VIN M551100679

• One of only three Scimitar concept cars produced
• Unique Town Car Phaeton configuration with independently opening roof sections
• Distinctive brushed aluminum and black-painted bodywork with gold detailing
• Powered by Chrysler’s 413/350 HP Golden Lion V8 with TorqueFlite automatic transmission

Few American concept cars of the 1950s were as imaginative as the Chrysler Scimitar. Commissioned by the Olin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, the project was conceived to demonstrate the possibilities of aluminum in automobile construction and entrusted to noted industrial designer Brooks Stevens. Rather than create a single show car, Stevens developed three related but distinctly different Scimitar concepts, each exploring a different approach to body design and convertible roof engineering.

To realize the project, three Chrysler New Yorker chassis were sent to Reutter in Stuttgart, Germany, the respected coachbuilder best known for its work on the Porsche 356. Working from Stevens’ designs, Reutter combined brushed, silver-anodized aluminum body panels with contrasting black-painted steel sections, arranged in sweeping linear forms intended to evoke the shape and movement of a scimitar blade.

The three resulting cars were each unique. One was a two-door convertible with a full-length retractable hardtop, another an station wagon with a disappearing rear roof section, and the third was this remarkable Town Car Phaeton. Together, the trio debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1959 before traveling the show circuit as rolling demonstrations of advanced materials and design.

Of the three, the Phaeton is arguably the most complex and theatrical. Its roof system allows the chauffeur’s compartment to be opened independently while leaving the rear passenger compartment enclosed, or both sections can be opened to create a fully open car. This flexibility gives the Scimitar the formal character of a town car together with the drama of a full phaeton.

The Phaeton also carries several details unique within the Scimitar series. Most notable is the golden aluminum spear and surround at the center of the front end, echoed by matching gold wheel covers. These details contrast vividly with the brushed aluminum and black-painted bodywork and give the car an unmistakable show-car presence.

Underneath the experimental coachwork is proven Chrysler mechanical hardware. Power comes from the 413-cubic-inch Golden Lion V8, rated at 350 horsepower, paired with a three-speed TorqueFlite automatic transmission operated by Chrysler’s familiar pushbutton selector. The 1959 model year was the first for the 413 and also the last for Chrysler’s full-frame chassis, making the mechanical foundation particularly appropriate for such an ambitious design study.

The interior likewise draws heavily from contemporary Chrysler production while adapting the materials to suit the Phaeton’s dual-purpose layout. The dashboard, steering wheel, switchgear, and door hardware remain recognizably Chrysler, while the chauffeur’s compartment is trimmed in a leather-like material and the rear passenger area in a softer velour cloth, recalling the divided treatment of formal phaetons from an earlier era.

Today, the Scimitar’s importance lies far beyond simple condition. As one of just three purpose-built concept cars created for the program, and the only Town Car Phaeton of the group, it represents an exceptional surviving expression of Brooks Stevens’ design thinking, Reutter craftsmanship, and mid-century experimentation with aluminum construction.

With its international show history, unique retractable roof arrangement, distinctive gold detailing, and extraordinarily limited production, this 1959 Chrysler Scimitar Phaeton is far more than a curiosity. It is an important American design study and a rare surviving artifact from an era when manufacturers and independent designers were still willing to imagine radically different forms for the automobile.

Offers welcome and trades considered.

$249,500

Stock number 8159