However, there's more certainty regarding GM's A-body facelift of 1940's design for the 1941 model year. Some Pontiac and Oldsmobile models were A-body based, while all Chevy cars used A-bodies. Which is why I'm featuring Chevrolets in this post.
Automotive guru Ken Gross in his article in Special-Interest Autos magazine No. 45, June 1978, page 14, mentioned:
"Chevrolet engineers and designers were careful not to do anything too radical [given 1930s successes], but 1940 marked a complete departure in Chevy's evolutionary styling. The 1941 model was a facelift on the 1940 theme..."
Besides changing most of the bodywork, Chevrolet wheelbases were lengthened: 1940 wheelbase - 113 inches (2870 mm); 1941 wheelbase - 116 inches (2946 mm). That three-inch (76 mm) change was an important factor in the facelifted styling.
Why did GM spend so much money to strongly facelift a brand new body? All the men who were in the decision-making process are gone. Possibly some might have left recorded reminiscences in corporate or other archives. Maybe there is documentary evidence someplace. All I can do as a blogger is speculate.
I think 1941 GM B-body redesign was the main factor. It was probably felt that its sleeker design needed to be somewhat matched by A-body styling for brands such as Pontiac, Oldsmobile, and Chevrolet (starting in 1942) that used B-bodies as well as A-bodies.
Compare the hood and windshield to those on the 1941 model below.
They are the same, aside from the '41 windshield being slightly shorter due to the 2-inch (51 mm) reduction in height for '41 Chevrolets and the hood's frontal cut line. (Pay careful attention to the hood's prow cut lines in this image, as they're hard to see.) Hood side-trim is similar, occupying the same space. The main retained areas from 1940 are in the expensive to change cowling-firewall and A-pillar zone. Note the '41 model's wider doors that flow over the running boards -- a styling fashion popular that year and later. Grille and front fenders are new, as is the bumper.
Most 1941 changes are abaft of the A-pillar.
The reduced height was in the passenger compartment greenhouse, affecting all shapes in that part of the design. Rear doors are now hinged on the B-pillar, so it's wider. The front door seems to be unchanged apart from lower height, aft window frame rounding and the running board overflow. The rear passenger door does not intrude into the rear fender zone as much, due to the longer wheelbase. (It's this part of the body where the added length was applied.) The after part of the roofline is more rounded and the aft side window reshaped. So are the rear fender and trunk lid profile.
Now for two-door sedans. This body style was popular in those days. One factor was that 2-door models were less expensive, a financial consideration. (For the model shown here, the difference was $41, nearly $1000 in 2026 dollars.)
Similar changes as mentioned above, aside from the lack of a rear passenger door here. That said, the greater distance from the aft door cutline to the forward edge of the rear fender is clear when comparing this image to the one above.
Now for the coupé body type.
Again, a lower height. The lengthened, lowered greenhouse and aft end are much more attractive than the previous design. One of many reasons what cognoscenti (me too) consider the 1941 model year as among the very best for Chevrolet design.
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