1950 Citroën 11 Berline Walkaround and Overhead Views

As best I can tell at the moment, there's nothing special about 1950 Citroën 11 Normale (standard size) cars.  However, I came across a nice set of images of a Berline (sedan) for sale, so I thought I'd pass some of them along.

For general information about Traction Avant (front-wheel drive) Citroëns, click here.  My post "First and Last: Citroën Traction Avant" is here.

Citroën's 11 CV (cheval vapeur, the French term for horsepower, in this case, a tax-related number) was in production 1934-1957, longer than the other versions.  There were two varieties of the 11.  One was the Normale, the other was the Légère, or "Light" 11.  The latter, in production 1937-1957 was based on the smaller 7 CV car, produced 1934-1938.

The basic design of Citroën Tractions changed little over time.  By model year 1950, some exterior details had been changed in an effort to maintain sales while the company put most of its effort into its recently-released 2CV and forthcoming DS-19.

Images below are of a 1950 Citroën 11 Normale berline listed for sale by Albion Motor Cars in Belgium.

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Hood louvres first appeared by 1947.  Before the war, TAs had pivoted hood doors to provide engine compartment air flow-through.  Doors are hinged on the B-pillars.

That large trunk first appeared on 1951 models, according to a reference in my library.  So this car might actually be a 1951 model that was sold before the end of 1950, assuming that's the timing of '51 cars.  Or maybe the car is a '50 retrofitted with the larger trunk.

Traction Avants never had running boards linking front and rear fenders.

During the mid-late 1930s French car beltlines tended to fall downwards from front to rear, as seen here.  Note that the rear axle line is abaft of the back passenger seat.  This positioning can result in a smoother ride for back seat passengers.  1934 Chrysler Airflows are often cited as launching this feature, though TAs also had it in 1934.

Citroën introduced the Traction Avant for model year 1934, so its styling was probably developed in 1932 or perhaps 1933.  This was before "streamlined" cars were marketed in Europe and America.  This basic design was continued through the 1957 model year, old-fashioned as it was in the age of "envelope" bodies and tail fins.  On the other hand, its engineering was advanced when production began.  The body with its old-fashioned features sits low to the ground compared to nearly all 1932-vintage cars thanks to front wheel drive eliminating the need for a drive shaft below passenger compartment floorboards.

The grille is little-changed from 1934.  Freestanding headlights were archaic in 1950.

The solid roof is one modernization; early TAs roofs had the fabric inserts common in 1934.  But Traction Avants were getting all-metal bodies soon after.

Both 7 CV and 11 CVs had 4-cylinder motors, so the hood is not lengthy.

Ford Fordor Sedan Profiles 1935-1941

Today's post presents a set of left-side/profile views of Ford four-door sedans from the mid-1930s into the very early 1940s.  This was much of the key period of the great design evolution that began early in the '30s and was largely complete by the 1949 model year (including the 3-model-year timeout when production ceased during World War 2).  Regarding that era, I wrote "Ford Handed-Down Grilles, 1938-1940" here.

Important sources for this post were books by Paul R. Woudenberg (here), and especially Henry Dominquez (here).  The latter included numerous quotes from E.T. "Bob" Gregorie who headed Ford styling beginning in March of 1935, though he earlier designed the English Model Y Ford.  The first American Ford under his leadership was the 1938 line.

Fords appearing model years 1935-1937 were styled at Briggs Manufacturing Company (coachbuilt.com link).  Dominguez states: "These models were developed at Briggs Manufacturing under the direction of Ralph Roberts and his design group headed by John Tjaarda...  Phil Wright, a designer in Tjaarda's group, designed the stylish 1935 Ford line...  Holden Koto, another designer on Tjaarda's staff, eventually developed an appropriate facelift for the 1936 Ford."  He does not cite who was most responsible at Briggs for 1937 styling.

Engineering and cost-related factors strongly influenced Ford designs in those days when Henry Ford himself was in charge of Ford Motor Company, but beginning to have serious health problems.  Some of those factors are mentioned in the Gallery below.

