12 Pre-War Automobiles That Defined Early Automotive Design Language
9. Chrysler Airflow - Streamlining Enters Mass Production
The production Chrysler Airflow represented the first successful attempt to bring scientifically-developed aerodynamic design principles to mass-market automobiles, fundamentally challenging traditional automotive aesthetics while establishing streamlining as a legitimate design philosophy for everyday vehicles. Carl Breer's extensive wind tunnel research, conducted throughout the late 1920s and early 1930s, culminated in a production vehicle that featured integrated fenders, a sloped windshield, and smooth body surfaces that reduced air resistance by nearly 20 percent compared to conventional designs. The Airflow's revolutionary unibody construction, where the body structure provided chassis strength rather than simply covering a separate frame, enabled the streamlined shape while creating new possibilities for interior packaging and weight distribution. The vehicle's passenger compartment, moved forward to position occupants within the wheelbase rather than behind the rear axle, created superior ride comfort while contributing to the car's distinctive proportions and aerodynamic efficiency. The Airflow's integrated headlights, flush-mounted door handles, and smooth underbody panels demonstrated how aerodynamic requirements could drive innovative detail design solutions that influenced automotive development for decades. Despite initial market resistance to its radical appearance, the Airflow's design philosophy proved prescient, as virtually all modern automobiles incorporate aerodynamic principles that were first explored in this groundbreaking vehicle. The car's influence on automotive design extended far beyond its immediate commercial success, as its streamlined aesthetic influenced everything from appliance design to architecture during the 1930s. Most significantly, the Airflow established the principle that automotive design should be based on scientific research and empirical testing rather than purely aesthetic considerations, introducing a methodology that became standard practice in the automotive industry.
10. Auburn 851 Speedster - Art Deco Meets Automotive Design
The Auburn 851 Speedster represents the perfect synthesis of 1930s Art Deco design philosophy with automotive engineering, creating one of the most visually striking vehicles of the pre-war era while establishing decorative principles that influenced luxury car design for generations. Gordon Buehrig's masterful design integrated the flowing lines, geometric patterns, and luxurious materials characteristic of Art Deco movement with the functional requirements of high-performance automobile construction. The Speedster's distinctive boat-tail rear end, featuring a dramatic tapering profile and integrated spare tire cover, demonstrated how automotive design could incorporate sculptural elements that served both aesthetic and aerodynamic purposes. The vehicle's elaborate chrome exhaust pipes, emerging from the engine compartment and flowing along the vehicle's flanks, created a visual celebration of mechanical power while establishing the principle that functional components could serve as decorative elements. The Auburn's sophisticated use of two-tone paint schemes, with carefully planned color separations that emphasized the car's flowing lines and dramatic proportions, established color as a primary tool in automotive design composition. The vehicle's interior design, featuring rich materials, geometric patterns, and streamlined instrument panel design, demonstrated how Art Deco principles could create automotive environments that rivaled the most sophisticated contemporary architecture and interior design. The Speedster's influence on automotive design extended beyond its immediate era, as its dramatic proportions and decorative philosophy influenced the development of concept cars and show vehicles throughout the following decades. Perhaps most importantly, the Auburn 851 Speedster proved that automotive design could successfully incorporate contemporary artistic movements, establishing the automobile as a legitimate medium for artistic expression and cultural commentary.