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1960 Plymouth XNR (Ghia)

The XNR featured a prominent offset hood scoop faired back into the cowl, which was topped by a squat, racer-style windscreen.
The XNR featured a prominent offset hood scoop faired back into the cowl, which was topped by a squat, racer-style windscreen.
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Interior
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Interior
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
The 1960 Plymouth XNR concept car borrowed a cue from Jaguar race cars and put a tailfin behind the driver. A hard tonneau covers the passenger seat.
The 1960 Plymouth XNR concept car borrowed a cue from Jaguar race cars and put a tailfin behind the driver. A hard tonneau covers the passenger seat.
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Cockpit
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Cockpit
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Cockpit
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Cockpit
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Engine
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Engine
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Interior - Door Panel
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Interior - Door Panel
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Interior
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Interior
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Steering Wheel
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Steering Wheel
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Gauges
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Gauges
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Speedometer
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Speedometer
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Gear Shifter
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Gear Shifter
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Pedals
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Pedals
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Wheel Design
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Wheel Design
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Windshield
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Windshield
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Badge
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Badge
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Gas Cap
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Gas Cap
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Rear Badge
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Rear Badge
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Rear Taillight
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Rear Taillight
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Engine
Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1960 - Engine
Early Design Drawing for Plymouth XNR Concept Car, by Virgil M. Exner, 1959. This early design drawing highlights one of the Plymouth XNR's most striking features: a vertical fin running from the hood to the tail.
Early Design Drawing for Plymouth XNR Concept Car, by Virgil M. Exner, 1959. This early design drawing highlights one of the Plymouth XNR's most striking features: a vertical fin running from the hood to the tail.
Plymouth XNR (Ghia) - Clay Model, 1959
Plymouth XNR (Ghia) - Clay Model, 1959
Plymouth XNR (Ghia) - Clay Model, 1959
Plymouth XNR (Ghia) - Clay Model, 1959
Wooden Buck Used to Shape Sheet Metal for Plymouth XNR 500 Concept Car
Wooden Buck Used to Shape Sheet Metal for Plymouth XNR 500 Concept Car
Wooden Buck Used to Shape Sheet Metal for Plymouth XNR 500 Concept Car
Wooden Buck Used to Shape Sheet Metal for Plymouth XNR 500 Concept Car
Wooden Buck Used to Shape Sheet Metal for Plymouth XNR 500 Concept Car
Wooden Buck Used to Shape Sheet Metal for Plymouth XNR 500 Concept Car
Images: Mario Buonocunto; Concept Car Central; Shooterz.biz, RM Auctions; www.motortrend.com; Collections of The Henry Ford - www.thehenryford.org
Rating:  16    -15    +31
XNR - Exner used this compact two-seat roadster to explore an asymmetrical, driver-oriented design theme with sculptural fender blades.
While Ford’s Falcon was running away with the compact-car market, Exner was transforming Chrysler’s compact, the Plymouth Valiant, into his most radical idea car of all, the 1960 Plymouth XNR concept car. (Say the initials quickly.)

Representing the peak of his enthusiasm as head of Chrysler design, its imaginative "Asymmetrical Styling" was bold, to say the least — especially for a Plymouth. The car was likely intended to be a preview of the similar but far more subtle styling then being planned for Chrysler’s 1962 showroom models.

The car could seat two, but was best suited for a single occupant, the driver.

Thus the huge port-side headrest-cum-tailfin, which was intended to emphasize the driver while harkening back to late-1950s racing-car design, exemplified by the likes of Jaguar’s D-Type and XKSS.

The driver sat behind a dramatically curved "personal" windshield; a smaller, fold-own windscreen was available for the protection of a passenger. Additionally, the passenger sat somewhat lower than the driver — a design touch intended to minimize the negative effects of the wind.

The frame of the XNR’s grille was constructed of heavy-duty materials and doubled as the car’s front bumper. The "X-motif" rear bumper was a visual reminder of the car’s name and essentially asymmetric nature.

Quad headlamps nestled in a big mesh-filled bumper/grille roughly oval in shape. The passenger seat was normally covered by a metal tonneau, but a small fold-flat auxiliary windshield was provided should a co-pilot be aboard.

The interior was finished in black leather and aluminum. Of the car, Exner remarked he was "striving to avoid the static and bulky, which is ugly and not what an automobile should look like. The goal is to try for the graceful look, with a built-in feeling of motion. The wedge shape expresses the function of automobiles because it imparts a sense of direction."

Though XNR rode Valiant’s tidy 106-inch wheelbase, prominent overhangs stretched overall length to 195 inches. Height was just 43 inches to the top of the fin.

What excited sports-car fans — and prompted rumors of imminent sale — was the XNR’s engine. Power came from the hairiest version ever developed of Valiant’s 225 Slant Six, which pumped out 250 horsepower — 1.11 horses per cubic inch.

"We took [XNR] to the Proving Grounds and had a professional drive it," Exner said later. "He lapped at 151 or 152, which wasn’t bad for that time."

As a production sports car the XNR would have been unique; in racing guise it would likely have trimmed most anything in its displacement class.

