Solved - NEH 4071: 'Car of 1980' by Jack Charipar of Plymouth - 1961

[Carnut]

What's this a drawing for and who was responsible for it - for 1 point?:

Remember - solving puzzles using 'Google Search by Image' is BANNED on AutoPuzzles!

[Carnut]

Experts?

[wingroad]

American ?

[Carnut]

American ?

Yes.

[kwgibbs]

1956 centurion?

[mymokke]

With the headlight pods ......... Chrysler product?

[Carnut]

1956 centurion?

No..

With the headlight pods ......... Chrysler product?

Yes, though not for the Chrysler marque itself..

[richard cuyler]

Was this one of Virgil Exner's more tasteless fantasies?

[Carnut]

Was this one of Virgil Exner's more tasteless fantasies?

It's not one of his, no.

[wingroad]

De Soto ?

[mymokke]

Plymouth? there's something vaguely Valiantesque about it, especially the rear quarter and trunk line.

[Carnut]

Well spotted!
Plymouth it is.

[wingroad]

Barracuda ?

[Carnut]

Barracuda ?

Good call but no..

[richard cuyler]

Plymouth? there's something vaguely Valiantesque about it, especially the rear quarter and trunk line.

Just an off-Puzzle comment: I owned one of these Valiants in 1968, a 1961 model with its silky 170 Slant Six engine and Torqueflite transmission with pushbutton control. It was incredibly smooth, comfortable and economical and cruised easily at 90mph. After fitting 175 section radial tyres, it handled well and held the road securely, but its downsides were the pathetic drum brakes (it was always a gamble as to which wheel would lock up first in an emergency stop) and poor headlights. Very roomy inside and as one drove it, it was always a pleasure to look over the broad bonnet and wingtops. I still miss it!

[Carnut]

It might have been designed by the same bloke as the puzzle car.  There are strong similarities, as there are to the Barracuda too which no doubt he was involved with as well.

[richard cuyler]

A John Samsen flight of fancy.......?

[Carnut]

A John Samsen flight of fancy.......?

Not him, no.  In fact looking at my files to refresh my memory I don't think it was done by an actual stylist there!

[mymokke]

Found it! Not actually a car but an idea of what cars would look like in 1980! Presented to Newsweek in 1961 by Plymouth product-planning manager Jack Charipar.

[Carnut]

Found it! Not actually a car but an idea of what cars would look like in 1980! Presented to Newsweek in 1961 by Plymouth product-planning manager Jack Charipar.

Exactly!
Well done.

As ever, his prediction of its appearance was a bit wide of the mark, but some of the other ideas were more accurate if not exactly right..

[richard cuyler]

I would never have thought this was one of those 'expert predictions'. Jack got nothing right for 1980 (except the plastic grille) and as for the styling, he was way out. Whilst the 1980 Chev Impala or Caprice was a handsome and restrained, if generic, 3-box design, it happily lacked every gimmicky fold, every splash of chrome and every un-aerodynamic addendum of the drawing. All I can say is, "Phew!"    

[Carnut]

Yes, he seemed to be assuming styling wouldn't move on at all, though some of his ideas have been sort-of developed, like the semi-transparent roof letting in varying amounts of sunshine, or the self-coloured body doing away with the need for paint.  Neither have exactly caught on but have been tried and investigated.