Chrysler Norseman: Утерянная мечта 1956 года

1956 concept car

The Chrysler Norseman was a four seat fastback coupe built in 1956 as a concept car. Although designed by Chrysler's stylists, actual construction was contracted out to the Italian coach building firm of Carrozzeria Ghia. The concept car was lost during the sinking of the .

Virgil Exner, working in Chrysler's Advanced Styling Group, developed lower, sleeker, and more aggressive looking automobiles for Chrysler in the 1950s. Ghia had experience in the construction of low volume vehicles and one off prototypes. Chrysler wanted a fully drivable vehicle, not just a rolling mockup, so all normal systems for the powertrain, braking, suspension, were installed. Power was from a modified Chrysler Hemi engine producing with a pushbutton controlled Powerflite automatic transmission. The body panels on the car were made of aluminum with "a sharply sloping hood, upswept tail fins and a covered, smooth underbody for aerodynamic efficiency." More difficult to fabricate was its unusual cantilevered roof, which was secured to the body only at the rear C pillars. There were no side pillars, and at the front the roof rested only lightly on a fully frameless windshield. An advanced 12 square foot power sliding glass panel sunroof feature was difficult to integrate into a slender roof structure lacking A pillar support at the front. The windshield and roof glass was specially made by PPG Industries to provide strength and be shatterproof. it was estimated to cost US$150,000 (in 1956 dollars). As a result, the car was never shown to the public and was never seen by most of the stylists who worked on it. It is known to automotive historians, however, through photographs and specifications. Chrysler never used the cantilevered roof design in any subsequent vehicle. Automotive designer Dick Teague, who worked for Chrysler as a stylist during the mid 1950s, was responsible for many of American Motors' vehicles and the "Norseman's resemblance to the 1965 Rambler Marlin fastback coupe, or vice versa, was uncanny." The remains of the Norseman were found in Andrea Doria's number two cargo hold in 1994 by diver David Bright. By the time it was found, it had disintegrated into a pile of debris with only the wheels still being recognizable.