Dodge debuted the Polara in 1960 against the Ford Galaxie 500 and Chevrolet Impala as its full-size car, and then demoted it in 1962 to intermediate. The 1960 Polara had a 122-inch wheelbase and a unibody, but actually used Plymouth sheet metal. The 1962 Polara was downsized to 116-inch on rumours that GM cars would be smaller; the new B-body was awkward in its proportions. Dodge created a 'Custom 880' model using a 1961 Polara welded to a 1962 Chrysler to sell above the Polara, but for 1963 had increased the Polara wheelbase to 119-inches and changed the sheet metal. A new Polara was introduced for 1965 on a Chrysler C-body with a 121-inch then a 122-inch wheelbase. Styling was by Elwood Engel. The smallest engine in 1965 was the 5.2-litre (318) V8, and above that the 6.3-litre (383) V8 that was being shoe-horned into small Mopar cars for performance. But Dodge allowed the Polara to be sold with a 426 V8 and ultimately a 440 (7.2-litre). Polaras came as sedans, hardtops wagons and convertibles. An all new Polara with fresh C-body sold from 1969 to 1973 when the Oil Crisis caused Chrysler to drop the Polara model.