Automobiles

**Harley Earl-** American, 1940-s'1950's. Pioneered the use of freeform sketching and hand sculpted clay models as design techniques. He subsequently introduced the “concept car” as both a tool for the design process and a clever marketing device. He is credited with designing the 1958 Chevrolet Corvette pictured at right.

Harley Earl authorized the Frank Hershey design for the 1948 Cadillac, which incorporated the first automotive [|tailfins]. Inspiration for the fins came from the [|Lockheed] [|P-38 Lightning]. The style caught on throughout Detroit and eventually led to competition between Earl and [|Virgil Exner] over the size and complexity of tailfins, culminating with those on the 1959 Cadillac.


 * Raymond Loewy-** Born in France, but spent most of his life in USA, worked in the 1920's-1970's. One of the best-known industrial designers of the 20th century. He influenced countless aspects of North American culture. Among his many iconic contributions to modern life were the Shell and former BP logos, the Greyhound bus, the Pennsylvania Railroad GG1 and S-1 locomotives, the Lucky Strike package, Coldspot refrigerators, the Studebaker Avanti and Champion, and the President's Air Force One.

The 1953 Studebaker Champion is pictured here. Unlike most other cars, the Champion was designed from a "clean sheet"; that is, having no restrictions caused by necessarily utilizing older parts or requiring the subsequent use of its components in heavier vehicles. Careful market research guided the selection of features, but a key principle adhered to was the engineering watchword "Weight is the enemy." For its size, it was one of the lightest cars of its era. The Champion was one of Studebaker's best-selling models by virtue of its low price (US$660 for the two-door business coupe in 1939), durable engine and styling. The car's pontoon styling was authored by industrial designer Raymond Loewy who had been under contract with Studebaker for the design of their automobiles. Champions won Mobil gas economy runs by posting the highest gas mileage tests. During World War II, Champions were coveted for their high mileage in a time when gas was rationed in the United States.


 * Preston Tucker-** American, 1940's. An automobile designer and entrepreneur. He is most remembered for his 1948 Tucker Sedan (known as the "Tucker '48" and initially nicknamed the "Tucker Torpedo"), an automobile which introduced many features that have since become widely used in modern cars. Production of the Tucker '48 was shut down amidst scandal and controversial accusations of stock fraud on March 3, 1949. The 1988 movie, //Tucker: The Man and His Dream// is based on Tucker's spirit and the saga surrounding the car's production.

The 48 Tucker boasted fuel injection, direct-drive torque converters on each rear wheel (instead of a transmission), disc brakes, the location of all instruments within the diameter and reach of the steering wheel, a padded dashboard, self-sealing tubeless tires, independent springless suspension, a chassis which protected occupants in a side impact, a roll bar within the roof, a laminated windshield designed to pop out during an accident, and a center "cyclops" headlight which would turn when steering angles at greater than 10 degrees to help see around corners.


 * Ferdinand Porsche-** German, 1900's-1940's. In April 1931 Porsche founded his own design firm in Stuttgart. Porsche successfully recruited several old co-workers he befriended at his former places of employment. Their first project was the design of a middle class car for Wanderer. Later, Porsche decided to undertake a new small car; one designed to be small from inception and not a scaled-down bigger car. Professor Porsche funded the project with a loan on his life insurance. It was an important design, being the direct antecedent of the Volkswagen.

Credited with developing the Volkswagen Beetle, the "People's Car" for Hitler (he made it his political agenda to motorize the nation, and that every German should own either a car or a tractor in the future). This set a precedent for the rest of the decade with Porsche accepting further projects from Nazi Germany**.**

Back in the early '30s the Porsche firm launched a second internal project to design a car to meet a new Grand Prix formula. Hitler had announced a 500,000 RM ($250,000) subsidy for a German firm that would build and campaign cars in the new formula. Daimler-Benz applied and won; Auto Union applied and lost. Auto Union reapplied and took Professor Porsche and his designs to meet with Hitler and his staff. In the now-famous meeting, Porsche convinced Hitler of the merits of the Porsche design. Soon the Grand Prix wars of the Silver Arrows were on, and Mercedes and Auto Union took turns at ascendancy.

The car Porsche designed was very innovative: a V-16 4.5-liter engine placed ahead of the rear transaxle, tube frame, aluminum skin weighing 99 pounds, gas tank between the cockpit and the engine (in the center of the car so that weight gain or loss with gas load did not unduly impact handling), a front suspension of torsion bars and trailing arms, and a rear suspension of swing axles, semi-elliptical springs, and tube-type shocks. The 750-kilo formula Auto Union P-wagens were fearsome race cars. With fewer than three pounds per horsepower and ultimately 650 horse-power from six liters, the cars could lay rubber accelerating from 100 mph. In various iterations, they were hillclimb champions, won Grand Prix races, and set land speed records.

**Karl Probst**- American, 1940's. Credited with designing the Jeep in 1940. The vehicle was designed for use by the U.S Army during World War II. Probst allegedly drafted the designs for the Jeep in 18 hours, and his designs met the specifications for the unusual weight limit of 590 kilograms. It was then created by the American Bantam car company in 49 days, and was then "cloned" or use by the US Army. Its designation "gp" for "general purpose," was soon metamorphosed into "jeep," and that's the identification of Mr. Probst's creative landmark in automotive history.

Although American Bantam built the first successful "jeep" prototype, Willys-Overland Motor Corp. in Toledo, OH, became the largest World War II producer, followed by Ford. Chrysler acquired the Jeep line and name in 1987 when it took control of American Motors Corp.


 * Student Work**

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