1956 Chrysler Norseman, first fully cantilevered roof, crush resistant windshield, 330ci 235hp V8 with a two-speed push-button PowerFlite automatic transmission; the rear window could retract into the roof. Designed by Chrysler, Pininfarina, and Ghia, under the eye of Virgil Exner, and built by Ghia. Total cost $150,000 (1956 dollars).
Few photos of the car exist since Ghia assumed it would get its share of film once on display in the US. Unfortunately that trip was aboard the Andrea Doria, which collided with another liner and sank in 160ft of water southeast of Massachusetts.
Many cars were aboard, stored in a general cargo hold, however,
"..the Norseman was no passenger vehicle and was specially packed and treated with extra care. The Norseman was put into a wooden crate and placed in the number 2 cargo area."
A professional diver examining the wreck in 1994 saw the car,
"The crate had disintegrated and the car was in very, very poor condition. The ocean's salt water invaded the Norseman's metal and most of the car is rust, corrosion and a heap of indistinguishable junk. The tires are still there and have assisted to [sic] its identification."
So little is known of the car that its color is even debated. Chrysler records state a two tone metallic green, Exner wanted overall silver, a surviving design sketch disagrees with both-
Few photos of the car exist since Ghia assumed it would get its share of film once on display in the US. Unfortunately that trip was aboard the Andrea Doria, which collided with another liner and sank in 160ft of water southeast of Massachusetts.
Many cars were aboard, stored in a general cargo hold, however,
"..the Norseman was no passenger vehicle and was specially packed and treated with extra care. The Norseman was put into a wooden crate and placed in the number 2 cargo area."
A professional diver examining the wreck in 1994 saw the car,
"The crate had disintegrated and the car was in very, very poor condition. The ocean's salt water invaded the Norseman's metal and most of the car is rust, corrosion and a heap of indistinguishable junk. The tires are still there and have assisted to [sic] its identification."
So little is known of the car that its color is even debated. Chrysler records state a two tone metallic green, Exner wanted overall silver, a surviving design sketch disagrees with both-