Couture Cars- Designer Wheels and Special Editions of the 70's- by Jeff Stork

Part One: In The Beginning

It was probably inevitable that the decade which saw the meteoric rise of designer jeans and conspicuously branded handbags would also see the birth of the designer automobile. The wonderfully outrageous design sensibility of the label obsessed 70’s practically demanded such a creation. But how did such a wonderfully audacious marriage first take place? The answer may not be what one would assume.

While it is well established that all of the domestic producers were actively engaged in producing ever more luxurious (and thus more profitable) upgraded trim packages for the status conscious consumer, the stroke of Genius (or possibly the Fickle Finger of Fate) in this case goes to those dapper fellows at little old AMC.



Like many marriages both then and now, this one began in the back seat-literally in this particular case. In the fall of 1971, for the grand sum of $142, AMC spontaneously created a new class of automobile with the introduction of the Hornet Sportabout by Gucci. The cute yet humble little grocery getter was transformed by a totally unique interior featuring hunter green and beige deluxe vinyl seats and door panels. The Gucci signature red and green striping, generously applied, accented the interior trim. A full Gucci striped headliner was fitted as a finishing touch. The special Sportabout was offered in four distinctive exterior colors- White, Stardust Silver, Yucca Tan and Grasshopper Green. A total of 2,583 customers added the Gucci touch to their little Sportabouts.



AMC was sufficiently buoyed by the results to take the next step. They followed up at mid-year with their next entry, the Pierre Cardin Javelin. It featured an avant garde interior of Chinese red, plum, white and silver stripes on a black background. Cardin striping raced down the headliner as well. It featured silver striping on the exterior and was offered with several exterior shades, although it was most commonly paired with Wild Plum. A total of 4,152 fashion mavens plunked down an additional $85 each for the Cardin makeover.



The year 1973 brought yet another AMC designer edition, this time pairing up with a name more widely known to the American public- Levi’s. The Levi’s edition Gremlin bowed to polite yet denim-clad society, featuring spun nylon denim-esque fabric on its seats, door panels and map pockets. It also featured the famous flame orange stitching and copper rivets, Levi’s tags on the seats and Levi’s exterior ornamentation. It was the most costly AMC designer package to date, listing for $277 (but included a deluxe interior with luxurious touches like insulation and a glove box door), and was so successful that it was offered through the 1978 model year and even expanded to other AMC models. The Gucci Sportabout and Pierre Cardin Javelin were continued for 1973 as well. Clearly, AMC had taken the lead.



Bless those dear souls at General Motors- they almost got there so many times. They thought about it when they offered an upgraded velour interior as a 70th anniversary option on the 1972 Cadillac Fleetwood, but it bore no signature. Their first near miss happened in May of 1972, when they affixed a Tiffany clock key ring to the special edition 1972 Oldsmobile Ninety-Eight Regency. The car had a gorgeous pillowed interior, rear seat back pockets, special door panels and came in a special color, Tiffany Gold, but they stopped short of labeling it as a designer edition. Instead they resisted the addition of anyone else’s name to their products and ignited the Battle of the Broughams-almost every series would soon be offered in an upgraded Limited, Brougham, or d’Elegance. Luxurious velours and plaid fabrics were everywhere and some pretty plebian nameplates were enriched- like the Luxury LeMans and later the Luxury Nova. You’ll know you’ve made it when it’s written on your fender in a calligraphic sweep of chrome. From here a few unique editions were only a small step.



Enter Hank the Deuce, over at Ford. Those dears from Dearborn decided to stick their toes into the water, rather boldly at first, with bicentennial themed Sprint décor option packages offered on Ford Maverick, Mustang and Pinto. A field of white inside and out with bold blue accents and red pinstriping, they were set off with USA flag decals on the rear quarters which looked as it they had literally been purchased at a truck stop in I-80. But the cars were bright and youthful, and it was a start. Their next move was considerably more soigné- an elegant triple silver luxury group for the 1973 Continental Mark IV: special metallic silver exterior finish with a special silver finish long grain roof. Inside, silver metallic leather or rouge red velour. It was remarkably handsome, and profitable at an additional $400 MSRP.

