Chrysler Atlantic (1995)
Chrysler group had many show cars in the 1990s, but the 1995 Chrysler Atlantic coupe was without a doubt one of the design center’s most important and significant achievements. There is a legend that Chrysler executive and car addicted Bob Lutz scribbled the sketch on a napkin and showed it to Tom Gale, Chrysler’s chief designer. He, in turn, gave the task to his subordinates, but did not show them any napkins, so as not to limit their creativity, but only hinted at the French coupes of the thirties, which could act as a source of inspiration.
The talented designer and author of the Viper look, Bob Hubbach, became the direct executor. The look of the legendary and beautiful pre-war Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic was taken as a starting point – the “American” inherited the idea, being a modern interpretation of that car.
Chrysler Atlantic concept car produced the effect of an exploding bomb and is ready to arrange it to this day, since the image turned out to be completely ageless. Particularly impressive is the sumptuous silhouette, with its gigantic 3251mm wheelbase and 21-inch front and 22-inch rear wheels. “The Chrysler Atlantic is a purebred coupe on the outside and inside, born of romantic imaginations and a yearning for a time when automobiles were designed on a piece of paper rather than in a wind tunnel. The Atlantic is more than just a vehicle. This is a testament to an era when great artisans routinely created expressive expressive coupes. This is a living example of automotive design art expressed through the use of Chrysler’s technological foundation.” The manufacturer beautifully and accurately describes the idea of a show car.
An interesting feature of the project is the engine – not a V-shaped, but an in-line 4.0-liter “eight” with a capacity of 360 forces, which is two spliced units with a volume of 2.0 liters from a compact Dodge Neon. According to some reports, Gale wanted to see the coupe in serial status, according to others, they planned to release it in a limited edition of a hundred pieces. Alas, neither of these things happened – the Chrysler Atlantic remained an example of great design and took its place in the Walter P. Chrysler Museum.
