Yes, the name Imperial appeared on a few makes in various countries over the years :
Imperial - 1900-1905 : Imperial Autocar Manufacturing Co., Manchester, UK
Imperial - 1903-1904 : Rodgers & Co., Columbus, OH
Imperial - 1904-1905 : The Anti-Vibrator Co Ltd., Croyden, Surrey, UK
Imperial - 1906-1907 : Imperial Motor Car Co., Williamsport, PA
Imperial - 1907-1915 : Imperial Automobile Co., Jackson, MI
Imperial - 1914 : Implitico Ltd., London, UK
Imperial - 1955-1975 : Chrysler Corporation, Detroit, MI
Imperial - 1981-1983 : Chrysler Corporation, Detroit, MI
The Imperial was a series of Chrysler from 1926 to 1954, and again from 1990-1993. Chrysler also used the name "Imperial" to describe a sedan in 1924 and 1925 (other names used were Crown and Royal).
Cadillac used the name "Imperial" for models with division windows from at
least 1918 (that's the earliest I could find) up to 1958.
Another make that used the name "Imperial" was the British-built Humber. Again, the Imperial name was used for a line of division-window long-wheelbase sedans, the pre-war 1939-1940 version based on the Snipe and Pullman series, while the postwar Imperial of (Mark II 1949-1953; Mark III 1953-1954) was based on the Pullman. The Imperial name appeared for a third time on a Humber from 1964-1967, this time a limousine based on the Super Snipe. And this one does have a Chrysler connection as Chrysler started buying Rootes stock in 1963.
As to the name "imperial" in the American scene, like it or not, but the United States of America did, and does, have an empire. The only difference between the American Empire and the British Empire is that the American version has no Emperor. Alaska was purchased from Russia and the Virgin Islands from Denmark, while the Spanish-American War resulted in the United States annexing Puerto Rico, some naval bases in Cuba, Guam and the Phillipines (1898). Hawaii was also annexed at this time. Other islands claimed by the U.S. were the Midway Islands, Tutuila Island (Samoa) and Wake Island. Earlier claims (going back to 1856) were laid on the Pacific islands of Baker, Canton, Christmas, Enderbury, Howland, Jarvis, Johnston, Palmyra, and Swain, to form a chain of coaling stations for the American Navy. The Canal Zone was acquired after a "non-intervention"campaign in the revolt of Panama against Columbia, of which Panama was a part until then.
I am not an American, but I am a student of history.
Bill
Vancouver, BC