SOLVED: WTH # 449 - 1950 Plymouth by Pininfarina

[sixtee5cuda]

Specify the year, make, and coachbuilder of this sleek sedan:

[sixtee5cuda]

Up!

This puzzle is now open to Rookies, Experts, and Professionals with fewer than 400 points.

[Carnut]

Monterosa Alfa?

[sixtee5cuda]

Italian coachbuilder, not an Italian chassis.

Not Monterosa or Alfa

[fyreline]

I was going to guess that it was a Ghia design, possibly a Lancia . . . but on second thought it somewhat resembles such early Pininfarina designs as the Bentley Cresta that I'm pretty sure it's their body. What chassis, though? Is it European?

[sixtee5cuda]

So many words in one post...  Just because

LOCKED for fyreline, as this car was created by Pininfarina

Chassis is not from Europe

[fyreline]

OK, not European. I'm going to say it's American . . . probably a Chrysler Corporation chassis. I haven't found the exact one yet, still looking. First guess: Plymouth?

[sixtee5cuda]

It is a Plymouth.  Have you discovered when it was built?

[fyreline]

Just did a quick search using "Pininfarina" & "Plymouth", and although this same photograph shows up numerous times, none of them have a date. The Ghia Plymouth XX-500, which supposedly was the car that the puzzle car was in design competition with, shows up on different web sites dated as either a 1950 or 1951. As these cars took a while to build, even by the speedy Italians, I would say a year or two either side of 1950.

[sixtee5cuda]

And the point goes to fyreline.  The XX-500 is shown in lots of pictures, it is rare to see this one.

[fyreline]

Yes, I agree that this design is rarely seen. The story is that the Ghia XX-500 "won" the design competition. Too bad, in my opinion. The Pininfarina car is quite nice.