Gallery

1935 Ford DeLuxe - car-for-sale photo
Gregorie pointed out that chassis engineering boss Larry Sheldrick positioned the rear seat forward of the rear axle line in order to improve passenger riding comfort á la the '34 Chrysler Airflow.  (In the photo above, the seat back seems to be aligned with the rear axle line, so the flat part is forward of that line.  1934 Ford sedan back seats were atop the axle line.)  Retaining passenger compartment dimensions on the same 112-inch (2845 mm) wheelbase yielded a proportionally shorter hood, creating a stubbier-looking design.  That wheelbase and passenger compartment location continued through model year 1940.  This forced Gregorie to devote much creativity to visually lengthen the fronts of Ford designs in that restricted zone.

1936 Ford DeLuxe - Mecum Auctions photo
Briggs stylists were talented, and understood the problem as well as Gregorie.  Note how the grille was pushed forward compared to the '35 design.

1937 Ford DeLuxe - Mecum
This qualifies as a major facelift, as much of the passenger compartment is carried over from 1935-36.  Differences there include changing the windshield from single-pane glass to shallow V'd two-pane, and rounding the roof to accommodate "all-steel" coverage.  Gregorie stated that manufacturing boss Charles Sorensen wanted to reduce the amount of sheet metal on Fords (possibly in conjunction with the increased roof metal, I suspect).  There also were concerns regarding deep-draw stamping wastage on front fenders, yet another problem for stylists.

According to Woudenberg, Gregorie was in charge of '37 Ford styling, "but he later denied it, perhaps due to the unfortunately small following that the '37 Fords have today [1976] among Ford buffs."  Also, this "might have been a genuinely beautiful car but for one problem.  On direct orders from Mr. Ford, the car was shortened -- from its prototype."  Dominguez does not mention that matter.  Google's AI states there was such a prototype, but I checked the links it gave (early October 2026), and I noticed no such mention.  If there's a definitive source regarding a prototype, let us know in Comments.

Also, it's likely that Gregorie did indeed have a major hand in 1937 Ford styling, if for no other reason that his front end design for the 1936 Lincoln-Zephyr contributed strongly to the frontal design of '37 Fords.

1938 Ford DeLuxe - car-for-sale photo
Grogorie in Dominquez's book does acknowledge the '38 Ford's design as coming from his styling group.  The rear part of the passenger compartment was changed to a smooth curve that incorporated the trunk.   Fenders were redesigned as were the hood and grille.

1939 Ford DeLuxe - car-for-sale photo
Most changes here were forwards of the cowl.  Wider, longer hood.  New grille.  Headlights in the fenders, not in the catwalks.

1940 Ford DeLuxe - Mecum
Minor facelifting up front.

1941 Ford Super DeLuxe - car-for-sale photo
A redesign.  And finally based on a slightly longer 114-inch (2896 mm) wheelbase.  Note the taller window, for instance.  Also, sides are curved outward more.   Fender sculpting related to metal stamping changes.  Gregorie thought its 1942 frontal facelift was an improvement.

1955 Studebaker Speedster Walkaround

I was entering high school when the Seattle Times had a photo of a facelifted 1955 Studebaker hardtop coupe.  "Oh, no!!  That can't be true!" was my reaction.  Time and experience has mellowed my feelings regarding '55 Studebaker coupes and hardtops.  But not much.

Back in 2024 I posted "What Were They Thinking?: 1955 Studebaker Starliner Facelift." I introduced the matter, stating:

"I might have labeled this post "Styling Crime: 1955 Studebaker Starliner Facelift" because that applies equally well.  The Starliner hardtop coupe Studebaker introduced for the 1953 model year is generally considered one of the finest automobile designs ever.   That means that improving upon it is a near-impossibility.  So what to do for next year?

"For 1954, Studebaker added small, thin vertical "teeth" or bars to the grille.  Retrograde, for sure, but only a small step.  Then for 1955 some kind of panic must have set in for corporate marketers and stylists were ordered (I assume) to slather the poor car with chrome and gaudy two-tone paint jobs in order to be in tune with the rest of the American automobile industry."