But again, Chrysler decided there was just no market; even if there had been the styling would likely have seemed just too far out to sell well. Finally, Exner’s abrupt firing in 1962 killed any chance the design might have had for being refined into something more practical for production.

Incidentally, the XNR was one Exner special not built by Ghia, though the Italian coachbuilder did manage something similar on its own a bit later. Alas, its Valiant Assimetrica had none of the XNR’s flair, and never went beyond the one-off stage.


В 1960 году появилось еще одно совместное творение Вирджила Экснера и мастерских Ghia. При разработке двухместного пятиметрового родстера-турбомобиля Plymouth XNR были применены соответственно обновленные инженерно-конструкторские решения, относящиеся еще к 20-м годам. Низкое лобовое стекло состояло из двух частей. При отсутствии пассажира правая часть автоматически складывалась – автомобиль превращался в одноместный родстер. За основу взяли шасси Plymouth Valiant с базой 2690 мм. Характерная деталь – место пассажира находилось глубже водительского на 100 мм. Данное компоновочное решение продиктовано «аэродинамической» конструкцией кузова. Этот автомобиль тоже сохранился до наших дней.
Source: Chrysler Design Institute; auto.howstuffworks.com; Иван Рожнов, Журнал "МОТОР", 8-1998
Coachbuilder: Ghia
1933 Fiat 508S Balilla Spider (Ghia), 1947 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 Sport Cabriolet (Ghia), 1949 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Coupe (Ghia), 1950 Alfa Romeo 6C 2500 SS Supergioiello (Ghia), 1950 Ferrari 195 Inter (Ghia), 1951 Chrysler K-310 (Ghia), 1951 Plymouth XX-500 (Ghia), 1951 Talbot-Lago T.26 Record Coupe (Ghia), 1952 Chrysler C-200 (Ghia), 1952 Chrysler Special (Ghia), 1953 Abarth Fiat 1100 (Ghia), 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900 Sprint Supergioiello (Ghia), 1953 Alfa Romeo 1900 Supersonic Conrero (Ghia), 1953 Cadillac Coupe (Ghia), 1953 Chrysler D’Elegance (Ghia), 1953 Chrysler GS-1 Special (Ghia), 1953 Chrysler Thomas Special (Ghia), 1953 Cisitalia 505 DF (Ghia), 1953 Dodge Firearrow I (Ghia), 1953 Fiat 8V Boano Coupe (Ghia), 1953 Fiat 8V Supersonic Coupe (Ghia), 1954 Alfa Romeo 1900 CS Speciale (Ghia), 1954 Alfa Romeo 1900 SS (Ghia), 1954 Alfa Romeo 2000 Abarth (Ghia), 1954 Chrysler ST Special (Ghia), 1954 DeSoto Adventurer I (Ghia), 1954 Dodge Firearrow II (Ghia), 1954 Dodge Firearrow III (Ghia), 1954 Dodge Firebomb - Firearrow IV (Ghia), 1954 Jaguar XK120 Supersonic (Ghia), 1954 Plymouth Explorer Special (Ghia), 1954 Simca Convertible Special (Ghia), 1955 Alfa Romeo 1900 Supergioiello (Ghia), 1955 Chrysler Falcon (Ghia), 1955 Chrysler Flight Sweep I (Ghia), 1955 Chrysler Flight Sweep II (Ghia), 1955 Chrysler ST Special (Ghia), 1955 Chrysler ST Special Convertible (Ghia), 1955 DeSoto Adventurer II (Ghia), 1955 Ferrari 375 MM Coupe Speciale (Ghia), 1955 Ghia Gilda I, 1955 Jaguar XK140 (Ghia), 1955 Lincoln Futura (Ghia), 1955 Volkswagen Karmann Ghia (Ghia), 1956 Aston Martin DB2/4 Mk II Supersonic (Ghia), 1956 Chrysler Dart (Ghia), 1956 Chrysler Norseman (Ghia), 1956 Chrysler Special K300 (Ghia), 1956 Dual-Ghia Convertible (Ghia), 1956 Ferrari 410 Superamerica (Ghia), 1956 Mercedes-Benz 300 Berlina/Convertible (Ghia), 1956 Packard Predictor (Ghia), 1956 Plymouth Plainsman (Ghia), 1957 Chrysler 375 Coupe (Ghia), 1957 Chrysler Diablo (Ghia), 1957 Dual-Ghia Sport Coupe (Ghia), 1957 Fiat 1100 TV Coupe (Ghia), 1957 Fiat Jolly (Ghia), 1958 Dual-Ghia 400 (Ghia), 1958 Simca Special (Ghia), 1959 Ghia Selene, 1960 Chrysler