AUTOS: Eye Appeal

In the horsepower race, Chrysler leads the field: its 1954 cars now on dealers’ floors have the highest (235) of any U.S. production models. But the one thing Chrysler products have lacked is the slick body styling of Ford and General Motors. Last week there were signs that Chrysler is turning from throttle to eye appeal.

On view in Detroit went two new experimental cars, the DeSoto Adventurer and the Dodge Firearrow, both designed by Chrysler and hand-built by Italian Bodymaker Ghia. The DeSoto is much like Chrysler’s D’Elegance coupé, also hand built by Italy’s Ghia, which was first shown last year—a simple, squarish grille, sweeping lines, and not too much cluttering chromium trim. But the Dodge is a brand-new car. Designed as a two-place sports car, it hugs the road like a lizard, features four headlights and a horizontal, propellerlike rub rail sweeping entirely around the car. Chrysler has no idea of mass-producing its new cars, but it did say that some of the graceful designs may find their way into future Chrysler products.