The Chrysler Corporation stylists went all-out to create a modernistic look for their redesigned De Soto for model year 1942. The "waterfall" grille design consisted of a broad expanse of vertical bars featuring a compound curvature. The treatment of the headlights was quite innovative for the era, these concealed "Airfoil Lights" retracted upward with a flip of a lever on the instrument panel, automatically lighting at the same time. Optional Fluid Drive was a semi-automatic transmission that for most driving provided no-shifting required. 1942 was the only year for the De Soto hidden headlights as all post-war models returned to exposed lamps.