The trend continued to build momentum in 1974 and 1975. AMC’s popular Levi’s trim was expanded to the Hornet carline. Silver Luxury Group Mark IV’s were supplanted by the Gold Luxury Group in 1974, and the launch of Continental Designer Groups in 1975 in a bevy of colors including the popular Lipstick and White.



GM ventured further into special editions with its Spirit of America Impala, Nova and Vega models. They featured a Navy Blue or white exterior with white vinyl roof, white vinyl interior accented by blue, color matched wheels, and special striping and ornamentation. Tres Bicentennial, indeed. Cadillac debuted its special d’Elegance De Villes (with striped Mardi Gras velour interiors) and the ultra swank four-passenger Fleetwood Talisman, featuring front and rear bucket seating and two consoles with locking storage compartments. That particular option cost approximately the same as a new base Vega.



Over at AMC, the Cardin Javelin was retired and the youthful coupe market was being captured by an all new 1974 Matador coupe. To keep the momentum going, an Oleg Cassini Matador was offered in 74 and 75, featuring copper carpeting, seat buttons, and even gauge faces fitted to a black knit fabric interior. The exterior choices were Black and White, each with copper painted accents (grille background, rear cove, wheel covers) and usually fitted with a Copper vinyl roof. Of course appropriate badges rounded out the package. AMC owned the game at the moment, but a major competitor was about to shift into high gear

Coming Next: Part II- Hitting the Stride

by appointment to Her Majesty, the American Woman

The notion of the Designer Car was ALL the rage in the 1970's with ladies charging in to buy Pucci Mark IV's to go with their Gucci handbags. All of the domestic manufacturers were involved to one degree or another, with the near exception of Chrysler Corporation, Chrysler had a handful of offerings at the time, but largely resisted the trend, Perhaps they were in a "been there, done that" mood. They were recalling 1955.

For the Big Three, 1955 was the year to end all years. A fortunate combination of a robust economy, easy financing, and all new models for almost every big three manufacturer combined to create a record setting year. Industry sales were up over 40% from the preceding two years, and spring special editions, especially from Chrysler Corporation, were being well received.

So perhaps it is understandable that Dodge Division decided to market a very special car with a specific target in mind- "Her Majesty-the American Woman." After all, the suburbs were booming, two car households were expanding, and modern features such as power steering and brakes make the full sized American car more manageable for the little woman. So what woman could resist a car designed to be her very own, in Heather Rose and White with an interior of pink rose pattern upholstery and a plethora of accessories- including a stylish rain cape, fisherman's style rain hat and umbrella, a "stunning shoulder bag in soft rose leather.",complete fitted with compact, lighter and cigarette case.

Of course, we're speaking of the Dodge "La Femme", a $143 option package offered on the Dodge Custom Royal Lancer Coupe. And although it included a very unique color scheme, special upholstery, and even gold plated "La Femme" script on the front fenders and glove box door, the package did NOT include power steering or brakes, so Her Majesty was free to jam the gears and sprain her dainty wrists tugging on the steering wheel.

There was sufficient interest to offer a slightly revised edition in 1956, with in a new ensemble of Regal Orchid over Misty Orchid and a revised matching interior, just in case Her Majesty preferred purple. The accessories were slightly different, but the idea remained intact. And Her Majesty remained at home, Only about 2500 examples were sold in two years. including a handful with the high performance D500 engine. Perhaps that's how Shirley Muldowney got her start. And while Her Majesty the American Woman remained unmoved, we are told that the car was quite popular with at least one segment of the population- urban pimps. Approximately 60 of the unique cars have survived, even rarer are the accessories. A complete set of accoutrements might exceed the value of the car needing them.

