Search Results

The B&B (Mercedes-Benz) CW311 was designed by Eberhard Schulz and built at Rainer Buchmann's tuning garage in Germany. It made its debut in 1979 and quickly became a poster car for every car-crazed teenager of its day. Schulz did not finish his mechanical engineering studies, but from about 1968, he began building his own automobile in a large laundry room in Klostermoor in East Frisia. This first effort was called the Erator GT, a mid-engine coupe with a welded steel tube spaceframe, upon which the fiberglass body was bonded. The Erator went through three stages in the course of its development. At first, a 1.6-liter VW engine was sourced, then a 2.3-liter V6 from a Ford Capri, finally with the 5-liter V8 from Mercedes (M117). The Erator became Schulz's calling card, and the exposure it generated got him interviews with Mercedes Benz and Porsche. He was ultimately hired by Porsche but went on to work for Rainer Buchmann at his iconic "B&B" tuning and design firm. There Schulz designed the CW311, which was inspired by the experimental 311 series from Mercedes Benz. It was intended as a theoretical follow-on to the original cars. The CW311 was named after its remarkable drag coefficient of 0.311. It caused quite a stir upon its debut in Frankfurt, being featured on the cover of top car magazines in both Europe and the United States throughout the following year. In a contemporary article, Stern magazine called the vehicle "the bomb." The supercar also received its own feature film, "Car-Napping," shot in Cannes. The CW311 was so well received that Mercedes allowed it to wear its insignia and branding because the car remained a 'one-off.' Eberhard Schulz, quoted in Classic Driver, recounts its origin. "I was a Porsche man through and through. But Mercedes was always the biggest. The Compressor era, Silver Arrows, Post-war Formula 1, 300 SL". This inspired Schulz with his idea of a supercar. Modern, but not fashionable, his sports car should be out of the ordinary. "My design had to beat all the usual sports car brands in the driving performance. It should look like a Mercedes, even if there was no star on the vehicle. Yes, it had to look like a Mercedes, even though it was not from the factory". Schulz continued, "The typical SL face came naturally: a large Mercedes star with a ring, framed by side trims on the right and left on the front grille." And gullwing doors, of course! "The rear had the large rear lights of the then SEL. The heart, the engine of the 600, maximum possible power – almost 400 bhp thanks to tuning. At that time, this was only available at AMG". As mentioned, the CW311 used the AMG Mercedes-Benz V8, mounted longitudinally, and mated to a 5-Speed ZF transmission. The car's fiberglass bodywork was mounted to a tubular steel spaceframe chassis, around an aluminum tub, and independent suspension with disc brakes at all four corners. The rolling stock featured 15-inch wheels with 10" and 13" wide Pirelli tires in front and rear, respectively. The whole package was good for a sub 5 second run from 0-60 and a 200mph top speed. While only one CW311 was made, the design went with Schulz when he left B&B in an acrimonious split in 1982. By '83, Buchmann's company had gone bankrupt, and Schulz released a topless, roadster version of the car called the "Imperator," under his newly formed company Isdera. The name was an acronym that stood for "Ingenieurbüro für Styling, DEsign und RAcing." Eventually, Schulz also produced more examples of the original B&B CW311, now called the Imperator 108i. All were powered by Mercedes Benz engines and running gear. Between the Spyder and Imperator, 30 examples were made. Source: https://rarecomponentcars.blogspot.com/2021/05/teutonic-inspiration.html Images: OldConceptCars.com

For the 1990 racing season in Group C, Mercedes-Benz, in cooperation with the Swiss Sauber team. Quite successfully: the team was world champion at the end of the season. This spurred on the engineers at Mercedes-Benz. They were looking to test active dynamic handling systems for large-scale production cars and came up with the high-performance sports car C112. It was powered by a six-liter V12 engine which developed 300 kW (408 hp) and put 580 Newton meters of torque on the crankshaft. The idea was to transfer this performance optimally to the road at the physical limits with the highest level of active safety. Souces: OldConceptCars.com, SuperCars.net

