![]() With the Carrozzeria at his disposal, Exner started an ambitious effort to mix American and Italian styling. Pictures were taken, deals were signed and ideas flew between the two continents.Įxner working with Ghia was part of that trend. Chuck Jordan admitted as such visits to European car shows were a must for Detroit’s stylists. Instead, Italian coachbuilders were the hotbed of the automotive styling world. To build them, the company hired the services of Carrozzeria Ghia, in Turin.ĭespite the production lull of WWII and the ‘cars of the future’ dreamt during that period, few Detroit carmakers took those styling paths. From the get-go, the intention was to create a number of styling proposals to lead Chrysler’s future designs. A bit of PR storytelling that worked wonders with the media and the public then.Īs it’s rather known, Exner landed shortly after at Chrysler, which was in dire need of new styling ideas by the early 1950s. It all sounds dubious and shady now, but it was common PR at the time the ‘genius’ one-man show. ![]() A brief interlude followed, with Exner leaving Loewy, and working directly for Studebaker, though with Loewy still being credited for the work. Indeed, Exner’s need for recognition soured his relationship with Loewy as he gained favor with Studebaker’s management, one of the firm’s main clients. Otherwise, why would they devote themselves to any craft? To expose one’s ideas publicly, and receive validation or scorn is not for the humble or faint-hearted. Boisterous or mousy, defiant or easygoing, artists always look for the spotlight. That he had in spades, otherwise he wouldn’t have been an artist. This doesn’t mean Exner was devoid of ego. In someone’s quote “Earl and Mitchell were sons of b*tches that loved cars… but Exner was an artist that loved cars.” This meant that while Earl and his ilk managed artists in an authoritarian manner, Exner always behaved as ‘one of the guys.’ Even as he ascended, he kept a close relationship with the designers around him, and always preferred to get his hands -and suits- dirty working by their side. In the industry, he became known as a ‘designer’s designer,’ and as such, he preferred to work in the styling studios rather than deal with management matters. Instead, they were the ideal kind of men to deal with corporate management and clients balancing costs and production deadlines, while having a great eye for design.īy all accounts, Exner outshone his superiors in the artistry department he could sketch, style, and sculpt like nobody’s business. Now, Earl and Loewy were excellent talent managers and self-promoters but were no great draftsmen themselves. Then, in 1938, he switched jobs and went to work under another design legend, Raymond Loewy. Earl knew a talented number when he saw one, and before 30, Exner was head of Pontiac’s styling. First, he left his illustrator post at a small advertising firm to work under Harley Earl at GM. So, where was Exner’s original Valiant taking us to?Įxner’s talent was undeniable from early on, calling the attention of some of the most renowned names in the auto business. And here’s a quote from another controversial stylist, a certain Chris Bangle of BMW fame: “A leader’s job is to take people where they don’t want to go.” Love them or loathe them, the work of both have left their mark in the automotive industry and on more than one occasion, took us to places we didn’t wish to go. ![]() A product of the one and only Virgil Exner Sr. Here’s a controversially styled car, courtesy of a controversial stylist the 1960-62 “Plymouth” Valiant.
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