Did the embarrassment over the failed La Femme cause Chrysler to sit out the Designer wars of the 70's? The world will never know, but think of the loss. We might have all been driving Bille Jean King Dusters.

second saturday

Last weekend, all eyes in the LBGT collector car world were directed at San Luis Obispo, home of the the West Coast Meet. It's the largest gay and lesbian car show in the world, and happens to be the spot I have spent the second Saturday in July for fifteen of the last eighteen years.

The first two times I attended, I was still living in the Midwest. Now it's in my figurative back yard. This is a time marker for me- a chance to reconnect with longtime friends, check out the cars, and see just how over the top the Queens can be. After all, this is a show where the prizes for Best Display and Best Color are as coveted as Best of Show. And who understands display better than we? Merchandising is everything, and no where more so than here. I love to see what the boys come up with. It's also the one show where the awards banquet most resembles a Broadway opening. Having starred in the musical numbers years back, I offer no criticism.

It's also a time to reflect on years past and those no longer able to join us with a physical presence. Speaking of presence, I was able to hook up with longtime friend Janine, the low carb evangelist herself, for a flourless and sugarless lunch. And truth be told. she ate most of my broccoli.

And speaking of reconnection, I ran into two old friends I did not expect to see- my good friend Phil from Indianapolis, whom I have known since the late eighties, and his Pioneere- a one-off custom 1956 Lincoln station wagon that I not only accidentally inspired him to build, but also drew the "dream car" fifties interior sketch that became design intent, complete with rear picnic tables. He even went with my Pearlescent White and Iridescent Copper color suggestion. So wonderful to see her in the flesh again after all those years, and still looking like new. Now if only I could cash in on my crazy ideas, but there's not much call for a fities dream car design consultant.

This years theme was the staple of middle class suburbia in the postwar decades, the station wagon. Enormous land yachts, often festooned with simulated yacht planking (made of genuine processite!), they pose as the backdrop to the events of our childhood. Each one a symphony of lacquer, chrome, and wood- accessorized with travel decals, vintage luggage, tiaras and furs, and even lesbian girl scouts.

I admired the sweep of the calligraphy proudly announcing the arrival of middle class respectability- Town and Country, Country Squire, Colony Park, Grand Safari-
each name bearing the promise of postwar prosperity.

How could life be anything less than perfect with such a handsome beast parked in the circular driveway of one's smart ranch home?

West coast meet, for your enjoyment:

















More photos here

vacancy at the sign of the cat

The Ford Family of Fine cars got smaller this month, as Ford announced the end of the Mercury nameplate. The 71 year old brand will be phased out by the end of the calendar year due to declining sales volume. This move which has been rumored for some time comes as no surprise to industry observers who have been complaining of the lack of unique products for the Division since the 1990's.

The Mercury brand debuted in 1939 and was a "big brother" to Ford in the 1940's and early 50's but then blossomed in the sixties and seventies with unique models like the Cougar, Cyclone, Marauder, Park Lane and Marquis. They adopted the ad tagline "At the Sign of the Cat" and included live exotic animals in the ads, along with top models like Farrah Fawcett-Majors. And no child of the era could possibly forget the Colony Park station wagon, which competed with the Buick Estate for the title of America's most luxurious wagon.

In recent years, the brand suffered through models that seemed ill suited to public tastes, such as the space alien inspired 1986 Sable, complete with light bar, and the Grand Marquis aimed at elderly customers. Mercury was down to less than 1% passenger car market share in 2009.

2011 buick regal: well tailored and well mannered

The Regal nameplate returns to the Buick lineup for the 2011 model year. The original Regal made its debut in 1973 as a personal luxury coupe and bore the distinction of being the first mid-sized Buick to feature a stand-up hood ornament, opera windows, and plush velour seats. The newest iteration of Regal leaves those disco ball memories behind, appearing instead as a front wheel drive mid-sized sedan based on the latest Epsilon platform. Adapted from the Opel Insignia, the Regal is already on sale in China and will enter the North American market this quarter. Initial production for the US market began in Germany, and will move to Oshawa for the 2012 model year. Buick is taking a page from the Lexus playbook with two different mid -sized sedans in its lineup- the new Regal, at 190 inches overall length, is shorter than the La Crosse, has totally unique styling and will be marketed as a sports sedan.