Remember the Mercedes-Benz C111 series? The final iteration, the C 111 IV, ushered in the model’s most radical performance era. A true supercar, the IV was equipped with twin vertical stabilizers, and a 500hp 4.8-liter gasoline V8, good enough to help the car set a closed-circuit speed record of 403.978 km/h in 1979, a decade after the first C 111’s debut. Features: manufactured by Mercedes-Benz in Germany 2-door coupe body type RWD (rear-wheel drive), manual 5-speed gearbox gasoline (petrol) engine with displacement: 4973 cm3 / 303.9 cui advertised power: 368 kW / 493 hp / 500 PS ( DIN ) characteristic dimensions: outside length: 6200 mm / 244.1 in, width: 1715 mm / 67.5 in, wheelbase: 2720 mm / 107.1 in reference weights: base curb weight: 1300 kg / 2866 lbs how fast is this car ? top speed: 404 km/h (251 mph) Sources: BBC by Dan Carney (2015), TopGear Images: Pinterest

A Mark II version was finished for the 1957 Motorama. An updated version of the, painted blue metallic and featuring design aspects of the forthcoming GM ’58s, notably the Chevrolet Impala and Corvette. A big ovoid grille with vertical teeth and a nerf-type front bumper system distinguished this Harley Earl special. Sources: OldConceptCars.com

There were two cars built in 1953 by the Ford Motor Company, the Ford X-100, and the Lincoln Fifty-X, which are shown here. They were virtually the same car! This car was named Lincoln Continental 1950-X at its introduction in early 1952 but was later renamed Ford X-100, 1953 / Lincoln Typhoon, 1957. Probably the first true Ford dream car was the X-100 of 1953, which anticipated the torpedo styling themes of later Fords like the 1961 Thunderbird. Another indication of Ford’s new directions from the same year was Mexico — only a scale model, but the result of wind-tunnel testing and an important pointer to future trends. Ford claimed 50 engineering firsts for this car, including a moisture-sensitive cell on the roof, which automatically closed the plastic sliding roof panel. Sources: Conceptkia.com, OldConceptCars.com

The Lincoln Futura is a concept car promoted by Ford's Lincoln brand, designed by Ford's lead stylists Bill Schmidt and John Najjar, and hand-built by Ghia in Turin, Italy — at a cost of $250,000 (equivalent to $2,400,000 in 2020). Displayed on the auto show circuit in 1955, the Futura was modified by George Barris into the Batmobile, for the 1966 TV series Batman. The car's official public debut was on January 8, 1955, at the Chicago Auto Show; it had been shown to the press at the city's Congress Hotel on January 5. While being displayed elsewhere in the U.S. that spring, the Futura was seen by the country's television audience on Today ("The Today Show") on March 3, 1955. The Futura's styling was original by 1950s standards — with a double, clear-plastic canopy top, exaggerated hooded headlight pods, and very large, outward-canted tailfins. Nevertheless, the Futura had a complete powertrain and was fully operable, in contrast to many show cars. Its original color was white, and was one of the first pearlescent color treatments, using ground pearl to achieve the paint effect. The Futura was powered by a 368 cubic inch Lincoln engine and powertrain; the chassis derived from a Continental Mark II. The Futura was a success as a show car, garnering favorable publicity for Ford. It was released as a model kit and a toy, and, in a much more subdued form, its headlight and tailfin motifs would appear on production Lincolns for 1956 and 1957, such as the Lincoln Premiere and Lincoln Capri. The concave front grille inspired the grille on the 1960 Mercury Monterey and the 1960 Ford Galaxie. The Futura played a prominent part in the 1959 movie It Started with a Kiss, starring Debbie Reynolds and Glenn Ford. For the movie, it was painted red, as the white pearlescent finish did not photograph well. The red-painted car is also seen in Ford's 1961 promotional film "The Secret Door." The film's looking inside Ford's Styling Center includes footage of the Futura on the test track and in the wind tunnel. The concept car was subsequently sold to auto customizer George Barris. Having originally cost $250,000, the Futura was sold to Barris for $1.00 and "other valuable consideration" by Ford Motor Company. As the car was never titled and was therefore uninsurable, it was parked behind Barris' shop, sitting idle and deteriorating for several years. The Lincoln Futura was also included in DLC: Vegas Pack of Mafia II as "Jefferson Futura". The 1994 NBC TV series VIPER featured a red 1955 Lincoln Futura called "The Baxley". Season 1 Episode 8. The car creator stole it after it was recovered by construction workers. There was quite a bit of film featuring the vehicle. Even a chase between the VIPER Defender and the Futura. There is a youtube video available of the chase. Sources: Wikipedia, OldConceptCars.com

