Design: The 1938 Phantom Corsair
I'm no autophile but the bold design of the Phantom Corsair, a remarkable work of art deco futurism, is enough to give even the most self-righteous of vehicular Luddites pause.
The Corsair sprang from the industral design work of Rust Heinz, son of the namesake of the H.J. Heinz Company; in 1936, Heinz approached a coachbuilding firm to have a prototype fully-designed and constructed. The sleek, streamlined design won the cover of the March 1938 cover of "Motor Age" and was to be featured the following year at New York's hosting of the World's Fair but tragically, Heinz was killed at the age of 25 ... in a car accident.
The Corsair was far ahead of its time - perhaps too far - with electric entry buttons rather than door handles, the ability of seat six passengers (including one to left of the driver), a collapsible backseat to accomodate a beverage cabinet, a dashboard with an altimeter and compass and a console that informed the driver of ajar doors or lights left on.
This 4,600 pound beauty was intended to run buyers about $15,000, but that price was so exorbitant, orders were unlikely in addition to the rationing of metals for the war effort. Ultimately, the Corsair's design faded into obscurity, the prototype occasionally emerging from the garage of various private collectors. Thankfully, the Phantom Corsair now rests in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.
