Lamborghini Espada

The best-selling early Lamborghini model was the Espada, 1,227 produced 1968-1978.   It was a Gran Turismo type car with seating for four, though back seating was cramped.

Bodies were made by Bertone, designed by the firm's stylist Marcello Gandini.

Espada's were of the 1970s type, featuring extremely low bodies.  This was a continuation of a long-term trend to ever-lower bodies.  But with the Espada and other cars, the trend seems to have been taken to the point where disadvantages overcame advantages in terms of practical, everyday use (ease of entry and exit, for example).  The wheelbase was 104.3 inches (2,650 mm), and length 186.2 inches (4,730 mm), resulting in noticeable overhang.

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The first three images appear to be of 1968 Lamborghini Espadas via either Lamborghini or Bertone.

This side view indicates how low the car was.  Measured height is 46.7 inches (1,185 mm) -- for readers familiar with Imperial measurements, that's less than four feet tall.  In comparison, the popular current (as of late 2022) Toyota Camry sedan's height is 56.9 inches (1,840 mm).

Interior view of a 1973 Espada, Gallery Aaldering photo.  Clearly, rear seating is cramped, and getting in and out of that area would be difficult for many adults.

The following walkaround images are of a 1973 Espada via Bring a Trailer auctions.  Frontal design is clean, without much character.  The air vents on the hood are the NACA type seen on aircraft.

The character-less front doesn't matter much because the character of the car and brand is embodied in the rest of it.

Note how the upward curve to the after side window frame visually ties to the top frame of the backlight window -- a nice, professional design touch.

The lower window below the backlight might aid rear visibility a trifle, though rear seats seem to block most of that.

The trunk area is visible in this image.  Some kind of cover seems needed.

The long, horizontal character line carries two air vents near the front wheel opening.  It helps tie the design together and also adds to visually lowering the car by breaking up what little slab-sidedness there is (augmented by the lesser line near the lower edge of the body).

In sum, a nicely styled car aside from its questionable package dimensions.

Chenard et Walcker Aiglon Berline 1934

French mid-to-upper-midrange automobile maker Chenard et Walcker (Wikipedia entry here) had strong sales around the mid-1920s, but was on the path to extinction by 1934, the year of this post's featured car.

This was still the era where most car bodies were framed using wood, then clad by metal or sometimes fabric.  That meant development costs were comparatively less than the all-steel bodies that began to appear in the mid-1930s, allowing marginally-funded car makers such as Chenard et Walcker to keep up with styling fashions.

The car pictured below is a four-cylinder Chenard et Walcker Aiglon (Eaglet) offered for sale.  It's the bottom-of-the-line of the Aiglon-Aigle (Eagle) range, others having six and eight cylinder motors.   List price in 1934 was FF 30,000.

The photo source claims this is a 1934 model, but the design of the front bumper suggests that it might actually be a 1935.  That is, '35 Chenard et Walkers had a space for the front license plate between the bumper segments, as does the car pictured below.  On the other hand, 1935 bumper segments were shaped differently.  My go-to references (Toutes les voitures françsises by René Bellu - a year-by year series from Automobilia) did not provide an answer.

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Model year 1934 in France and America was when somewhat-streamlined designs began to appear.  Firms not building such cars as the Chrysler Airflow were adding features suggesting streamlining.  For example, C&W's Aiglon front fenders were no longer "spoon" like, but curved farther down in front while sporting modest valances on the sides. These images are of a for-sale car.

The windshield is ever-so-slightly rakes back, as is the B-pillar.  Perhaps that was to provide a rakish touch.  C-W's featured several hood air vent styles.  This one is distinctive.  The trunk is large, creating a bustle-back appearance.

Rear styling is cleanly done, the passenger compartment greenhouse being rounded rather than severely boxy, as was the norm two or three years earlier.  The spare tire seems to supplement those wispy bumperettes for rear protection..

Chenard et Walker grilles in those days featured an interior chromed form echoing the grille frame shape.  The grille itself is dished in a "shovel nose" style popular at the time.

The dashboard - instrument panel is spartan aside for some wood trim.  Chenard et Walker was transitioning from righthand to lefthand steering in the mid-1930s.  Here the steering wheel is on the right.

Standard General Motors 1965 4-Door Sedans and Hardtops

Even wealthy carmakers -- which General Motors was in 1965 -- choose to economize where justifiable.

Consider the 4-door hardtop sedan body type that GM introduced for the 1955 model year.  Those cars did not share all the passenger compartment greenhouse tooling of the conventional sedans.  That cost extra tooling money.

For the 1965 model year, GM and other American carmakers were now familiar with 4-door hardtop technology, so GM built plenty of them while taking care to minimize additional tooling expenses.  Today's post presents some examples of 4-door hardtops that shared nearly all greenhouse tooling with their 4-door sedan counterparts.

Unless noted, images below are of cars listed for sale.

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1965 Chevrolet Bel Air 4-door sedan
Standard Chevys had 119 inch (3023 mm) wheelbases.  Bel Airs were mid-range Chevrolets in 1965.

1965 Chevrolet Impala Caprice 4-door hardtop - BaT Auctions photo
Impalas were the Chevrolet prestige line.  Beside the faddish vinyl-covered roof and B-pilars, the main difference with the sedan in the previous image is the hardened profile of the rear-side window opening.

1965 Chevrolet Biscayne 4-door sedan
Now the same from a slightly higher point of view.  Biscayne were entry-level Chevys.

1965 Chevrolet Impala Caprice 4-door hardtop
Compare the door cut lines of the the sedans and hardtops: they are the same.  They only visible sheet-metal difference aside from door pillars on the sedans is that window profile.

1965 Pontiac Star Chief Executive 4-door sedan - Mecum Auction photo
Pontiacs shared the same body platform, though the wheelbase is 124 inches (3150 mm).  Much of that difference seems to be between the aft door cutline and rear wheel opening.

1965 Pontiac Bonneville Vista 4-door hardtop
Same story as for the Chevrolets, though this photos suggests that there might have been a slightly tighter radius on the the roof curve transitioning to the C-pillar.

1965 Buick Wildcat 4-door hardtop
The Wheelbase here was even longer, 126 inches (3,200.4 mm) befitting a more upscale car.  The added length appears to be a stretch in the rear passenger area -- note the longer rear side door.