I stand by those thoughts.

Perhaps the wildest hardtop coupe facelift was the new Studebaker President Speedster, the firm's top of the line model.  Speedsters were listed at $3,253, the next lower model, the President State hardtop coupe, listed at $2,456.  So the Speedster cost about one-third more.

Speedster production was 2,215, and a surprising number of these controversial cars have survived, given what can be found on Internet image searches.

So let's take a look at a Speedster from several points of view.  I have nothing to say about the basic styling other than how it had been altered here and there.  Images below are of a car listed for sale.

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Car-for-sale photo of a 1953 Studebaker Comander Starliner hardtop coupe -- the classic Raymond Loewy design.

Its 1955 Studebaker President Speedster successor.  Structurally, the hood and grille are new, while remaining differences are via trim and paint.

Some Speedsters even had three-tone paint schemes.  For example, the roof here might have been painted white instead.

All Speedsters had that wide chrome band on the C-pillar and across the roof, serving as a strong model identifier.  It also was a paint divider.  Lesser '55 Studebaker coupes and hardtops lacked it.

Those round backup lights are also found on some other Studebaker coupes, but not on most, apparently.  Otherwise, this rear end design is the same as on other President coupes and hardtops.

Side chrome trim as seen here was found on most 1955 Studebaker hardtop coupes.  Note how the forward end of the broad strip aligns with the 1953-vintage side sculpting.  A nice touch.  But probably aesthetically unnecessary, aside from the need to be in step with the USA car industry's flashy fashions of those days.

Note the wide chrome fixture atop the bumper guards.  Very rare on Speedsters, possibly an aftermarket item.

Mecum Auctions photo of a Speedster lacking the extra bumper guard.  Most Speedster front ends looked like this.  All that chrome found here makes the front seem too heavy.

The dashboard instruments are set in a tooled panel.  Similar concept to that on 1936/37 Cords.

Jaguar E-Type Coupé: A Look at Its Proportions Compared to the XK120

The impression I've been getting for a long time from digital and on-paper automotive sources is that the Jaguar E-Type (or XKE, as it's sometimes called) is a fabulous, classic design.  I'm a contrarian on that -- never fell in love with its styling.

I'll quickly add that I don't think E-Types are ugly.  They're pretty attractive, yet have a major flaw, in my opinion.  That flaw has to do with the car's proportions.  Back in 2014 I posted "E-Type Jaguar: The Hood is Half the Story, "  In a photo caption, I stated "I always thought the hood was too long, given the somewhat narrow width of the car.  From the cowl forward, the E-Type reminded me somewhat of a baguette or submarine sandwich."  Well, that last part was a bit cruel, but not necessarily wrong.

Part of my problem might be generational.  I'm old enough that I was conditioned by Jaguar XK120s: those were real postwar Jag sports cars.  So when the E-Type appeared, it didn't seem quite right.  Something to do with the long hood and tubular frontal shape.

Today's post attempts to consider this matter more analytically.  First, some numerical data.  Sources are Wikipedia entries on the Jaguar XK120 and E-Type, along with some Google AI-sourced numbers.

For the XK120, wheelbase 102 inches (2591 mm), length 173 inches (4394 mm), width 61.5 inches (1562 mm), height 52.5 inches (1334 mm).  And for the E-Type, wheelbase 96 inches (2438 mm), length 175.3 inches (4453 mm), width 65.25 inches (1222 mm), height 48.125 inches (1181 mm).

The ratios of length to wheelbase are, respectively, 1.7 and 1.83.  But note that the lengths are nearly the same, while the E's wheelbase is 6 inches (153 mm) shorter.  That mostly accounts for the ratio difference.  Otherwise, the E-Type is wider and less tall than the XK120.  And the former's wheel diameter is 15 inches (381 mm), one inch (25.4 mm) less than the latter's.

All that stated, let's now turn to some images.

