1955 Chrysler Ghia Streamline X ‘Gilda’
The arrival of the jet plane in the late 1940s had a big impact on car design during in the following decade. Especially American manufacturers showed striking jet inspired show cars and eventually tail-fins and nose-cones also appeared in production cars. The exterior stylists were not the only ones taking an interest in jet planes; the engineers were also very keen to get on the bandwagon. Some of them even believed that jet/turbine engines would eventually take over from the traditional internal combustion engine.
During the 1950s Chrysler built several turbine engined prototypes. So it was no surprise that chief of design at Chrysler, Virgil Exner, asked Italian ‘carrozzeria’ Ghia to build a show car that combined jet inspired design and engineering. It was certainly not the first joint-venture between Chrysler and the Italian company; an earlier cooperation had even led to a limited production run of a Ghia styled Chryslers.
Painted in a two-tone red over silver finish, the Ghia Streamline X ‘Gilda’ made its world debut at the 1955 Turin ‘Salone dell’Automobile.’ Alongside the Bertone B.A.T. 9 and the Nardi Blue Ray, the new Ghia was one of the stars of the show. Although it did not make it into production, the Gilda did lay the foundations for the ‘Forward Look’ design language. Exner used this for many of the highly acclaimed Chrysler production cars that would built later in the decade.
The big centrally mounted exhaust-pipe hinted at the presence of a jet derived turbine but under the rear deck there was no engine to be found. The reason for this was quite simple; at the time there was no turbine compact enough to fit in the tightly packaged Gilda. It was also not uncommon at all for Italian built show cars to be completed without an engine. The interior was fully appointed and featured two beautiful wool-covered seats and ‘floating’ instruments.
Having brought the car to life, the owner has now decided to let the Gilda go. Auctioneer Gooding & Company will offer the Ghia show car in their annual Pebble Beach sale. The pre-sale estimate is a startling $1 – $1.3 million.
