There was a time when American luxury cars were measured not only by their size, power and abundance of chrome, but by just how extravagant their manufacturers could be. Sometimes, quite literally, that meant adding a touch of gold.

During a lunch with the South Cape Old Motor Club at a private motor museum, we came across a particularly magnificent reminder of those days.

Standing among an impressive collection of classic cars was this enormous, pale-yellow Imperial Crown Southampton. With its sweeping tailfins, whitewall tyres, acres of chrome and unmistakable American presence, it was impossible to ignore.

And then there were those tiny crowns above the headlights. More about those in a moment.

Imperial wasn’t simply a more luxurious Chrysler. In 1955, the Chrysler Corporation established Imperial as a separate luxury marque, with the specific intention of competing against Cadillac and Lincoln.

The Crown Southampton belonged to the generation of Imperials produced between 1957 and 1966. The Southampton name identified the elegant pillarless hardtop body style, while Crown occupied a prestigious position in the Imperial range.

These were cars designed to make a statement. Long, wide and unapologetically extravagant, they reflected an era when American manufacturers seemed to compete over who could build the biggest and most impressive motor car.

But the Imperial wasn’t all show. Beneath that enormous bonnet was serious V8 power, while its equipment was remarkably sophisticated for the period.

Take a look inside. The beautifully detailed dashboard, enormous steering wheel and broad bench seating belong to a very different world of motoring.

Power-adjustable seats were among the luxury features, while equipment available during this generation included air conditioning, power door locks and even an early form of cruise control called Auto-Pilot.

Today we take these conveniences for granted, but in the late 1950s they were the sort of features that helped separate luxury motoring from ordinary transport.

Even the smallest details received attention. From the elaborate interior trim and door-sill plates to the sculpted bodywork, the Imperial was designed to remind its occupants that they were travelling in something special.

And then there is the rear end, complete with dramatic tailfins and a circular bootlid treatment recalling the externally mounted spare wheels of earlier luxury cars.

But let’s return to those little crowns above the headlights.

We were told that these tiny ornaments contain 8-carat gold. Just imagine that! Even the badges were given the royal treatment. But then again, what better way to crown a car that was built in an era when extravagance was almost a competitive sport?

We were also told that this particular Imperial is the only four-door example of its kind in South Africa, making an already remarkable motor car that much more special.

Looking at it today, you can’t help wondering whether something was lost when manufacturers started worrying more about efficiency, production costs and aerodynamics than sheer automotive theatre.

An enormous V8, acres of chrome, dramatic tailfins and a little crown above each headlight.

Motoring certainly had a different meaning back then.

And sometimes, discovering a piece of that history is as simple as going out for lunch.