The Lincoln Receives European Coachcrafting Presented at the 1955 Turin Internationa lAuto show as an "exclusive study by Boano Torino," the one-offLincoln Indianapolis came from the talented Italian designer Gian Paolo Boano.His styling work was futuristic and dramatic! Based on a 1955 Lincoln 123-inch wheelbased chassis, it was fitted withthe Lincoln 341-cid V8 and Turbo-Drive automatic transmission. The hood waslong and the deck was short, four vertical headlights were placed on the edgesof the front fenders and three faux exhaust pipes adorned the sides of thetwo-seater. When it hit the cover of theNovember 1955 edition of Auto AgeMagazinethe caption read: "Is This The Next Lincoln?" Henry Ford II did offerBoano a contract, however, this car was a one shot design arrangement.
1954 Dodge Firearrow III Coupe In the early years of the 1950s Dodge'swere known for reliability and dependability however they lacked excitement.Designer Virgil Exner did a lot to change that image, including creating theFirearrow III Coupe done in a dazzling Opal Blue Metallic color, the sportcoupe measured 55-inches high with aerodynamic body shell (made in Turin,Italy, by Carrozzeria Ghia). It ran on a standard 119-inch wheelbase productionchassis, incorporated the Dodge "Red Ram" Hemi 241-cid V8 with 150horsepower. According to speed records, this car set a new all-time record atthe time for women. Betty Skelton, race driver, pilot and model, ran 143.44 mphat the Chrysler Proving Grounds, September 1954. This dream car wasn't justbuilt for show!
Buick Riviera Concept The 2013 Riviera Plug-In Hybrid DesignStudy It's a Buick that never saw production butif it had, it would have raised the bar on the "wow" factor.Featuring dramatic styling cues and wild gullwing doors, the conceptresurrected the Riviera nameplate all the while featuring advanced engineering.Four-wheel electrically-assisted steering, electromagnetic suspension andelectric hybrid propulsion were among the technical advancements. Outside, the waterfall grille and steeply rakedwindshield provided a look that would have turned heads. Painted a jade-inspiredmonochromatic blue-green paint finish, this car was debuted at the ShanghaiMotor Show on the world stage.
1968 Chevrolet Astro II Chevy Mid-Engined XP-880 Concept Labeled as the "Astro II" andfirst shown at the April 1968 New York Auto Show, this was a wild 2-seater witha slippery body shape that screamed Corvette! The Experimental Prototype (XP)was fitted with the powerful 427 Mark II big block V8 mounted mid-ship, driventhrough a Pontiac Tempest transaxle. Rack-and-pinion steering was used. TheAstro II has an ideal 40/60 front/rear weight distribution and was a validproposal for a mid-engined Corvette that Zora Arkus-Duntov had long desired.
1954 DeSoto Adventurer II Ghia Idea Car FireDome Hemi-Powered DeSoto 2-Seater Debuted mid-year, the 1954 DeSotoAdventurer II was a Ghia design on on a standard 125.5-inch wheelbase andfitted with the production FireDome hemispherical-head V8 engine. Thebumperless body shell was designed with a long hood and elegant lines, rollingon 15-inch diameter KH wire wheels. An innovative feature was the incorporationof a sliding-into-the trunk rear window glass, providing a draft-free open areainside the cabin. The 2-seater DeSoto atone time was owned and driven some 15,000 miles by King Mohammed of Moroccobefore returning to the USA.
