The 1961 Dodge Flitewing was intended to guide future exterior designs at the Chrysler Corporation, but plans can change.
Designed in Virgil Exner’s private advanced styling studio at Chrysler, the Flitewing concept was officially introduced in Central Park in Manhattan on December 5, 1961. But unfortunately, the renowned design chief was already gone from his post by then, sent into retirement and replaced by Elwood Engel a month earlier. So when the Flitewing made its New York debut, it was already a lame duck.
Not that much earlier, the radically designed vehicle had reportedly played a much larger role in the corporation’s future product plans. According to design veteran John Samsen, Chrysler stylists were directed to use the Flitewing theme, which Exner called “Forward Flair,” as their basis for the proposed 1962 corporate lines, known as the S-series cars. But well into that program, Chrysler executives led by president William C. Newberg made the abrupt decision to significantly downsize the ’62 Dodge and Plymouth full-size cars. When the S-series was overhauled and merged with other proposals to suit the smaller package, not much remained.
Ironically, maybe, the Flitewing’s most prominent feature, its pair of gullwing side-glass and canopy assemblies, was the one most unlikely to make it onto a production vehicle. The Flitewings, as they were called, were engineered to open and close automatically with the doors, driven remotely by electric motors hidden in the trunk via speedometer-type cables. While the mototized canopies even inspired the Flitewing’s name, the issues of reliability, sealing, and especially cost spring to mind.
With bodywork constructed by Carrozzeria Ghia of Turin on a modified Dodge chassis with a 118-in wheelbase, the Flitewing was fully roadworthy, evidently. Under the hood was a 383 cubic-inch V8 with ram induction intake manifolding and 330 hp, coupled to a Torqueflite automatic transmission. While no curb weight was ever reported, performance must have been frisky. Inside the cabin were a number of neat gimmicks, including pedestal bucket seats and a thermometer-style speedometer with 13 illuminated windows.
Built at a cost of $125,000, the Flitewing is remarkably different from Exner’s Forward Look cars of 1955-61, but still manages to include a few of his signature features. At the rear we find a pair of subdued tail fins and a stylized version of his familiar faux spare tire cover. The dead-ended idea car appeared on the auto show circuit as late as 1964, wearing different paint, though its ultimate fate is unknown to us. But if you’d like one of your own, the Flitewing has been reproduced in 1:43 scale.
I’m assuming this show car no longer exists, as no modern photos of the car were included.
I believe that’s most likely, although you never know.
The “Forward Look” was one of the few time’s Chrysler took the lead in styling. From 1959 on, budget and bean counters drove design. Boring, slab sided and just plain awkward became the norm.
You missed the entire ’80s-’90s, when the Tom Gale Era of Design, saw the most amazing concept vehicles, many of which made it into production. They blew the doors off anything GM or Ford came up with! Then the High Command out of Stuttgart pillaged the company and lost the best people!
You can see where the ugly on the early 60’s Chrysler products came from. They didn’t get their act together until around 64-65, from then on produced some nice vehicles.
Shannon’s did a nice write-up on this period in one of their Retroautos magazines. I must say that I find these designs a bit nightmarish – both in overall shape and in the oddly-conceived details.
https://www.shannons.com.au/library/news/FDUF8F0KS1V6VAC2/index.html?page=1
Thanks for the link, it was a good read!
The front looks like the Valiant, the rear like a Avanti with tail fins.
In the rear view, do I see the rear window treatment of the 69 Chrysler “fuselage” coupes?
The front is even uglier than an Edsel, and prompts the same question, “What were they thinking?” The rest of the car is really not that bad and the “Flitewings” are a cool if impractical idea. A shame so many other show cars were deliberately crushed, as this one probably was.
There’s early Plymouth Valiant going on underneath there.
Exner hit his peak in the ’57-58 line, and then desperately tried to find the next big thing going forward. Unfortunately for him and Chrysler, gross exaggeration was not it. He did suffer health problems during this period and missed work, so that might explain how many cooks got to spoil this brew, but the result would have been better crushed before it was publicly shown.
Exner hit his peak in the ’57 line, with sleek, clean lined styling. From there, he was challenged to find the next big design and unfortunately he ventured into the bizarre, different to be different. This car was to set the theme. The result, made worse by the senseless downsizing decision from management, was a design disaster. On previewing the ’62 Dodge/Plymouth, several dealers changed franchises. It took Elwood Engel two plus years to undo what Exner had done.