1956 Nash Ambassador
You may recall the 1956 Nash Ambassador from various commercials of the era. It used to be a classic, and you know what they say about classics. They never die. It’s an American suburban car and was a sign of prosperity and wealth for the upper-middle class. This was the most luxurious car Nash ever made and was used as their showcase model. It was manufactured from 1932 up until 1974.
Many royal families owned the 1956 Nash Ambassador and proudly flaunted it even more than their expensive houses. Nash stopped producing the Ambassador in 1957, and another automaker took over the famous car’s production instead.
1938 Hispano-Suiza H6
It’s hard to recall just how powerful the 1938 Hispano-Suiza H6 was at the time of its release. This car featured a large 8.0-liter engine, which was later upgraded with the J12 version. The newer model was fitted with a 9.5-liter V12 pushrod engine, making it one of the strongest cars of the late ‘30s. The car was not only strong but also one of the most futuristic-looking vehicles of the time.
It featured a sleek and curved body with a long and horizontal grill. The car’s wheels were also quite futuristic and looked like something out of The Jetsons show. What was most notable about the Hispano-Suiza H6 were its brakes, which featured technology far beyond what was available to most companies at the time.
1938 Phantom Corsair
The Phantom Corsair was one of the most futuristic vehicles of the '30s and was so cool-looking - it didn't even have door handles. Unfortunately, the car turned out to be a flop, as it never actually went into production. This is one case of a vehicle that was perhaps too ahead of its time, coupled with a designer who lacked the ability to deliver projects on deadline.
Everything about the Phantom Corsair was unique and futuristic: Its body was just 57 inches high, the doors would open electronically, and it even had a compass and altimeter inside. The car was featured in a segment of the Popular Science film series in 1938 and remains an iconic remnant of the pre-World War II era. Only one of these was ever fully built, and it currently resides in the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.
1953 Kurtis 500S Roadster
There’s a good chance you’ve never heard of Kurtis Kraft, the American auto designer and race car company. It mostly focused on building sports cars for racing championships but ended up closing its doors in the early '60s. Despite its short run, the company produced the 500S Roadster, one of the most advanced and successful supercars of the mid-20th century.
This supercar was compared to various other vehicles that were made by the top brands, including Jaguar, Mercedes, and even Ferrari. The 500S Roadster raced against these luxury sports cars and often came on top. Only 20 of these were ever made, and they were each hand-built using modified car parts, with a special emphasis on Chrysler engines.
1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster
The Auburn Automobile Company was going through quite a rough patch back in 1924 and needed a Hail Mary to turn things around. Luckily, Errett Cord and James Crawford had a lightbulb moment and quickly went on to design the 1925 Auburn Boattail Speedster. The model was an instant success and was known as one of the best-performing race cars of its time.
The Speedster went on to sell well into the ‘30s and quickly became a popular consumer vehicle. Sales were picking up quickly for the Auburn Automobile Company, and soon, things were back in shape. What really made this racing car stand out was its unique boattail, which ended up becoming its most recognizable feature. You may notice that the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray and Buick Riviera actually copied this unique feature.