The fascinating, complicated, and often troubled 33-year history of the DeSoto brand begins here.

When the Chrysler Corporation formally introduced the DeSoto on August 4, 1928 as a 1929 model, it was no surprise at all to the automotive business community. Walter P. Chrysler and his associates had been announcing key personnel appointments for months, and a formal presentation of the DeSoto product line was made to the freshly recruited dealer network on July 7.

At the time, it was believed that this carefully staged publicity campaign was in part a negotiating ploy, as Chrysler was then trying to thrash out a deal with bankers Dillon, Read & Co. to obtain the Dodge Brothers Company, and both sides were hanging tough. In Motor City lore, Chrysler was signaling to the bankers that if he couldn’t work out a deal to acquire Dodge, he would simply launch his own brand in direct competition.

But as events worked out, Chrysler ended up with both both brands in his portfolio. The Dodge deal was consummated on July 30, 1928 in a $170 million stock swap, while the DeSoto rollout followed on August 4. Of course, both developments followed closely after Chrysler’s launch of the Plymouth division on June 7. (See our feature on the 1928 Plymouth here.) The Chrysler Corporation now suddenly boasted four complete car lines: Chrysler, Dodge, DeSoto, and Plymouth.

Priced at $845, the DeSoto originally slotted in above the new low-priced Plymouth at $675 and just below the $875 Dodge. In keeping with the theme established with Spanish explorer Hernando de Soto, discoverer of the Mississippi River, the body styles were given Spanish names as well: Sedan de Lujo, Roadster Espanol, and so on. While both the Plymouth and DeSoto were assembled on a 109-inch wheelbase chassis, DeSoto took a stride upmarket with an inline six for power, boasting 174.9 cubic inches and 55 horsepower.

In its initial form, the DeSoto was the right car at the right time for American car buyers, as the market for low-priced, sporty sixes was red hot in the late 1920s. While the DeSoto brand would hit some tough spots over the next 33 years, in its first model year the new Chrysler product was a rousing success. More than 80,000 cars would be sold in the first model run, a sales record for a new product rollout in the Motor City that would stand for some years to come.