It took more than two years of work by GM stylists to perfect the exterior design of the groundbreaking 1955 Chevrolet. Let’s take a look at the earlier efforts.

When the 1955 Chevrolet was introduced on October 28, 1954, it represented an investment of $300 million by General Motors in design, development, and tooling. Along with the totally re-engineered chassis and the stunning 265 cubic-inch V8, there was an entirely new exteior as well, with more than two years of evolution behind it in the Chevrolet styling studios.

Among the areas explored was the roofline, as shown in the full-size renderings above  from November of 1952 for a proposed but never produced club coupe. (See also the lead photo, showing a greenhouse similar to the ’50-’52 Bel Air.) The wheel arches of the production design are already established here, while 1954-style tail lamps grace the rear. Note the long, pronounced step  in the quarter-panel line. Eventually, this would be shortened to a smart dip between the B and C pillars, a production feature from ’55 through ’57.

By mid-1953 the basic body shell was part of the package under testing at GM’s Arizona and Michigan proving grounds. However, a modified ’53 Chevy front doghouse was in place with ’53 tail lamps at the rear, presumably to serve as camouflage. According to Chevrolet, the rigorous product testing stretched out over hundreds of thousands of miles.

In this GM photo from May of 1953, the tail lamps, rear bumper, and deck lid badge are much like the eventual production car’s. However, this prototype has a prominent  crease across across the deck between the lamps, a feature that would never make it to the Chevy showrooms.

By this date, the new Chevrolet’s styling was almost fully formed (above). However, the bright-metal side trim would be completely revised before production, and the remarkably ’53-like grille treatment shown here would be discarded as well. According to leading historian Michael Lamm in an interview with Chevy studio chief Clare MacKichen, that change came about when GM vice president of styling Harley Earl stopped by for an inspection. Earl said to MacKichan, ‘You know, I saw a Ferrari, and I’d like to try that kind of grille on the car.” That direction ultimately resulted in the racy, Italianate radiator opening of the production car.

Below, Chevrolet chief engineer Edward N. Cole proudly stands next to a production 1955 Bel Air Sport Coupe, complete with its narrow European grille. Thanks to the exciting new product and a boom year for the Motor City, sales at Chevrolet shot up nearly 50 percent to 1.7 million cars in 1955. Just one year later, Cole would be promoted to general manager of the division, ultimately becoming president of General Motors. And eventually, the 1955 Chevrolet would earn a place as one of the most memorable and important cars in Detroit history.