In 1955, Lincoln built twelve "Colour Cars" to display at Auto Shows throughout the United States. Each was specially designed to appeal to buyers in different parts of the country. The Sahara for example was finished in beige with an earth tone interior for the southwestern market while the Sportsman was designed to evoke a feeling of the great outdoors for buyers in the Southeast. Based on an otherwise standard 1955 Lincoln Capri Convertible, the sportsman has paneled with Honduras teak Formica, which is framed in genuine maple to emulate the woody convertibles, built in the '40s. Lincoln carried the outdoor motif into the interior by also using wood on the steering wheel, gearshift knob, and directional signal lever knob. The interior also features pigskin leather inserts in the seats. This is a very unusual styling car that represented a design theme of the time. These twelve "Colour Cars" were featured for a time in the Rotunda. Photo Source: OldConceptCars.com Content Source: Barrett-Jackson.com

1953 XL-500 had the pushbutton transmission in the steering wheel, telephone and dictaphone, and automatic jacks that lifted it for repairs. Advanced sports car styling is combined with practicability and dignity in Ford Motor Company’s experimental design model - the XL-500. Newest in the continuous staff, the XL-500 offers a glimpse of what is ahead in automotive styling and mechanical features. Designed to accommodate comfortably four adult passengers, the XL-500 has a scarlet fiberglass body and an all-glass roof. Less than 57 inches high? it has arched rear fenders that permit the frame to ride closer to the road. The first public appearance of the model will be in the Lincoln-Mercury exhibit at the Chicago Automobile Show, March 14 - 22. Three separate bumpers protect the rear section of this experimental design model car - the XL-500 - which has been developed by Ford Motor Company for display as a portion of the Lincoln-Mercury exhibit at the Chicago Auto Show. The main rear bumper protrudes from the body deck, with two other vertical bumpers integrated into each of the tail light assemblies. Arched rear fenders and an all-glass roof supported by graceful supports are exterior features that characterize the experimental XL-500 design. Written Sources: LINCOLN-MERCURY NEWS BUREAU, CarStyling.ru Image Sources: Ford; www.chuckstoyland.com; www.forgottenfiberglass.com, www.dia.org

The restyling of the 1951 Packard was managed by John Reinhart, who became the styling chief in 1947. It was a well-received and well-executed car, but much of Packard's pre-war mystique had already been lost. Buyers were seeking V8s not straight-eights, and options such as automatic transmissions, power steering and brakes, and hardtop designs were becoming commonplace. To revitalize Packard's image, Edward Macauley and Chief Engineer, Bill Graves, conspired on a series of concept cars. This car, known alternately as the Packard Panther, Phantom II, or Macauley Special Speedster, was the first. It was based on a 1951 Packard 200 Deluxe Sedan. The major modifications were the shortening of the roof and the lengthening of the rear deck. This one-off vehicle is powered by a supercharged straight-eight, has an early rear window wiper, and sports dual exhausts. Originally conceived for a sportsman, the additional space could carry hunting gear or serve as lodging, but here, the contents of the additional area include a fridge, bar, and air conditioning unit. The president of Packard, Edward Macauley had several Packard's built for his personal use starting in 1933 with his 'Brown Bomber.' Even after his retirement as president, a twenty-fifth series Special Speedster was built for him in 1952 on a modified 200 Deluxe Club Sedan. It had an eight-cylinder engine on a chassis with a 122-inch wheelbase, and it encompassed several custom features that would be repeated on the Packard Pan American and later the Packard Caribbean. The 359 cubic-inch Packard inline eight is enhanced with the addition of a McCulloch supercharger. Other features on this car are special side chrome trim, dual exhausts, and rear windshield wipers. It was the first Packard to use a wraparound windshield. Famed singer and auto enthusiast James Melton owned the car in the mid-1950s and installed a Chrysler engine, transmission, dashboard, and tail lights. The car was repainted a deep blue around the same time. The current owner found this car in a deplorable condition. Three years were spent restoring this car back to its original glory. The original supercharged engine was located and returned it to its rightful place under the hood. While stripping the paint they found the original body color was maroon and had the car repainted. The roof-mounted spotlight was not reinstalled. Sources: www.conceptcarz.com, OldConceptCars.com

