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- 1974 Warrior Concept Car - When McKinley Thompson, Jr., joined Ford Motor Company in 1956, he was one of the automotive industry's first African American designers. In 1974 he completed a rugged, easy-to-build vehicle designed for developing countries: the Warrior. Thompson's prototype, built on a Renault 10 chassis, featured a buoyant plastic body and a removable top. Thompson couldn't interest automakers or investors in his bold idea.
- 1974
- Collections - Artifact
1974 Warrior Concept Car
When McKinley Thompson, Jr., joined Ford Motor Company in 1956, he was one of the automotive industry's first African American designers. In 1974 he completed a rugged, easy-to-build vehicle designed for developing countries: the Warrior. Thompson's prototype, built on a Renault 10 chassis, featured a buoyant plastic body and a removable top. Thompson couldn't interest automakers or investors in his bold idea.
- Lincoln Futura Concept Car, 1955 - The Lincoln Futura, designed by William M. Schmidt, was a sensation at auto shows in 1955. The concept car boasted push-button transmission controls, a 300-horsepower V-8 engine, and a double-dome canopy roof. Hollywood customizer George Barris bought the Futura in 1959 and, a few years later, turned it into the Batmobile for the 1966-1968 <em>Batman</em> television series.
- February 18, 1955
- Collections - Artifact
Lincoln Futura Concept Car, 1955
The Lincoln Futura, designed by William M. Schmidt, was a sensation at auto shows in 1955. The concept car boasted push-button transmission controls, a 300-horsepower V-8 engine, and a double-dome canopy roof. Hollywood customizer George Barris bought the Futura in 1959 and, a few years later, turned it into the Batmobile for the 1966-1968 Batman television series.
- Clay Model of 1955 Lincoln Futura Concept Car - The Lincoln Futura, designed by William M. Schmidt, was a sensation at auto shows in 1955. The concept car boasted push-button transmission controls, a 300-horsepower V-8 engine, and a double-dome canopy roof. Hollywood customizer George Barris bought the Futura in 1959 and, a few years later, turned it into the Batmobile for the 1966-1968 <em>Batman</em> television series.
- 1955
- Collections - Artifact
Clay Model of 1955 Lincoln Futura Concept Car
The Lincoln Futura, designed by William M. Schmidt, was a sensation at auto shows in 1955. The concept car boasted push-button transmission controls, a 300-horsepower V-8 engine, and a double-dome canopy roof. Hollywood customizer George Barris bought the Futura in 1959 and, a few years later, turned it into the Batmobile for the 1966-1968 Batman television series.
- Model of Lincoln Futura Concept Car, 1955 - The Lincoln Futura, designed by William M. Schmidt, was a sensation at auto shows in 1955. The concept car boasted push-button transmission controls, a 300-horsepower V-8 engine, and a double-dome canopy roof. Hollywood customizer George Barris bought the Futura in 1959 and, a few years later, turned it into the Batmobile for the 1966-1968 <em>Batman</em> television series.
- 1955
- Collections - Artifact
Model of Lincoln Futura Concept Car, 1955
The Lincoln Futura, designed by William M. Schmidt, was a sensation at auto shows in 1955. The concept car boasted push-button transmission controls, a 300-horsepower V-8 engine, and a double-dome canopy roof. Hollywood customizer George Barris bought the Futura in 1959 and, a few years later, turned it into the Batmobile for the 1966-1968 Batman television series.
- Clay Model for the 1956 Chrysler Falcon Concept Car Designed by Virgil M. Exner - Virgil Exner designed the two-seat Chrysler Falcon concept car for the 1955 auto show season. The roadster was close in spirit to the contemporary Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Thunderbird, though the simulated knock-off wheels and external exhaust pipes gave the Falcon a somewhat racier appearance. Chrysler chose not to put the car into production.
- April 19, 1956
- Collections - Artifact
Clay Model for the 1956 Chrysler Falcon Concept Car Designed by Virgil M. Exner
Virgil Exner designed the two-seat Chrysler Falcon concept car for the 1955 auto show season. The roadster was close in spirit to the contemporary Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Thunderbird, though the simulated knock-off wheels and external exhaust pipes gave the Falcon a somewhat racier appearance. Chrysler chose not to put the car into production.