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1951 Jaguar XK120 Fixed-Head Coupé - Bring a Trailer Auctions photo
Cars with structural passenger compartment greenhouses are usually less attractive than versions with retractible tops -- roadsters, cabriolets and such.  Such is the case here.  Not a beautiful, car but when viewed in person, an exciting one.  An interesting example of pre- World War 2 English sports car proportions and details combined with elements of postwar "envelope" body/fender integration.

1961 Jaguar E-Type Fixed-Head Coupé - BaT Auctions photo
Clearly a post-war design.  A good deal of attentions was focused on aerodynamic efficiency, given that its designer was Malcolm Sayer, an aerodynamicist, and not William Lyons, Jaguar's head, who normally dealt with styling.  The design was wider than the XK, its sides much more rounded.  The main body is low, making the greenhouse seem quite high and awkward from the perspective shown here.

1952 Jaguar XK120 Fixed-Head Coupé - Broad Arrow Auctions photo
Sides are flat starting shortly below the fenderline.  The lower edge of the body is closer to the ground than the E-Type's, creating a heavier appearance seen from the side.  Front overhang is minimal, thus having a shorter-seeming hood than the E's.  The profile has three major elements: the hood/front fender zone, the rounded greenhouse, and the curved trunk lid.  These break the side composition into three parts, unlike the E-Type's two elements: hood and greenhouse.

1961 Jaguar E-Type Fixed-Head Coupé - Broad Arrow Auctions photo
Based on measurements I made from this and three other profile images, the distance from the E's nose to the base of the windshield is about 44 percent of the car's length.  Similar measurements on XK120 photos yield a percentage of around 42.  At this point, I conclude that the E's lower body height and higher clearance, along with the rounded sides, create the effect of E-Types having noticeably long hood lines.  The shorter wheelbase, likely accounting for the front axle line seeming closer to the cowl, also might contribute to that visual effect.  Ditto the frontal taper seen in profile.

1961 Jaguar E-Type Fixed-Head Coupé - car-for-sale photo
As a footnote, the engine's position can be seen here.

Lincoln Mark VIII and Its Kin

The Lincoln Mark VIII coupe was marketed model years 1993-1998.  Stylistically, it might be considered the last Lincoln Continental coupe, the first few (54!) having appeared in the 1940 model year.  Original Continentals ceased production after 1948.  Then there was the famous Continental Mark II of 1956-57, followed by a Mark III line for 1958 that included sedans as well as coupes and convertible coupes.  Model years 1959-60 featured the Continental Mark IV with a similar set of models.

This changed in 1961 when Lincoln had simply one series, named simply Continental.  This classic design featured only four-door sedans and convertible sedans.  A hardtop coupe was added in 1966-67.  Continental nameplates continued with sedans and hardtop coupes into 1981.  After that, Continentals were sedans into the 2000s.

Coupes with classic Continental sportiness and faux-spare tire hints on trunk lids reappeared model year 1968 with the Continental Mark III coupe -- yes, a previously-used label.  Mark IV arrived for 1972, Mark V in 1977, Mark VI in 1980 (the word "Continental" next to "Mark" was dropped in 1982), and Mark VII in 1984.  The latter were marketed into 1992 and replaced for 1993 with the subject model.  That was the last Mark to date, production ending in 1998.

I wrote "Lincoln's Last Mark" here in 2015 -- today's post revisiting that subject.  Some background can be found in Wikipedia's "Lincoln Mark VIII (1993-1998)" here.

Mark VIIIs shared basic bodies with Ford Thunderbird and Mercury Cougar which used the FN10/12 platform starting model year 1989.  The Wikipedia entry for Ford Thunderbird tenth generation (1989-1997) is here, and that for Mercury Cougar seventh generation (1989–1997) is here.

All images below are of 1993 models.

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Lincoln Mark VIII - car-for-sale photos
First, some profile views.  All these car have wheelbases of 113-inches (2870 mm).

Ford Thunderbird - Bring a Trailer Auctions photos
The Thunderbird's profile is nearly the same as the Mark VIII's, including the mid-level rub strip.

Mercury Cougar XR7 - car-for-sale photos
The Cougar's passenger compartment greenhouse was altered abaft of the B-pillar, and the trunk lid adjusted to conform.