Due to a steady flow of requests to bring out a modern interpretation of its classic pre-war grille, Packard developed the "Request" prototype and debuted it at the 1955 Chicago Auto Show. Based on the 1955 Packard 400 two-door hardtop, the front design on the Request dream car did characterize the traditional grille, and the car also wore custom-built split bumpers and modified front sheet metal. Creative Industries constructed the one-of-a-kind Request for Packard, and the handsome 2-tone exterior was painted in pearlescent white, with copper-colored top and side accent strips A third Creative-Packard project was the 1955 Packard Request show car which debuted at the 1955 Chicago Auto Show. Packard had received a number of requests to bring out an up-to-date version of their pre-1951 classic-era radiator and decided to placate the critics with their "Request", hence the 1955 Request show car. Designed by Dick Teague, the Request was built using a modified Patrician with a new front end treatment utilizing a classic-era Packard-style grill separated by two massive front bumpers. The vehicle’s hood and fenders were molded using reinforced Plaskon polyester resin, a product of the Barrett Division of Allied Chemical. In a 1978 interview with Leon Dixon, Creative’s Gary Hutchings recalled: "We had a heck of a time finding a place with tanks big enough to plate those huge front bumpers. We finally got ’em done over in Hamtramck (a Detroit suburb)." Sources: www.chicagoautoshow.com, www.coachbuilt.com, CarStyling.ru, www.automotivehistoryonline.com, blog.hemmings.com

This fabulous Packard concept car is the first of four built by the Mitchell-Bentley Corporation for Packard who used the car at auto shows across America. Source: Pinerest, OldConceptCars.com

America's infatuation with the jet plane in the early 1950s did not take long to cross the Atlantic. Particularly Italy's leading automotive designers and coach-builders were quick to respond. Keen as they were to break into the very lucrative American market. Ghia successfully tied up with Chrysler, Bertone received universal acclaim for their 'B.A.T.' show cars but not much has been said about Pinin Farina's foray into jet design. At the time the Turin based design house was making quite a name for itself with altogether more understated creations based on the company's Cisitalia 202 launched in 1948. This very elegant machine was immediately recognized as a revolutionary design and was displayed in the Museum of Modern Art (MOMA) in New York only three years later. Company founder and lead designer Battista 'Pinin' Farina could nevertheless not resist the lure of the jet-age and created one of the period's most extravagant designs. Dubbed the PF200, Pinin Farina's jet-age design was a lot of things but certainly not understated. The prominent, circular grille-surround looked like it came straight off a contemporary fighter jet like the F86 Sabre. It was finished in chrome, just like the 'bumperettes' alongside it and the sizeable rear bumper. The rear wings featured long fins that extended beyond the tail of the car. Surrounded by so many jet fighter cues, the pair of triple exhausts could have easily been mistaken for machine guns. Found under the exuberant Pinin Farina body was Lancia's Aurelia B52 chassis. This was one of only a handful of cars still available to custom coach-builders without a body. Based on the production Aurelia B20, it also featured a slightly longer wheelbase to give the designers some more room to work. It was powered by the same 2-litre V6 engine that had been developed under supervision of the legendary Vittorio Jano. Fitted with hemispherical heads and a single Solex carburetor, it produced between 75 and 90 bhp depending on the state of tune. In the fall of 1952, the Lancia Aurelia B52 PF200 made its world debut at the Turin Motor Show. Although the car had been built with an eye on a limited production run, there is no indication that the striking creation sparked the interest of prospected buyers. Pinin Farina nevertheless continued along the same lines and created several more PF200 show cars. Using the Aurelia platform another two Cabriolets and three Coupes were constructed; each with distinct features. One order was received from the United States from a client who wanted the PF200 design fitted to a Cadillac chassis. By 1955 the final PF200 had been produced and the jet craze had slightly faded. Pinin Farina wisely turned to what it did best and for example created the Aurelia B24 Spyder; another instant design classic. Some cues like the chrome grille-surround and the rear deck treatment with raised sides of the Coupe, have been used on other cars. Derivatives of the latter can be found on Ferraris up into the 1990s. It is believed that of a total of six PF200 Aurelias have been built and at least four exist today. They perhaps did not receive much love in period but it is telling that most have been cherished by the same owners for many decades. Source: UltimateCarPage.com, Author:Wouter Melissen (Last updated: November 12, 2010), OldConceptCars.com

