Dodge had plenty to crow about for 1956 with a new four-door Lancer hardtop, a more powerful hemi V8, and push-button transmission control.

There’s a brassy military theme in this promotional reel for the 1956 Dodge, as three fighter pilots fall into formation and roll their new Dodges into the local air force base. The jet fighter tie-in is a natural, as the Dodge people were pitching their version of the Chrysler Forward Look as “the Dodge with the jet fin styling.” Of course, flamboyant tail fins were an essential element in Virgil Exner’s design theme for all the Chrysler brands.

Bragging points in this presentation include the optional 230 hp Super Red Ram V8 (up to 260 hp was available that year with two four-barrel carbs for the 315 CID hemi) and  push-button operation for the PowerFlite two-speed automatic transmission. Dodge ballyhooed the typewriter shift control as “the magic touch of tomorrow.” While it’s not shown in this clip, Dodge was boasting a new body style for ’56: a four-door version of the Lancer pillarless hardtop (pictured above). General Motors had pioneered the four-door hardtop the year before, and the rest of the Motor City automakers scampered in to join the trend. Sales for all the U.S. automakers slipped in 1956, but Dodge maintained its position as Chrysler’s second-biggest brand with more than 240,000 units delivered. Video follows.