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The Chrysler Norseman

The Chrysler Norseman, a concept car born in 1956 and never appeared in any car show; the unfortunate prototype we will talk about in this story, was in fact involved on July 26th 1956 in the tragic sinking of the Italian transatlantic Andrea Doria.

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The origin

Chrysler’s idea was to create a car without A-pillars for the 1957 exhibitions, the prototype project was developed in October 1954 by the American stylist Virgil Exner, a member of the Chrysler Advanced Styling Group, at the Centro Stile Ghia di Torino based on the Lincoln Futura.

The Design of the Chrysler Norseman

The project for the large four-seater experimental Coupé had started in October 1954 and a 1: 4 scale model had been sent to Italy for Carrozzeria Ghia as reference for a running model for display. The complexity of the forms, of the technical and stylistic solutions occupied the workers who worked in Corso Unione Sovietica for almost 15 months; it is likely that Pietro Frua, then head of the Ghia style center, was kept out of the operation.

The Chrysler Norseman featured many innovative technical solutions for the time. All major body panels on the car were made of aluminum as a result of research in advanced structural techniques to reduce weight. It had a sharply sloping hood, upswept tail fins and a covered, smooth underbody for aerodynamic efficiency. The chief designer of the technical office Sergio Coggiola was part of the working group of Ghia, who in 1966 founded its own company and to whom we owe the resolution of the biggest problem: that of creating a roof which had no posts or pillars. This was accomplished by means of structural cantilever archs which curved upward from the rear of the frame and over the passenger compartment of the car. Glass surrounding the passenger compartment was uninterrupted (using the Vistotal system, already seen on Castagna’s models) with the exception of the two archs of steel curving upward in the rear. The same criticality was faced by Coggiola for the construction of the Ferrari 212 Inter “Uovo”, built by Carrozzeria Fontana for the driver Giannino Marzotto for the 1951 Mille Miglia. In addition there was a 12 square foot panel of glass in the roof that was power operated and slid forward leaving the roof over the rear seat area open.

Over-all the smoothness of the car was enhanced by concealed automatic headlights, door handles, and concealed trunk lid opening device. Other innovations modern for the time, were the powered adjustable seats, automatic petrol cap, the PowerFlite automatic gearbox with steering wheel controls used in all Imperial cars, interior lighting with diffused light and the radio integrated in the central tunnel of the dashboard. Color of the car was two-tone metallic green with a touch of red inside the flared wheel openings.

5.8 meters long, 2 wide and 1.4 high, the Chrysler Norseman did not boast major mechanical innovations, being equipped with a classic V8 Hemi of 5.4 liters and 235 hp similar to that mounted on the Chrysler 300C in 1957.

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The disaster

Rammed by the Swedish ship Stockholm, the ocean liner tragically sank on July 26, taking dozens of victims and the Chrysler concept car to the seabed. The same day of the sinking Chrysler issued an official statement for the loss of the concept car which, however, was no longer rebuilt, therefore the Chrysler Norseman was not unveiled to the public or ever produced in series.

Photo courtesy of Harry Trask

Turin coachbuilder Ghia in 1961 resumed its line and many of the technical solutions for the construction of the Dodge Flitewing and Chrysler TurboFlite concept cars.
But Chrysler never used the cantilevered roof design in any subsequent vehicle.

Despite numerous attempts to bring to the surface the treasures sunk with the Andrea Doria, it has not yet been possible to recover it from the hold of the wreck.

The Chrysler Norseman today

After almost 65 years, the Norseman is probably not there anymore, under 75 meters of water on the bottom of the Atlantic off the coast of Massachusetts (40 ° 30′N 69 ° 53′E / 40.5 -69.883).

A diver named Bright was one of the last people to pay homage to the Norseman in 1994. As he stated, the car was in cargo hold number 2 packed in a crate which had completely disintegrated, leaving the Norseman in very poor conditions. The tires were the only element which helped with the cars identification. Considering that 25 years have passed, no one else will be lucky enough to see the remains of this prototype involved in this tragedy.