Without a doubt the most famous and influential special on an Aurelia chassis was the Florida berlina by Pininfarina. It appeared in 1955 and four of them have been made, one 2-door and three 4-door sedans. The Florida berlina had a radical squarish design with a full width grill and decent tail fins. The spacious cabin featured large glass areas and a wrap-around panoramic windshield. Like the standard Aurelia the 4-door Florida special had pillarless, opposed opening doors. All bodies were painted in a tasteful 2-tone color scheme. The modern pontoon-like looks of the Florida impressed and intrigued customers and car manufacturers alike. When Lancia came under new management in 1956 it was decided that the successor of the Aurelia should be based on the style and shape of the Florida show cars; this became the Lancia Flaminia berlina which was introduced in 1957. But it didn’t stop there because other manufacturers contacted Pininfarina for similar sedan designs. This way models like the "Farina" saloons of BMC (Morris Oxford V, Austin A 55 Cambridge Mk II, Riley 4/68, Wolseley 15/60 and MG Magnette Mk III) of 1959, the Fiat 1800/2100/2300 berlinas of 1959 (a Mario Boano design under Pininfarina supervision) and the Peugeot 404 of 1960 came on the market. The new style of the Florida influenced European car design for decades to come and established Pininfarina as one of the most important styling studios. Notice: Difference between the 2-door model and 4-door models. 2 porte (2-door) - one-off 4 porte berlina (4-door hardtop) - 3 cars made More information: In the 1950s, Italy’s design maestro, Pinin Farina, changed the shape of automotive architecture while drumming up new business for his expanding carrozzeria. Here’s the story of the dramatic show car -- the 1955 Lancia Florida -- that touched off a worldwide styling revolution with an influence you can still see today. The Lancia Florida is now some 50 years distant, so its colossal significance may not be fully appreciated by today’s style-conscious observer. Yet few design studies offer such a clear-cut example of a truly new form. There was nothing like the Florida in Pinin Farina’s earlier work, and the maestro certainly didn’t copy it from any of his rivals in Turin, London, Milan, or Detroit. When he sprang his surprise on the world at the Turin Salone dell’Automobile in the spring of 1955, everyone was unprepared. And no one could grasp at that moment how much the Florida would influence the art of car design in years to come. If that sounds like an exaggeration, it’s not. With the Florida, Farina bid farewell to "monolithic" shapes and said hello to a new principle: body development by symmetrical juxtaposition of curved panels. Look at it this way: If older cars were sculpted, as if hewn from a lump of clay, the Florida was just the opposite. It was built like a house of cards, each card preformed to a certain aesthetic concept. The starting point was not a solid object but merely a surface. The Florida was remarkably clean for its time. The major theme was form, with a near-total absence of decoration. Horizontal emphasis was provided by the beltline, which picked up from the front fenders and stretched into the high rear fenders, blending with the backwards sweep of the C-post. Further strengthening the horizontal motif was a full-length sheet-metal crease just above the wheel cutouts. A hardtop coupe built in steel, the Lancia Florida also featured a wraparound windshield and "dogleg" A-posts, prompted no doubt by the contemporary U.S. styling fad originated by General Motors. The grille