1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt
Ralph Roberts (American, life date unknown), designer
Alex Tremulis (American, 1914-1991), designer
Brigg Body Works, American, 1909-1954, fabricator
Chrysler Corporation, American, founded 1925, manufacturer
Courtesy of Roger Willbanks, Denver, Colorado
After rushing its production to be ready for a grand debut at the October 1940 New York International Automobile Show, Chrysler confidently touted the Thunderbolt as The Car of the Future, built to educate the public about aerodynamics and streamlining as "the source of modern, so called functional styling". It was heavily promoted as heaving been tested in a wind tunnel, which provided scientific studies of how the car's shape sealt with continuous airflow and led to refinements that minimized resistance. Sporting a smooth, aerodynamic body shell, the car was devoid of superfluous ornamentation, with only a single jagged chrome lightning bolt on each door. It was the first American car to feature an electrically operated, retractable hardtop and disappearing headlamps , which were controlled by push buttons on a leather-covered dashboard. Its modern materials included a predominantly aluminum body with a steel hood and deck lid, while a chromium band encircled the entire base of the car to enhance the appearance of speed. Eight Thunderbolts were publicized in part by a 1940-1941 promotional tour around the United States, after which the five concept cars produced were sold to wealthy consumers.
