Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
MYSTERY MOTORS<br />
W<br />
hat car is this?<br />
Last month’s mystery motor was the 1952 Chrysler Ghia Special. Soon after<br />
legendary stylist Virgil J. Exner Senior was employed by K.T. Keller to head a<br />
new Chrysler Corporation Advanced Styling Studio, he launched his acclaimed series of<br />
Ghia-built “idea cars.” Exner is reported as saying that “I had this car being built over in<br />
Torino in the Ghia shops. Of course, we had prepared a very detailed plaster model for<br />
them to work from. At the time, they were working on prototypes for VW for what would<br />
become the Karmann Ghia. <strong>The</strong>y had done two or three and Karmann was still not satisfied.<br />
This plaster model of mine came in, and lo and behold, when the Karmann Ghia came<br />
out, it was a scaled right down to the fraction.” Elements of the styling were used in other<br />
Chryslers: the grille appeared on the famous 300C and the sloping rear deck became a feature<br />
of the Chrysler Imperial.<br />
7
Change language