was not new, being merely a variation on the flattened oval that Farina was using on so many Ferraris. Headlamps were housed within the grille frame, with smaller auxiliary lamps recessed into the front fender tips. In proportions, the Lancia Florida was perfect for its time. The profile was long and sleek, and rear deck length was sufficient for full visual balance with the hood, thereby giving extra emphasis to the car’s static 50/50 unladen weight distribution. The shallow greenhouse and big wheels may look dated to modern eyes. However, those wheels -- shod with Michelin X 165-400 tires -- seemed smaller than expected for a 104.3-inch-wheelbase car in 1955, and the absence of fixed B-posts counteracted the low roof, giving a definite airiness to the interior. The prototype was originally finished in two-tone paint, with white on the roof and decklid and dark blue everywhere else. It didn’t take long for Pinin Farina to develop a four-door version of the 1955 Lancia Florida design. It was ready in September 1955, still on the same short-wheelbase platform. The windshield base was moved forward and the hood correspondingly shortened to make room for the rear doors. Headlamps were relocated from the grille to the fenders, with the parking lights directly below. A Ferrari-like air scoop appeared on the hood, and the A-posts were straightened to vertical, still with a wrapped windshield. Like the coupe, the four-door Florida was pillarless. Doors were center-opening, and Farina came up with a novel arrangement to make up for the lack of B-posts. When closed, the back doors locked into the fronts, and all doors also latched on the sills. Frameless sideglass precluded any roof-mounted door attachment points. Lancia had some misgivings about this arrangement, so the Flaminia emerged as a pillared sedan with full window frames and conventional front-hinged rear doors. The Flaminia was built on a 113-inch wheelbase. Power was supplied by the largest 2.5-liter (152-cubic-inch) version of the Aurelia V-6, detuned to 102 horsepower. Naturally it inherited the Aurelia’s front-drive transaxle, thus keeping tooling costs within strict limits. The de Dion rear suspension was retained, but Fessia departed wildly from Lancia practice by going to a new front suspension design with upper and lower A-arms and coil springs inclined at about 20 degrees from vertical. Several major manufacturers had noticed the fundamental styling change represented by the original Lancia Florida and began talking to Pinin Farina about doing something similar. What he did was sell a scaled-down version of the basic Flaminia design intended to accept engines of 1.5-2.0 liters (91-121 cid). It appeared in quick succession at British Motor Corporation in 1958 (Wolseley 15/60, Austin A-55 Cambridge, MG Magnette Mark III, Morris Oxford Series IV, and Riley 4/68), at Fiat in 1959 (1800 and 2100), and at Peugeot in 1960 (for the 404). The French and Italian cars stayed with big horizontal grilles. Austin and Morris used less daring ones, while the Riley and Wolseley had narrower, more traditional, vertical-bar treatments. Pronounced rear fender "fins" appeared on the British cars, which also had horizontal chrome moldings running back from headlamp center level and curved downward in the rear door area. More modest blades graced the Peugeot, while the Fiats’ flanks were straight. The Florida was already influential, but Pinin Farina had still further plans for this design. Sources: CarStyling.ru, www.ritzsite.net; auto.howstuffworks.com,Corrado Lopresto Collection, Andre LE ROUX; it.wikipedia.org

