1936 Chrysler Airflow C11 Custom Imperial Limousine (LHD)

One of the most influential American cars of the 1930s, Chrysler's Airflow was unveiled at the 1934 New York Auto Show and is now acknowledged as the first mass-produced streamlined car. The Airflow's aerodynamic shape was the result of extensive studies carried out in the wind tunnel by the company's engineers, under the direction of Carl Breer, the designer charged with developing new ideas by Walter P Chrysler. Adopting a “cab-forward” design, with the engine positioned above the front axle to maximise interior space, the Airflow's construction was equally ingenious, consisting of a steel tube frame with steel panels welded on, an aircraft-inspired technique pre-dating unitary construction by some years. By keeping the car's mass within the wheelbase, the Airflow's passengers enjoyed a superior ride and the interior compartment had far room inside than any of its contemporaries. Other notable design features included a boot accessible from inside the car and flush-mounted headlamps. Described as “The beauty of nature itself” by Chrysler's marketing gurus, the streamlined Airflow was sold in four different versions in its initial year, 1934. Starting with the CU series, the longer wheelbase Imperial CV and CX and the limited production Imperial CW, the latter the largest cars yet built by the Chrysler Corporation with a huge 137.5-inch wheelbase. Powered by a 299ci straight eight, the press was initially enthusiastic about the Airflow, with Harper's Bazaar stating the styling “took your breath away”. But for the American public its styling was simply too radical, and Chrysler persevered only until 1937, before dropping the model altogether. Each year Chrysler's designers watered down the original styling to increase sales, adopting a more conventional grille design in 1935. Featured in some of the finest automobile museums and collections around the world and invariably included in any history of automotive design, the Chrysler Airflow may not have been commercially successful but it's legacy lives on in the aerodynamic designs that followed. Like other influential streamliners such as the Czech Tatra, the Airflow enjoys a keen following and would be welcome at any major car event.