The 1956 Chrysler Norseman Concept by Ghia is a legendary 2-door touring coupe that was never meant to be. With almost 2 years of development and an additional 15 months to build, this pioneering and innovative engineering masterpiece was poised to make its debut at the N.Y. Auto show. However, fate had other plans for this remarkable car.
In a customized cargo hold on the luxurious SS Andrea Doria, the Norseman was in transit back to New York when the ship collided with the MS Stockholm in extreme heavy fog. The Andrea Doria sank within 11 hours, taking the exquisite Norseman with it. The loss of life prevented much news about what else was lost on the sunken ship.
Designed in-house by Chrysler's engineering division under the watchful eye of design chief Virgil Exner, and coachbuilt by famed Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin, Italy, the Norseman Concept tallied in at just under $200,000 in 1956, which is the equivalent of a little over $2 million today. The car was truly revolutionary in its concept and design, with structural integration that could withstand eight times the car's weight in case of a rollover.
One of the most remarkable features of the car is the absence of pillars or posts to support the roof structure and weight. Instead, a clever cantilevered arch curves up from the rear and over the passenger compartment, providing the stability required. Uninterrupted glass circles the passengers, along with a power-controlled, 12-foot square section of glass in the rear roof that slid forward, making the rear seat a convertible.
The aluminum shell was heavily researched to ensure that state-of-the-art structural techniques were utilized throughout the car, resulting in a lightweight coupe. The aerodynamic coupe presented graceful smooth curves, an upswept tail, and a wild severely sloping cool fastback.
Chrysler did not reveal the power plant specifications, but it's widely believed that the Norseman housed a highly advanced Chrysler engine, possibly an early Hemi 5.4-liter overhead-valve V-8, mated with a Chrysler 'Powerflite' transmission.
The Norseman represented a new attack on the frontiers of automotive engineering and styling, according to Chrysler. The loss of this remarkable car is a tragedy, but its legacy lives on in the few photos that exist of the car prior to its journey home, including two in color, and in the stories that surround it.
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