As Chrysler LLC enters bankruptcy, the future of the iconic American automaker is in doubt. Chrysler was founded by Walter P. Chrysler on June 6, 1925, when the Maxwell Motor Co. was reorganized into the Chrysler Corp.

Ironically, Mr. Chrysler was famous for his ability to turn around troubled auto companies. Before taking over Maxwell, he resurrected the Willys car company.

Wanting to build a car that bore his name, Mr. Chrysler introduced the Chrysler automobile to great fanfare in January 1924. The company would go on to introduce many innovations, not all of them successfully.

One of Chrysler's most spectacular -- and unsuccessful -- designs was the 1934 Airflow, an aerodynamic sedan that foreshadowed basic styling trends for the industry in years to come. Still, it was too far ahead of its time, and buyers didn't bite.

Chrysler had big successes, too, including the Hemi V-8 engine in 1951, known for its hemispherical engine chambers and its powerful performance. In 1955, the very first Chrysler C-300 was introduced, pioneering the muscle car for the American auto industry.

Chrysler's flamboyant tritoned cars shocked the industry and pleased consumers, giving rise to a second generation of even more futuristic looking designs in 1957.

The towering taillights of the Windsor, Saratoga and New Yorker from 1957 through 1959 were part of glamorous designs that captured the public imagination.

Arguably the most beautiful Chryslers bowed in 1965, with sleek lines, fender skirts, clear headlight covers and futuristic interiors, all of which contributed to strong sales.

The 1970s star for the brand was the Cordoba, replete with opera windows, aluminum wheels and Corinthian leather, promoted by movie star Ricardo Montalban.

By the 1980s, Chrysler's models largely were drawn from extended versions of the K Car models from Dodge and Plymouth, with squarish styling and turbocharged engines for some models. Chrysler made a comeback during the 1990s with "cab forward" designs.

Meanwhile, Dodge, founded by Horace and John Dodge in 1900, was sold to Chrysler in 1928. Its cars ranked second in sales for a number of years during the early 1920s.

By 1953, the company introduced its first V-8 engine. In 1957, it introduced "swept wing" styling and models such as the Coronet and Lancer to the lineup.

In the 1960s, it introduced the Monaco, a personal coupe with wicker trim in the interior; the Charger, a fastback muscle car that gave the firm a foothold in the performance field; the Coronet R/T and the Super Bee, high-performance coupes known for their stripes, styling and acceleration. The Dart, a compact introduced in 1963, was one of its most popular compacts, being one of the few to offer a full lineup of body styles.

The 1980s brought the Aries, a front-wheel-drive "K" car.

Recently, Dodge brought its version of cab forward styling with the Intrepid. This period also brought the Neon, an attractive small compact that gave the brand a player in the growing compact field.