Valiant (Ghia), 1960 Ghia Dragster IXG, 1960 Plymouth XNR (Ghia), 1961 Chrysler TurboFlite (Ghia), 1961 Dodge Flite-Wing (Ghia), 1961 Dual-Ghia L 6.4 (Ghia), 1961 Ghia Cart, 1961 Maserati 5000 GT (Ghia), 1961 Plymouth Asimmetrica (Ghia), 1961 Volvo P1800 (Ghia), 1962 Fiat 500 Ziba (Ghia), 1962 Ghia Selene II, 1962 Plymouth Valiant St. Regis (Ghia), 1963 Chrysler Turbine Car (Ghia), 1963 Ghia G230S, 1964 Chrysler V280 (Ghia), 1964 Ghia 1500 GT, 1964 Renault R8 Coupe (Ghia), 1965 Bugatti Type-101C (Ghia), 1965 DeTomaso Competizione 2000 (Ghia), 1965 DeTomaso Vallelunga (Ghia), 1966 DeTomaso Mangusta (Ghia), 1966 DeTomaso Mangusta Spyder (Ghia), 1966 DeTomaso Pampero (Ghia), 1966 Duesenberg Model D (Ghia), 1966 Fiat 850 Vanessa (Ghia), 1966 Ghia 450/SS, 1966 Isuzu 117 Sport (Ghia), 1966 Maserati Ghibli (Ghia), 1967 DeTomaso Rowan (Ghia), 1967 Iso S4 Fidia (Ghia), 1967 Oldsmobile Thor (Ghia), 1968 Ghia Serenissima, 1968 Maserati Ghibli Spider (Ghia), 1968 Maserati Simun (Ghia), 1969 DeTomaso Mustela (Ghia), 1969 Isuzu Bellett MX1600 (Ghia), 1969 Lancia Fulvia 1600 Competizione (Ghia), 1969 Lancia Marica (Ghia), 1970 DeTomaso Pantera (Ghia), 1970 Ghia City Car, 1971 DeTomaso 1600 Spider (Ghia), 1971 DeTomaso Deauville (Ghia), 1971 DeTomaso Zonda (Ghia), 1971 Ford GT-70 (Ghia), 1972 DeTomaso Longchamp (Ghia), 1973 DeTomaso Pantera II/Montella (Ghia), 1973 Ford Mustela II (Ghia), 1973 Lincoln Mark I (Ghia), 1974 Ford Coins (Ghia), 1975 Ford Flashback (Ghia), 1975 Ford Urban Car (Manx) (Ghia), 1976 Ford Corrida (Ghia), 1976 Ford Prima (Ghia), 1977 Ford Megastar (Ghia), 1978 Ford Fiesta Tuareg (Ghia), 1978 Ford Lucano (Ghia), 1978 Ford Megastar II (Ghia), 1978 Ford Microsport (Ghia), 1978 Ford Mustang III (Ghia), 1978 Ghia Action, 1978 Mercury XM (Ghia), 1979 Ford GTK (Ghia), 1979 Ford Navarre (Ghia), 1979 Ford Probe I (Ghia), 1980 Ford Granada Altair (Ghia), 1980 Ford Mustang RSX (Ghia), 1980 Ford Pockar (Ghia), 1981 AC ME3000 (Ghia), 1981 Ford Aerovan (Ghia), 1981 Ford Avant Garde (Ghia), 1981 Ford Cockpit (Ghia), 1981 Ford EXP-II (Ghia), 1981 Ford Shuttler (Ghia), 1981 Ford Super Gnat (Ghia), 1982 Ford Brezza (Ghia), 1982 Ford Quicksilver (Ghia), 1982 Ford Topaz (Ghia), 1982 Ghia Mini Max, 1983 Ford Barchetta (Ghia), 1983 Ford Trio (Ghia), 1984 Ford APV (Ghia), 1984 Ford Vignale Mustang (Ghia), 1984 Ford Vignale TSX-4 (Ghia), 1985 Ford Probe V (Ghia), 1985 Ford Urby (Ghia), 1986 Ford Vignale TSX-6 (Ghia), 1987 Ford HFX Aerostar (Ghia), 1987 Lincoln by Vignale (Ghia), 1989 Ford Saguaro (Ghia), 1989 Ford Via (Ghia), 1990 Ford Fiesta Bebop (Ghia), 1990 Ford Zag (Ghia), 1990 Ford Zig (Ghia), 1991 Ford Connecta (Ghia), 1992 Ford Focus (Ghia), 1993 Aston Martin Lagonda Vignale (Ghia), 1994 Ford Arioso (Ghia), 1996 Ford Alpe (Ghia), 1996 Ford Lynx (Ghia), 1996 Ford Saetta (Ghia), 1996 Ford Vivace (Ghia), 1996 Lincoln Sentinel (Ghia), 1998 Ford Touring Ka (Ghia), 2000 Ford Street Ka (Ghia), 2001 Ford Forty-Nine (Ghia)
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Comments
Shawn
Sunday, December 5, 2010
I have seen an old National Geographic showing a Saudi Sheik driving this car, anyone else seen this shot?
Shawn
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
June 1969 National Geographic the XNR is being driven by a Sheik.
Manzo
Friday, December 5, 2014
Thanks for any other informative web site. Where else may just I get that type of info written in such a perfect method? I have a venture that I'm just now running on, and I have been on the look out for such information.
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