There are two different powertrains for the new Regal. The base CXL sedan offers a 2.4 litre Ecotec four cylinder engine that develops 182 horsepower and 172 lb/ft of torque. It's mated to a six speed transmission with manual shift control and offers EPA fuel economy rating of 20 mpg city, 30 mpg highway. The Turbo version, due later this year, will feature a 2.0 litre turbocharged four that develops 220 hp with 258 lb.ft of torque, and is fitted with a specially selected six speed Aisin automatic transmission. The Aisin also features manual shift control, and a six speed manual transmission will become available on the Turbo later this year, for those of you who are fond of grabbing the stick.

The exterior styling is clean and contemporary, with smooth flowing lines and a well tailored look. 18 inch wheels are standard, with optional 19's for the turbo. Both wheels look like something from the Jaguar XF brochure, it wasn't the only time I saw the XF in the Regal and it's not an unflattering observation. I see a lot of Jaguar in the side cove line, rear roofline and rear door styling as well. Up front, Buick's trademark waterfall grille takes center stage, but the overall effect remains clean and contemporary- and quite European.

The interior is nicely tailored as well - the standard leather seats are supportive and highly adjustable- the test vehicles had power lumbar, and felt very much like the seats in a Saab 9-3. Dash was well laid out and featured an integrated color navigation system ($1995). I found the display a bit small, but it was quite easy to use- I even managed to engage route guidance on the fly. The quality of interior materials seemed quite good- and much more akin to Cadillac CTS than the Saturn Aura incarnations of the Epsilon we have driven in the past. Harmon-Kardon audio was a step up from traditional Delco sounds, the door panels flowed nicely into the dash, woodgrain trim was relatively tasteful, and the overall effect was upmarket and classy. Kudos for the stitching on the dash, the tactile feeling of the controls and even for the Ice Blue instrument lighting- it creates a feeling overall that GM designers have been shopping in nicer stores these days.

I was able to drive both the CXL and Turbo versions on some delicious two lane winding roads and my impression is that both are quite well mannered- smooth riding, easy handling with a nice on-center feel, and a well planted rear axle that knows where it belongs- again, road manners were much more Saab-like than Saturn. The 2.4 litre four was impressively smooth and quiet, and although acceleration was adequate, it won't win any drag races The Turbo's drivetrain is much more rewarding, with smart off the line acceleration and a much fuller torque curve to make the most of those twisting rural roads. Neither is a dragster but rather a pair of nicely mannered sport sedans that could eat up a lot of pavement quickly. Our Turbo also had the Interactive Drive Control which controls settings for suspension, steering, braking and throttle- and definitely enhanced the sporting personality of the Turbo on our drive. I did have one humorous moment on the drive- stuck behind a ancient F150 Gardener’s truck on a two lane stretch of twisty road, I peeked at the speedometer registering 39 mph, turned to the GM Exec riding with me, and commented that this was the only part of the day in which I had truly felt like a traditional Buick driver.

Base price for the CXL is $26,995 including destination, the Turbo starts at $29,495, with a full boated Turbo around $33,000. For those looking at a well tailored and well mannered mid- size sedan, it definitely earns a spot on the short shopping list. Check this one out- maybe you would really rather have a Buick this year, after all.

the chevy shuffle

Much ado about nothing in the world of General Motors this week as an accidentally hilarious memo was circulated by Alan Batey, vice president for Chevrolet sales and service, and Jim Campbell, the G.M. division’s vice president for marketing.

The dispatch dissed the use of the iconic and world renowned nickname "Chevy" and requested that the GM team use the more formal "Chevrolet" in all communications, even with family and friends.

