An Abysmal Art Deco Failure
By 1935 Art Deco designs already in it's 25th year were starting to be on the downside of the curve, although it still was a major design influence in the United States. Although still quite popular the looming war in Europe was about to bring that trend to an end by 1939.
The style became popular in Paris, around 1910, and over the following 10 years it had crossed the shores to America where it became a popular design style in architecture, furnishings, visual arts, and many other things, including automobiles. And to this day, the style still appeals to many, and to me included. However, Art Deco, albeit popular in it's day, surely was not the case for Chrysler Corporation with it's new, sleek, streamlined Airflow models, which were heavily influenced with Art Deco design elements, but that quickly became the Edsel of that period! In spite of it's new and modern wind tunnel designed body with headlights molded into the body, and probably a first for that period when most others were still standalones mounted above the fenders, it just never grabbed the attention of the buying public. Yes, at first there was a lot of enthusiastic bluster and hoopla, but it died as quickly as it started. Arguably, some would say "ahead of it's time," but Art Deco designs were quite solidly entrenched and accepted at the time. Or, was it the shape of the car with it's headlights now integrated into the body that the buying public was just not ready for? We can all agree that the buying public is a fickle lot, and it doesn't take long for them to spread the news on a product, whether good, or bad. I suppose it looks like "An Olds sucking a lemon" became the catchphrase and possible death knell for Edsel?
When most of the US auto manufacturers were still pumping out six figure, or near six figure production numbers with their cars Chrysler's Airflow designs was quite the antithesis of those figures. In 1935, the Chrysler Airflow sold a paltry and abysmal number at under 7800 units, and the above survivor was one of them. And, when it comes to the appeal, or lack of on this car, I don't believe it's changed much since "it's day!" People still either love them, or hate them, regardless of the reason! But, I suppose you could say kudo's to Chrysler for trying to jump ahead of the pack. But, kudo's do not help to pay the bills.
Vince
An Abysmal Art Deco Failure
By 1935 Art Deco designs already in it's 25th year were starting to be on the downside of the curve, although it still was a major design influence in the United States. Although still quite popular the looming war in Europe was about to bring that trend to an end by 1939.
The style became popular in Paris, around 1910, and over the following 10 years it had crossed the shores to America where it became a popular design style in architecture, furnishings, visual arts, and many other things, including automobiles. And to this day, the style still appeals to many, and to me included. However, Art Deco, albeit popular in it's day, surely was not the case for Chrysler Corporation with it's new, sleek, streamlined Airflow models, which were heavily influenced with Art Deco design elements, but that quickly became the Edsel of that period! In spite of it's new and modern wind tunnel designed body with headlights molded into the body, and probably a first for that period when most others were still standalones mounted above the fenders, it just never grabbed the attention of the buying public. Yes, at first there was a lot of enthusiastic bluster and hoopla, but it died as quickly as it started. Arguably, some would say "ahead of it's time," but Art Deco designs were quite solidly entrenched and accepted at the time. Or, was it the shape of the car with it's headlights now integrated into the body that the buying public was just not ready for? We can all agree that the buying public is a fickle lot, and it doesn't take long for them to spread the news on a product, whether good, or bad. I suppose it looks like "An Olds sucking a lemon" became the catchphrase and possible death knell for Edsel?
When most of the US auto manufacturers were still pumping out six figure, or near six figure production numbers with their cars Chrysler's Airflow designs was quite the antithesis of those figures. In 1935, the Chrysler Airflow sold a paltry and abysmal number at under 7800 units, and the above survivor was one of them. And, when it comes to the appeal, or lack of on this car, I don't believe it's changed much since "it's day!" People still either love them, or hate them, regardless of the reason! But, I suppose you could say kudo's to Chrysler for trying to jump ahead of the pack. But, kudo's do not help to pay the bills.
Vince