Lot 765-TUL: 1979 Chrysler Cordoba

Corinthian leather was one of the most famous marketing terms in automotive history!

Created in 1974 by Chrysler’s ad agency Bozell, it was simply a fancy name for the premium leather upholstery used in their luxury vehicles—most famously the first-generation Chrysler Cordoba (1975–1979). Despite the exotic-sounding name suggesting Greek origins, the leather actually came from Radel Leather in Newark, New Jersey.

The term became legendary thanks to actor Ricardo Montalbán, whose smooth, majestic delivery in Cordoba TV commercials described the “soft Corinthian leather”—even though there was nothing particularly unique about the leather itself!

Looking at the 1979 Cordoba you’re viewing—with its original red/burgundy interior and “highly original” condition—it’s quite likely to feature Corinthian leather, as this was the signature upscale touch for these personal luxury coupes. The advertising campaign was so effective that the term became permanently synonymous with the Cordoba.

Want to see if the full description has more interior details, or would you like to check out similar Cordobas?