- Clay Model for the 1956 Chrysler Falcon Concept Car Designed by Virgil M. Exner - Virgil Exner designed the two-seat Chrysler Falcon concept car for the 1955 auto show season. The roadster was close in spirit to the contemporary Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Thunderbird, though the simulated knock-off wheels and external exhaust pipes gave the Falcon a somewhat racier appearance. Chrysler chose not to put the car into production.
- June 20, 1956
- Collections - Artifact
Clay Model for the 1956 Chrysler Falcon Concept Car Designed by Virgil M. Exner
Virgil Exner designed the two-seat Chrysler Falcon concept car for the 1955 auto show season. The roadster was close in spirit to the contemporary Chevrolet Corvette and Ford Thunderbird, though the simulated knock-off wheels and external exhaust pipes gave the Falcon a somewhat racier appearance. Chrysler chose not to put the car into production.
- Chrysler "613" Concept Car, 1955-1956 - In the 1950s, Chrysler Corporation's Advanced Styling Studio remade the carmaker's stodgy image with sleek, smooth lines inspired by jet aircraft. The department, headed by chief stylist Virgil Exner, developed several fully operational concept models. Pictured here is the body of #613, an "idea car" that exemplified Exner's "Forward Look" and influenced much of the styling for Chrysler's 1957 300C.
- 1955-1956
- Collections - Artifact
Chrysler "613" Concept Car, 1955-1956
In the 1950s, Chrysler Corporation's Advanced Styling Studio remade the carmaker's stodgy image with sleek, smooth lines inspired by jet aircraft. The department, headed by chief stylist Virgil Exner, developed several fully operational concept models. Pictured here is the body of #613, an "idea car" that exemplified Exner's "Forward Look" and influenced much of the styling for Chrysler's 1957 300C.
- Lincoln XL-500 Concept Car, 1953 - Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury Division revealed its Lincoln XL-500 concept car in 1953, to celebrate Ford's 50th anniversary. Promotional material heralded the car's power steering, power brakes, and push-button automatic transmission. In truth, the XL-500 was a non-running show piece. Even the "doors" were just grooves in the fiberglass body. But the XL-500's hooded headlights influenced Lincoln's 1956 production models.
- January 31, 1953
- Collections - Artifact
Lincoln XL-500 Concept Car, 1953
Ford Motor Company's Lincoln-Mercury Division revealed its Lincoln XL-500 concept car in 1953, to celebrate Ford's 50th anniversary. Promotional material heralded the car's power steering, power brakes, and push-button automatic transmission. In truth, the XL-500 was a non-running show piece. Even the "doors" were just grooves in the fiberglass body. But the XL-500's hooded headlights influenced Lincoln's 1956 production models.
- Scale Model of the Nucleon, a 1958 Ford Motor Company Styling Conception for an Atomic-Powered Car - This 3/8-scale model was built to explore how the future of energy might affect the future of automotive design. The Ford Nucleon would have been powered by a rear-mounted, self-contained nuclear reactor. This atomic-automobile idea assumed, of course, that issues with nuclear safety and the size and weight of nuclear reactors would eventually be resolved. The Nucleon was never produced.
- 1958
- Collections - Artifact
Scale Model of the Nucleon, a 1958 Ford Motor Company Styling Conception for an Atomic-Powered Car
This 3/8-scale model was built to explore how the future of energy might affect the future of automotive design. The Ford Nucleon would have been powered by a rear-mounted, self-contained nuclear reactor. This atomic-automobile idea assumed, of course, that issues with nuclear safety and the size and weight of nuclear reactors would eventually be resolved. The Nucleon was never produced.
- Ford Aurora on Display at New York World's Fair Product Salon, 1964 - Ford debuted its Aurora concept car at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The futuristic station wagon featured illuminated panels along its body sides; a polarizing sunroof that changed from transparent to opaque with the push of a button; and, instead of a conventional steering wheel, a powered steering bar that required just one half turn from lock to lock.
- 1964
- Collections - Artifact
Ford Aurora on Display at New York World's Fair Product Salon, 1964
Ford debuted its Aurora concept car at the 1964 New York World's Fair. The futuristic station wagon featured illuminated panels along its body sides; a polarizing sunroof that changed from transparent to opaque with the push of a button; and, instead of a conventional steering wheel, a powered steering bar that required just one half turn from lock to lock.