The Best Art Deco Cars Throughout History
These decorative cars are the culmination of what it means to ride in style. Some of these cars are classy, sleek, and sophisticated, and others are outlandish and loud, and full of color and personality. Either way, if you appreciate art, you will appreciate the cars on this list.
Nash Statesman
The Statesman was a full-size, mid-level automobile designed to be both sturdy and reliable and developed and produced by Nash Automobile from 1950 to 1951.
From the front, the Statesman was shorter and, therefore, lighter and easier to handle.
Chrysler Airflow
The Chrysler Airflow was the first full-size American production car to use streamlining in its body design.
Engineers Carl Breer, Fred Zader, and Owen Skelton wanted to find the most efficient shape for a car that would also allow it to be aerodynamic as well.
Mercedes-Benz SSK
Designed by Ferdinand Porsche during his time at Mercedes-Benz, the SSK, which stood for “Super Sport Kurz,” was a 2-door roadster built in Germany from 1928 to 1932.
The body of the SSK was based on the Model K, which had a shorter body length that allowed it to be more agile for racing and handling.
1938 Phantom Corsair
Despite having only two doors, the Phantom Corsair could hold up to 6 passengers and even had on-board beverage cabinets.
On the outside, the car had unique features such as flush fenders and running boards, doors that lacked handles and were instead opened electrically using push buttons, and skirted wheels.
1937 Delahaye 145 Chapron Coupe
Delahaye first designed the Chapron Coupe as part of a countrywide challenge to come up with a French-manufactured vehicle that could race and compete with Italian sports cars.
Produced by Chapron, there were only 2 of the 145 vehicles made in 1937.
1935 LaSalle
The LaSalle was an American brand that was part of the luxury automobiles division of General Motors Cadillac and was produced from 1927 to 1940.
The idea behind the LaSalle was that it was a companion to the Cadillac that came at a lower price point to make it more appealing to buyers.
Volvo PV 36 Carioca
The Volvo PV 36 Carioca was a 4-door saloon luxury car manufactured by Volvo Cars from 1935 to 1938.
Built in Sweden, the car’s design was heavily influenced by North American body style trends such as the Chrysler Airflow.
1938 Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic
The Bugatti Type 57SC Atlantic was a streamlined coupe based on the 1935 Aerolithe design by Jean Bugatti. Because most of the car was made with Elektron, it was also very heat resistant and could become flammable.
To combat this, Bugatti engineers put the rivets on the car externally, thereby creating a seam for which the car eventually became known.
1936 Auburn Boattail Speedster
The Auburn Speedster was released in 1925 and got its name from the engine that was being used in it.
It was advertised in the late 1920s and into the 1930s as a racing car with the comfort of a closed car. Its iconic feature, the boattail, would soon be copied by other manufacturers and put on models.
1935 Bugatti Aerolithe
Built and designed by Jean Bugatti, the Aerolithe was a lightweight 2-door car produced for only one year in 1936.
Due to its odd shape, it initially lacked audience attention and interest, and only four were built.
Lincoln-Zephyr
Considered extremely modern when it was introduced to the public in 1935, the Lincoln Zephyr was the lower-priced mid-size entry to the Lincoln lineup.
The car was named due to its steamboat aerodynamic presence, which differentiated it from Lincoln’s previous models.
1935 Stout Scarab
An American minivan, the Stout Scarab was one of the world’s first production minivans and one of the world’s first cars with a fiberglass body shell and air suspension.
Designed by William B. Stout, the idea of the Scarab was for it to be an office on wheels.
Toyota AA
The Toyota AA was a 4-door sedan whose body was made primarily out of metal on metal with the rear doors opening backward.
It originally had the body design of the DeSoto Airflow with only a few minor tweaks made so Toyota could make it their own.
1929 Vauxhall Hurlingham
The Vauxhall was a lower-end luxury car sold as a coupe, sedan, or limousine.
The Vauxhall was easily customizable, and whether you wanted a family car or a coupe, the Vauxhall had a model and style just for you.
1954 Buick Wildcat II
The Buick Wildcat II was a futuristic model designed under Harley Earl.
The body of the Wildcat II was mostly made out of carbon fiber and a vinyl-ester resin and was fitted with woodgrain on the interior for a more luxurious feel.
Hudson Commodore
The Hudson Commodore was the largest model in the Hudson Motor Car Company in 1941 during the Commodore’s production run from 1941 to 1952.
Buyers interested in the Commodore could buy it in a convertible, sedan, or coupe model and eventually a 2-door pickup model.
1938 Talbot-Lago T150-C Lago Speciale Teardrop Coupe
Considered one of the world’s most beautiful cars, the Teardrop Coupe was a limited production entry made especially for the richest car buyers in the market.
It is considered one of the most valuable cars in the world because it combines both on-the-road performance and art-deco elegance.