Design milestone, with stylistic elements which have for many years influenced the world-wide production, it was the personal car of the Founder: “I recall that car-maker from Detroit, Olds, who used to live and sleep in his car. And I live in my Florida”. Pinin Farina. Source: OldConceptCars.com

The Rover JET1 was a gas turbine car originally built in Solihull in 1949/1950 by the Rover Company, and modified to a more aerodynamic style in 1952. It held a world speed record for a gas turbine powered car in 1952 with a speed of 152.691 mph. Rover won the Dewar Trophy in 1950 for this work, in recognition of its outstanding pioneering achievement. It was the first time this trophy had been awarded since 1929. In March 1950, Rover showed the JET1 prototype, the first car powered with a gas turbine engine, to the public. JET1, an open two-seat tourer, had the engine positioned behind the seats, air intake grilles on either side of the car, and exhaust outlets on the top of the tail. During tests, the car reached a top speed of 88 mph (142 km/h). After being shown in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1950, JET1 was further developed, and was subjected to speed trials on the Jabbeke highway in Belgium in June 1952, where it exceeded 150 mph (240 km/h). JET1 is currently on display at the London Science Museum. Sources: Wikipedia, OldConceptCars.com

The Imperial was designed by Virgil Exner and hailed by Chrysler as 'The Finest Car America Has Yet Produced.' A very bold statement considering some of the masterpieces produced from Packard, Cadillac, and countless others. This was Chrysler's first vehicle to have a wraparound windshield. Produced in limited numbers, only 11,430 examples were created in 1955. This was Chrysler's interpretation of a true luxury automobile. The Chrysler Imperial D'Elegance was a styling exercise designed by Virgil Exner and its existence remained a concept car. Many of the styling cues would eventually be used on other lines, such as the Valiant and Imperials. The sloping trunk profile was incorporated into the 1960 Valiant, and the sweep-spear on the side of the car would later be used by the Valiant but positioned in the other direction. The fins, suspended lighting, and dashboard were (with alterations) used on the 1961 to 1963 Imperials. The taillight pods were part of the 1962 Dodge model lineup. Other design elements were used by the Lebaron, Custom, and crowned Imperial by Ghia. The Imperial d'Elegance Concept was a combination of forward-thinking and inclusion of popular design elements. It had a wraparound windshield, covered rear wheels, and rear tail fins that were popular during the late 1950s. The flush door handles, squared-off steering wheel, and hidden headlights were new design ideas introduced to the automotive community. The Chrysler Imperial The Imperial was a highly-priced vehicle for its time, costing $4,483 for the four-door sedan, over $500 more than the Cadillac Series 62. Even though it was pricy, it offered items as standard equipment that was optional on other vehicles. For example, power brakes and power steering were both included with the sticker-price of the vehicle, while other manufacturers charged extra for these luxury items. The Imperial Newport hardtop coupe sold for roughly $4,720. A two-speed automatic transmission with a 250 horsepower Hemi engine was offered for the base models. The 1957 Chrysler Imperial is probably the most famous and popular Imperial in history. Styling was once again handled by Virgil Exner. Tailfins could be found in the rear of the vehicle. The curved door glass was not only creative, they were the first in the industry. The long, stylish front hood hid a giant 392 cubic inch V8 capable of producing 325 horsepower. The Hemi V8 version produced 350 horsepower. In 1956, Chrysler had introduced a TorqueFlite, three-speed automatic transmission. In 1957, it found a home in the Imperial. This transmission, coupled with the V8 powerplant could propel this large, luxury vehicle from zero to sixty miles per hour in 9.8 seconds easily beating the nearest competitor. Its top speed of 125 miles per hour was also unmatched. Three-body styles were offered, they were the two-door hardtop, convertible, pillared sedan, and four-door hardtop. In 1957, 35,734 Imperials were produced, the best year Chrysler would have with this vehicle. Production continued until the 1970's with both mechanical and styling changes occurring throughout the years. In 1958, the Imperial was fitted with cruise control and electric door locks. In 1959, a new 413.2 cubic inch V8 engine was introduced, producing 350 horsepower at 4600 rpm. In 1961, large tail fins were fitted to the rear of the vehicle. This was not the first time tail fins were used on the vehicle. The tail fins first appeared on the vehicle in 1956 but they were subtle, unlike the 1961 fins that were large and commanding. Was it styling, was it more competition Was it a market that was headed towards more economically friend vehicles or Was it simply some other reason? During the 1961 model year, Chrysler only produced 12,249 Imperials. Whatever it was, the Imperial carried a bold statement, an unbeatable powerplant, superb luxury elements, and handling that could tame and control the vehicle even at high speeds. In 1966, the horsepower was increased again with the introduction of a 440 cubic inch V8. A better power-to-weight ratio improved performance and handling. With 350 horsepower at 4400 rpm and 480 ft-lbs at 2800 rpm, the Imperial 440 was the most powerful luxury American automobile ever. In 1967, 17,620 Imperials were produced. Source: By Daniel Vaughan | May 2005 (via ConceptCarz.com)