Here it is:

Chevrolet Team,

We wanted to write you a quick note requesting your support of our Chevrolet Brand. When you look at the most recognized brands throughout the world, such as Coke or Apple for instance, one of the things they all focus on is the consistency of their branding. Why is this consistency so important? The more consistent a brand becomes, the more prominent and recognizable it is with the consumer. This is a big opportunity for us
moving forward.

As you know, we are investing substantially to improve the consistency of our retail facilities through the EBE process. Aside from the facilities aspect of our branding, there are many other ways in which we can demonstrate this consistency. One way to achieve this is with the use of Chevrolet vs. Chevy. We’d ask that whether you’re talking to a dealer, reviewing dealer advertising or speaking with friends and family, that you communicate our brand as Chevrolet moving forward.

We have a proud heritage behind us and a fantastic future ahead of us … speaking to the success of this brand in one consistent manner will ensure Chevrolet becomes even more prominent and recognizable than it already is.

Thank you for your support of this effort!

Alan and Jim

P.S. We put a plastic “Chevy” can down the hall that will accept a quarter every time someone uses “Chevy” rather than Chevrolet! We’ll use the money for a team building activity.

An inherently misguided idea at best. Here is their rationale for the idea:

“When you look at the most recognized brands throughout the world, such as Coke or Apple for instance, one of the things they all focus on is the consistency of their branding,” the memo said. “Why is this consistency so important? The more consistent a brand becomes, the more prominent and recognizable it is with the consumer.”

They failed to notice that Coke is in itself a widely accepted nickname, both friendlier and easier to use than the name of the parent company and one that the company itself promotes in advertising (hey, just like Chevy), and that Apple doesn't actually advertise its corporate name at all, but rather focuses on the short and memorable product names. So their rationale reinforced and supported the trend they were attempting to eschew. Guess that's why they bring in the big bucks.

Of course the blogosphere went wild, discussing whether Don Mc Lean would be driving his Chevrolet to the Levrolet and pondering whether Elton John was left dreaming of his Chevrolet and his old black Armani suit. Even veteran actor Chevrolet Chase seemed to be affected. Apparently Alan and Jim were unavailable for comment, as they are currently vacationing on the planet Ridiculon.

Guys, get a clue- people don't write songs about Chevrolet, they sing about Chevy. And this little limerick from yours truly is my gift to you:

GM Leaders bemoan from up high
Those nicknames they seem to decry
Don't be declasse'
Please say "Chevrolet"
Haven't they bigger fishies to fry?

1955 thunderbird- named for a local landmark

One of the most famous cars of the 1950s was the Ford Thunderbird. A low, stylish two-seater V8, with creature comforts like power windows and automatic transmission, it wasn't a sports car in the European tradition, but rather an American interpretation -- and it has a strong connection to the desert paradise knows as Palm Springs.

Thunderbird Country Club in Rancho Mirage, California opened in January of 1951 to a swarm of publicity. It was the first golf course in the valley and one of the first anywhere to be surrounded by home sites. It was an instant celebrity hangout, and within a year all of the home sites were sold, many to celebrities of the day. Some of the world's most famous entertainers maintained homes there. Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball, Phil Harris and Alice Faye, Hoagy Carmichael, Gordon MacRae, Ruby Keeler, Dean Martin, Billie Dove, Esther Williams, Randolph Scott and Mary Pickford were among the celebrity members of Thunderbird.

Also on the list was a man named Ernest Breech who was an executive with Ford Motor Company. He was one of the "Whiz Kids" that Henry Ford II brought in after the war to revitalize the auto giant. At the time he was Ford's Executive VP, and he thought that some of the glamor of the golf course might rub off on the new sporty roadster the company was bringing out.

And perhaps it went the other way as well. Ford's Thunderbird debuted in late 1954, and it was an instant success. The very first one was delivered to Thunderbird members John and Velma Dawson. The car became one of the truly iconic brands of the postwar auto industry and no doubt had something to do with Breech being named Chairman of the Board in 1955. And the glamorous Thunderbird isn't the only vehicle to be launched at Thunderbird. The motorized golf cart also made its debut on Thunderbird.