The basic design allowed for minor tooling changes at the front.  The Mark VIII had a larger grille and wider sweep to light assemblies.  The side rub strip is more outboard than those on Thunderbirds and Cougars.

No grille here; air intakes are on and below the bumper.

Same as Thunderbird, but with a small grille.

Lincoln Mark VIII - Mecum Auctions photo
A major difference on the Mark VIII is the rounded flow of its side sculpting.  The car's width is 74.6-inches, compared to 72.7 inches on the other cars (1995 mm vs. 1847 mm).

Lincoln Mark VIII - Car and Driver photo
The side sculpting shows better on this car than on the shiny, green car in the top image.

Lincoln Mark VIII - car-for-sale photo
Not a very nice photo, but it clearly shows the faux-spare tire cover that evokes Continental.

Lincoln Mark VIII - car-for-sale photo
The cockpit/dashboard.  Attractive.

The Most Attractive Chrysler Airflow? - Part 2

In September of 2023 I posted "The Most Attractive Chrysler Airflow?" using images found on the Internet.  Since then, more and better images are available there.  So it's time for an update on the subject.

Not only that, but I changed my mind as to the most attractive Airflow.  Details are in the photo captions below.

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1934 Chrysler CU Airflow Coupe - Worldwide Auctioneers photo
The fastback design is more attractive than the boxy profiles of sedans.  Most Airflows shared the same front ends (from the cowl forward).  The front of the car curves downward, shortening the hood a little.

1935 Chrysler C1 Airflow Coupe - car-for-sale photo
In the previous post, I said that I was inclined to favor this design due to its proportionally longer hood.  On the other hand, CU/C1 coupes seem stubby seen from the side.

1934 Chrysler Imperial CV Airflow Coupe - Revs Institute photo
This was stylist and automobile historian Jeff Godshall's favorite -- Automobile Quarterly, Volume 23, No. 4 (April 1994).  We both liked the more gracefully rounded profile to that of the CU/C1 version.  Imperial CV/C2 wheelbases are 128 inches (3251 mm) compared to Chrysler CU/C1's 123 inches (3124 mm).  The added length is abaft of the door, not at the front end -- the more common case.  Some consider the original, 1934 design more "pure" than those with facelifted grilles.  But the rounded front seems stubby, even though the rest of the car doesn't.

1935 Chrysler Imperial C2 Airflow Coupe - photo via Frist Art Museum
After further thought, I now consider this the most attractive Airflow.  There's that better fastback profile.  Also, the longer hood created for the 1935 facelift.  Below are more images of this model.

1934 Chrysler Imperial CV Airflow Coupe - factory photo
First, a front-quarter photo of a '34 version for a front end comparison with the '35 car below.  For some reason, it was hard to find a left front quarter view image, so this will have to do.  Note there's no glass in the windows, so this might be a pre-production car.  

1935 Chrysler Imperial C2 Airflow Coupe - car-for-sale photos
The more-normal grille somewhat improves the design's balance.

That looks like a trunk lid.

However, it's a lid to access the spare tire.

1935 Chrysler Imperial C2 Airflow Coupe - Gooding Christie's Auctions photos
This slightly higher view than the profiles shown above enhances the longer hood line.

This fastback design is nicely done, considering how early it is.  Although Chrysler Corporation had a styling staff, as did body supplier Briggs, it seems that engineering staff designed the cars.  However, styling staff and industrial design consultant Norman Bel Geddes created proposals for the 1935 facelift.  The actual '35 grille is a variation of Brigg's Phil Wright grill design used on the new 1935 Chrysler Airstream.

Rear interior.

1935 Chrysler Imperial C2 Airflow Coupe - photo via Imperial Club
Dashboard.

1935 Chrysler Imperial C2 Coupe - images via Hemmings
Finally, two images that I scanned from The Hemmings Book of Pre-War Chryslers.

Not classic.  Not gorgeous.  But surprisingly attractive, considering its era and pioneering status.  Unlike most other Airflows.