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...but has a Packard/James Nance/Bill Graves/Edward Macauley connection!

barnfinds.com/abarth-biposto-barn-find/

Anybody know the advertising slogans suggested by the Fortune magazine writer, Smith, and used by Packard?

Hmmm... take a look at this article:
rickcarey.com/Catalog%20Descriptions/Abarth%20Biposto/AbarthBiposto.htm

"Bill Graves and Edward Macauley, respectively Packard's Engineering V.P. and chief designer, had ventured to Turin in 1952 to display their 24th Series 1952 Packard, a styling redesign in only its second model year, and solicit ideas from Italy's designers. The Packard's size, however, baffled even Bertone, Ghia and Touring. Graves and Macauley then sought the best example of Italian design they could find at Turin to illustrate their concepts to Packard's management. They came home with the Scaglione-designed Abarth Bertone Biposto.'

Nance had no use for the Abarth.

"In addition to the usual corporate analysis, Smith's article displayed an unusual sensitivity to design and styling. It devoted a full column to the Turin expedition and included a photo of the bemused Jim Nance inspecting Scaglione's "prismatic little Abarth," concluding the caption with the observation, "Its value is now largely ornamental; under Nance, Packard styling will stick to lines that are 'architecturally correct,' forgo the lunar asparagus."

Hi

"lunar asparagus" always makes me chuckle! While the Italians were doing some wonderful work on smaller chassis, they seemed to have little feel for large American cars. Of greater benefit while on their junket to seek European design inspiration would have been to bring home a Bentley Continental fastback coupe by Mulliner.

Steve

There's a curious resemblance between this Arbarth and the clay model that Darrin was working on for Packard, shown in Kimes' book. Wonder if Darrin saw it and was influenced, or knew that Macauley liked it so tried to adapt it to Packard's chassis.

I disagree that the Italians did not have had a feel for large American designs, while not big sedans, the Dual Ghia cars that the Italians did for Chrysler were outstanding, and not exactly small, and they typically used the excellent Chrysler hemi V8s of the era to boot. They made 4 or 5 superb prototypes, some were put into limited production, bought by Sinatra, Martin, and other major Hollywood notables, all are hugely sought after now. The VW Karmann Ghia was a direct crib of one of them, on a much smaller scale. Too bad Packard didn't take the Caribbean in the Dual Ghia's direction!

Hi

The Dual-Ghia was the productionized version of the '54 Dodge Firebomb showcar, a Virgil Exner design, ergo still American in origin. Likewise the Karmann-Ghia is shrunken, refined version of the '53 Chrysler D'Elegance showcar.

It isn't that the Italians didn't present some appealing large cars, though they seem to be rare postwar......at least in the eyes of this beholder.

Steve

Glad you added the qualifier "postwar" in there, which allows me to agree with you, Steve. Very nice prewar large cars of Italian design were not that uncommon, such as the lovely Lancia Astura and many larger Alfa Romeos. After the war, not so much. As you pointed out, the Dual-Ghias and Chrysler show cars were almost entirely American designs built in Italy.

And while I had not initially noticed the similarities between the barn-find Abarth car and the Darrin Packard design in Bev Kimes' book, it's definitely there. Interesting, but perhaps coincidental. Who knows?

I believe the Packard Vignale is a post war Italian design (circa 1948) and it is a very attractive car.

Right GTO, the Vignale-bodied Packard in the Marano Collection is a postwar creation on a prewar 120 chassis.

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