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Two interesting concept cars of the 1950s
are the Lincoln Futura and the Packard Predictor.
Concept cars provide insights into corporations' styling and
engineering research and development strategies. These two
finned behemoths were typical of automotive designers' preoccupation
with aerodynamics in the early and mid 1950s. Fins and massive
chrome bumpers, however, added weight and mass—a contradiction
to the design objective. Only a few years later, Raymond
Loewy's design team would
solve the problem by taking a radical new approach—abandon
all the excess and incorporate the aerodynamics into the body.
The wedge shape, pinched waist, and blade-like bumpers resulted
in a tour de force—the Avanti.
The Predictor and Futura
were built by Ghia of Turin at considerable expense. Packard
was absorbed by Studebaker Corporation
and the Predictor was soon forgotten. Ford maximized
their investment by displaying the Futura at auto shows.
Revell produced a scale model that
became very popular. Later this unique prototype would be
transformed into the Batmobile by George Barris for the Batman
TV series. Such experimental concept cars failed to predict
the more subtle contours of the Avanti or its design offspring,
the Mustang and Camaro. The Predictor and Futura
became dated automotive curiosities—Avanti will look
new half a century later.
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