K. T. Keller stepped down as Chrysler Corporation’s board chair in 1956 but he still weighed in on auto industry matters. For example, in a 1958 interview he made a rather pointed prediction that implied dissatisfaction with the direction American automobile styling had taken:
“The present trend in cars has about another year or two to go. Then we’ll be back to design for function, and there’ll be more stress on utility. It takes more than styling to make a successful car. The car must be a good, dependable product. Right now we have quite a bit of gingerbread design — lots of jigsaw work. We’ll go back to simplicity of design, you wait and see.” (p. 198)
After quoting Keller, Richard M. Langworth and Jan P. Norbye added that he “would be proven correct, though his words weren’t noticed much at the time” (p. 198).
It’s true that automakers rushed to come out with compact cars in 1960, but Chrysler’s Valiant strikes me as having “quite a bit of gingerbread design.” So too did the 1962 downsized big Plymouth and Dodge. It arguably wasn’t until 1963 that Chrysler shifted back to a “simplicity of design.”
Also see ‘Did a rumor cause the downsized 1962 Plymouth and Dodge?’
RE:SOURCES
- Langworth, Richard M. and Jan P. Norbye; 1985. The Complete History of Chrysler Corporation 1924-1985. Publications International, Skokie, IL.
ADVERTISING & BROCHURES:
- oldcarbrochures.org: Plymouth Valiant (1961, 1963)
The 1955 Chrysler cars are a stretched version of the 1949 bodies styled by Virgil Exner.
Welcome to Indie Auto! Exner’s design skills were such that he made the 1955 redesigns look like they shared no components with previous Chryslers.
As an FYI, you might also be interested in a story that assesses competing views of Exner’s involvement in the 1953-54 models (go here).
I’m always looking for new sources of information, so if you have any do share.