The Manta Ray is a fiberglass bodied Sport Custom built by Glen Hire and Vernon Antoine of Whittier, California. As many other futuristic builders of its time, the inspired Glen and Vernon when they designed their outrageous creation. Both Glen and Vernon worked for the North American Aviation Company, in the engineering and design department of the guided missile and jet aircraft divisions to be more specifically. The enthusiastic duo actually had plans for a small scale production of the Manta Ray. Something that never happened. The car featured a handmade fiberglass body molded in 14 sections. Building the body was not an easy task at all. There were plenty og problems, like deciding how many body mounts they had to have, keeping the body contours within certain limitations so the shell could be removed from the mold and more. The body was constructed on a modified 1951 Studebaker chassis in Glen and Vernon’s garage. Power came from the stock 1951 Studebaker V8 engine that came with the donor car. Glen and Vernon were more interested in the appearance of the car than performance, therefore the 1951 Studebaker engine and chassis were left alone. The frame side rails were shortened 3″ though. The bumpers were handmade out of Hudson parts, and the taillights came from a Lincoln. Once completed, the Manta Ray stood 40 inches high, had a 112 inch wheelbase and weighed 1000 pounds. The car featured Stewart-Warner instruments and a Plymouth speedometer grouped around a cone shaped steering wheel housing with a 1953 Lincoln steering wheel attached. It had no deck lid, but the seats could be tilted forward for storage. The gas tank filler neck was hidden under the center tail light. Upon completion, the car was painted a metallic golden shade of lacquer. It took 4200 hours of work to complete the build. At an auto show in Los Angeles in 1954, Glenn and Vernon received a special trophy for the car, as well as a cash reward from a local newspaper for “Outstanding Creativeness and Engineering”. After the show, Leading L. A. auto dealer Bob Yeakel fell in love with the car after seeing it in person, and he was able to buy it from the duo. In 1959 the car was sold to L.L. Lacer of Junction City, Kansas. By then the car was located in Topeka, Kansas. L.L, also known locally as Peanuts, traded the Manta Ray for a 1952 Morris, a 1952 Volkswagen and a 1953 Packard. The estimated price for these three cars at the time was about 600 dollars. Sources: Rod & Custom (February 1954), Popular Science (March 1954), OldConceptCars.com

This one-off, four-seat, Siata Berlina uses the Fiat derived 2.0 liter V8 engine which can also be found in the more common Fiat 8Vs, and Siata 208s. Like other one-off Italian designs, this car boasts many unique details in the head and taillight structures, and throughout the dash and doors. Source: OldConceptCars.com

Built in 1957, it is one of the last Spohns ever built. Spohn was a coachbuilder from Ravensburg, Germany, who was credited for building bodies for the pre-WWII Maybach luxury cars. After WWII, Spohn purchased left-over cars from the U.S. military for their chassis and continued as a coachbuilder taking orders on a one-on-one basis. Each car was built to the specific desires and specifications of the buyer. There were less than 200 cars built and no two were alike. This example is built on a 1939 Ford chassis with a 1953 Cadillac 331 cubic-inch V8 engine, with a 4-barrel carburetor, and is backed by a 3-speed Ford transmission. Carosseriebau Hermann Spohn was founded in 1920 in Ravensburg, Germany. A short distance away, Dr. Karl Maybach began manufacturing drivetrains and chassis. It was not long before Spohn became Maybach's favored coachbuilder. Other companies that received Spohn coachwork included luxury brands such as Hispano-Suiza, Cadillac, and Veritas sports cars. Spohn remained in business until 1957. Source: Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2013 (via ConceptCarz.com)

Designed by Giovanni Savonuzzi, the Ghia Gilda astounded the public at car shows with its extraordinary architecture which over time brought it praise and inevitable doubts. It is said that its shape was molded in the wind tunnel at the Politecnico di Torino but there were many sceptical comments about its declared maximum speed: 225 km/h (140 mph). Some claim that out of caution it never raced at that speed. After the presentation at the Salone di Torino of 1955 and in other European shows, the Gilda left for the USA as a guest at the Henry Ford Museum of Dearborn. It has passed its life on the catwalks as the queen of styling and elegance competitions. Conceived as an exercise in style and with ambitions of high performance, it has a tail that was made to house a turbine engine. Its latest owner – Scott Grundfor – has in fact satisfied this aspiration. Source: OldConceptCars.com