1955 Packard Caribbean
1955 Packard Caribbean

What price luxury? If you were shopping for a new car in 1955, that number was approximately $3000. It was around that dollar amount that the vehicles we might now describe as premium starting kicking in.

For reference, the most expensive 1955 Chevrolet model, excluding the Corvette, the Beauville station wagon, started at $2282. If the prices below seem a little low, remember that air conditioning, where available, added about $500 to the bottom line, while a radio ran about $150. And, even on the Cadillac, a locking truck cost extra.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwYbLazKV7A

That said, the Bentley seen below seems like something of a bargain. For 2021, the least-expensive model from the British ultra-luxury carmaker is the Bentayga crossover, which starts at $160,000.

Here we share ten classic car ads from 1955, all of which feature cars priced at around $3000 or more. Let us know what you think. The place to leave comments is down below.

More classic-car ads

Premium Car Ads from 1955

Bentley

1955 Bentley S Series Ad
1955 Bentley S Series Ad

1955 Bentley S base price: $12,000

Inflation adjusted: $118,000

Photo Feature: 1947 Bentley Mark VI Drophead Coupe

 

Buick

1955 Buick Roadmaster Ad
1955 Buick Roadmaster Ad

1955 Buick Roadmaster Riviera base price: $3453

Inflation adjusted: $33,850

Dynaflow Madness! A Gallery Of Classic Buick Ads

 

Cadillac

1955 Cadillac Ad
1955 Cadillac Ad

1955 Cadillac starting price: $3977

Inflation adjusted: $39,000

Hard to Park: The 5 Longest Cars of 1975

 

Chrysler

1955 Chrysler 300 Ad
1955 Chrysler 300 Ad

1955 Chrysler 300 base price: $4110

Inflation adjusted: $40,300

Pentastar Madness! A Gallery of Classic Chrysler Ads

 

Ford

1955 Ford Thunderbird Ad
1955 Ford Thunderbird Ad

1955 Ford Thunderbird base price: $2944

Inflation adjusted: $28,900

Photo Feature: 1966 Ford Thunderbird

 

Imperial

1955 Imperial Ad
1955 Imperial Ad

1955 Imperial starting price: $4483

Inflation adjusted: $43,950

Forgotten Concept: Chrysler Imperial

 

Jaguar

1955 Jaguar Ad
1955 Jaguar Ad

1955 Jaguar Mark VII Saloon base price: $3795

Inflation adjusted: $37,200

Action Madness! A Gallery of Classic Ads Featuring Cars in Motion

 

Lincoln

1955 Lincoln Ad
1955 Lincoln Ad

1955 Lincoln starting price: $3563

Inflation adjusted: $34,900

Luxury Madness! A Gallery Of Classic Lincoln Ads

 

Oldsmobile

1955 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Holiday Coupé Ad
1955 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Holiday Coupé Ad

1955 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Holiday Coupé base price: $3089

Inflation adjusted: $30,300

Rocket Madness! 10 Classic Oldsmobile Ads

 

Packard

1955 Packard Ad, Premium Car Ads from 1955
1955 Packard Ad

1955 Packard Caribbean base price: $5995

Inflation adjusted: $58,750

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Premium Car Ads from 1955 Gallery

(Click below for enlarged images)

Premium Car Ads from 1955

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Premium Car Ads from 1955

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