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Mark84
Mark84
2 years ago

Such a sad story, The cantilevered roof was the highlight

LowRider
LowRider
2 years ago
Reply to  Mark84

its a pitty Ghia didn’t tried to rebuilt it, i mean, insurances do exist back in the day right?

Celebrating 115 years of Carrozzeria Garavini, the brand sees its rediscovery and relaunch in the world of cars, design and elegance.

At Garavini, craftsmanship, manufacture and uniqueness come together to create works of art on wheels that go beyond the concept of a simple means of transport to become symbols of passion and refinement.

115 years after its foundation, the company has decided to start again with the Alfa Romeo 4C, in the 10th anniversary year of the model’s presentation, in collaboration with the IAAD in Turin. This partnership between the historic brand and the design institute represents an opportunity to create a high-end sports car that combines outstanding Italian aesthetics with the best technologies.

Poltu Quatu immediately turned out to be the ideal location for the premiere of the project, thanks to the famous Concours d’Elegance which, as the perfect combination of worldliness, elegance and the joy of living the dolce vita, allows the meeting from all over the world of those enthusiasts who, more than anyone else, can appreciate the value and style of a vision such as Garavini’s.

The project takes its inspiration from the 1930s Alfa Romeo 6C 1750 by Garavini, the star of the Italian Dolce Vita and the birth of the classic car movement in Italy. The Garavini Perenne represents an extraordinary sports car that combines the Italian tradition of elegance and style with innovation and high quality craftsmanship. Garavini’s tribute to the model, the 4C, which, with its debut 10 years ago, decreed the real relaunch of Alfa Romeo, is no coincidence: symbolic value, as happens in all valuable initiatives, has a decisive weight in the conception and realisation of unique products.

The soul of the project is Luca Babbini, a young entrepreneur with experience in research and development for various industries, in particular the automotive industry. Babbini’s path, which started at IAAD and has been refined through subsequent collaborations, has always been linked to a passion for luxury, not so much as a material passion, but derived from the emotion that an object or an experience conveys.

“When I crossed Garavini’s path,” explains Luca Babbini, Garavini Design Director, “with family origins and values that can be traced back to mine, I thought it was a sign: the awareness of this affinity has allowed us to give life to a new chapter, a reality in which passion for craftsmanship, luxury and family heritage come together. The Garavini Perenne will be an opportunity to enhance the Turin area but in an international key, thanks to the freshness and desire to do that only a young team, such as that of Garavini and that of the IAAD master’s degree course in Transportation Design, can guarantee.”

On 8 July on the occasion of the Poltu Quatu Classic, a preview of the concept on which the students of the IAAD master’s course in Transportation Design are working, reasoning and declining the Garavini values of elegance and attention to detail, aimed at creating a modern classic with a first series of 15 examples, which aspires to become a timeless model, a source of inspiration for the present and the future. The lines are classic, inspired by a sporty use that smells of fresh air and speed. Driving pleasure is at the heart of the design with a set-up dedicated to usability on the road as well as on the track.

Again Luca Babbini: ‘The valorisation of young people is a key aspect of the project: it always seems, in the common narrative, that unreachable challenges and moments of continuous crisis await us, but the future is full of opportunities and style and beauty are not a closed chapter. The creation of new classics is the true ambition of a project, which looks to the future aware of its past but with the confidence that it can still make a difference. The Turin area, then, is rich in excellent craft realities with which to create synergies and develop a true pole of high craftsmanship. There is nothing to stop us from looking beyond the automotive field and broadening the declination of our values with incursions into other sectors… in short, there is a lot to build on, and the Garavini lifestyle begins today with Garavini Perenne.

The result of this partnership is a high-end compact sports car with a sculptural aesthetic design. Garavini is committed to satisfying a discerning international audience that appreciates the art of automotive design and Italian craftsmanship. The ability to excite both long-time enthusiasts and new customers is a challenge Garavini sets itself, aiming to create a fascinating and successful future for the brand.

The Garavini Perenne will be released in 2025.