Whoa, there, Nellie. Do you realize how many concept cars there are from which to choose? And you want me to pick a top 10!
How about this: This week I’ll give you my 10 favorite concepts from the 1950s. Then, soon, I’ll pick another decade to examine. And eventually maybe we’ll be able to distill it all down to a top-10 of all time. But for now, here are my 10 favorite American concept cars from the 1950s:
Ford unveiled the long, low but sharply finned Futura in 1955. The car featured a twin-bubble cockpit cover. After showing the car, Ford sold the Futura to Hollywood producers, who had it convert it into the original Batmobile for the 1960s Batman television series.
9. 1952 Chrysler K-310This was the first collaboration between Chrysler design chief Virgil Exner and the Ghia coachbuilding works in Italy. The concept also introduced the “Forward Look” that would characterize Chrysler production cars in the coming years.
8. 1954 Dodge FirearrowsThere were four Firearrows – two roadsters, a coupe and a convertible -- and all of them are gorgeous.
7. 1956 GM Firebird IIGeneral Motors did a series of three futuristic and gas turbine-powered Firebirds. The ’56 was supposed to be the most practical because it could hold a family of four and was designed to drive itself along an automated highway.
6. 1957 Dodge DartIf you’re familiar with the B.A.T. concepts done by Bertone in Italy, then picture one of them stretched way out into a very large and very American-sized car, albeit one with a gorgeous two-tone paint job and aerodynamics fine-tuned in the wind tunnel.
5. 1958 Ford NucleonThough it never grew larger than a small scale model, the Nucleon was a very interesting concept. What appeared to be a large spare tire cover on the car’s rear deck lid actually represented a small nuclear reactor that would provide power to propel the vehicle.
4. 1956 Chrysler NorsemanIt wasn’t so much the car but its fate that makes this one endearing and enduring. The Norseman was among the cargo that went down with the Andrea Dora sank.
3. 1951 General Motors Le SabreNot only did this become GM design boss Harley Earl’s daily driver, but this jet fighter-inspired convertible (complete with an altimeter, jet-like air intakes and tail fins) had a water sensor on its center console so if it sprinkled while the top was down, the top automatically powered itself up into place to keep the cockpit dry.
2. The “other” CorvettesGeneral Motors introduced the Corvette as a concept car at the 1953 Motorama. But the original ‘Vette was just one of only four concepts based on the same platform. The others were the Corvette hardtop, the Nomad wagon and perhaps my favorite, the Corvair, a fastback coupe.
1. 1960 Plymouth XNRThis concept was Plymouth’s answer to the Corvette, and it was gorgeous, with an asymmetric design that featured dorsal fin that extended from just behind the driver’s head to the trailing edge of the car. (Yes, I know, I’m cheating a little to include a concept from 1960, but it’s just so cool and since the earliest car on this list is from 1951, I’m declaring that as the start of the decade.)
By Larry Edsall
ClassicCars.com
