.