We’ve hit the jackpot with this video. Here’s newsreel footage of Motor City dream cars on the 1956 car show circuit, including the Mercury XM Turnpike Cruiser, Chrysler Plainsman, and Packard Predictor. Watch this.
There’s barely two minutes of video in this news clip from a Detroit TV station in 1956, but it’s packed with material from start to finish. Taking it from the top:
+ Ford vice president of design George Walker with a scale-model dream car and a staff of sharply dressed fashion models.
+ A closeup view of the brand-new 1956 Plymouth Fury hardtop, which was available that first year only in Sandstone White with flashy gold-anodized side trim, as shown here.
+ The 1956 Mercury XM Turnpike Cruiser, the flamboyant show car with styling themes that foreshadowed the 1957 through 1959 Mercury production models.
+ The Chrysler Plainsman, a station wagon concept introduced in 1956 with many novel features, including western-motif interior and power folding seats. (More video featuring the Plainsman here.)
+ Last but not least, the fabulous Packard Predictor, built to showcase a whole suite of future Packard features that would never see production, including stowaway roof panels and hidden headlamps. Today the car is on display at the Studebaker National Museum (you can visit here).
It’s interesting to note that all three show cars—Turnpike Cruiser, Plainsman, Predictor—were constructed for the automakers by Ghia, the famed Italian coach builder. Without further ado, here are the dream cars of 1956.
Thanks for the chuckle. THEY’RE HIDEOUS! I’m sorry, but they all look like a “hodge-podge” of whatever was in the parts bin. The last one you say is a Packard? Good heavens, looks a little “Edsely” to me. And I thought some of the foreign cars looked weird. We’ve made fun of the Plainsman on Hemmings once. Nothing looks right on that car. And the poor models, ( I know, they picked their job, we picked ours, but still) big smiles, standing next to these things all day, and in Western garb to boot.
In the cold light of objectivity, I’m sure you’re right. But back then, these cars were the hot stuff. This was the future, man! And today, car enthusiasts find these cars fascinating. I do, anyway. Always enjoy your thoughts. mcg
Thanks mcg. Being before my time, these do look a little silly, but you’re right, this was cutting edge stuff. ( and lots of things did show up on production models, just not for too long) Their rendition of the future, and what a left turn the future did. Oh, how did we ever lose our way?
This was back in my teenage years, when the concept and dream cars were really only a year or two from production instead of pie-inthe-sky.
There is a Plymouth in that color scheme here in Adelaide. It was a real car! Some of those concepts are ugly,, and I am used to that vintage of car. Most of what made it to the showrooms though were ok. 54-58 or so then they started with fins! Though they too do have charm [and no practicality!] near 60 years on.
Though a friend uses his 63 Caddy to tow his racecar [full size 70s sedan] 80k across the city 5 or 6 times a year so is still practical in that capacity. I use my 71 Galaxie too the same on occasion.
Try that though with a modern front drive Caddy, or even plastic Camaro, Mustang or Challenger. Or here in Oz too a slightly lesser extent Commodore or Falcon. All of which the IRS would burn up the rear tyre and the no wall tyres possibly blow out too. Forget the Camrys and other FWD pieces of mechanised transport. A tow rating of about 500 kilo.
Interesting to see the models clothes. Not very often that happens.
Shooter panned way too fast, too much, but you can pause it. Noticed a lot of Chrysler products, including the Plainsman wagon with the power tailgate & 3rd seat. They are still doing that on minivans & SUVs! Captions or a voice over narration would have been nice, too. Thanks!
Saw the Predictor at the Studebaker museum last year – as you can see here, it was mounted on a conventional – and narrow – Packard chassis. It’s very ungainly, with the wheels buried deep inside the body.