Virgil Exner: Visioneer

The official biography the man who brought his own personal style to the world of industrial design, from automobiles to powerboats. Some 50 years after his design masterpieces wrested styling leadership away from General Motors' Harley Earl.

Thirty four years after his untimely death, Virgil Exner's name still remains inexorably linked to the Chrysler Corporation in the minds of car enthusiasts worldwide. For an all too brief period, Exner's name epitomized all that was great and exciting in America.

His thrilling automobile designs from the mid-fifties took the world by storm and put Chrysler at the top. His work was nothing less than a revolution. Exner introduced to Chrysler, first with his "idea cars" then with production models, vehicles that were wanted for their looks but at the same time, were soundly engineered; automobiles that carried classic proportions and gave the illusion of movement even while stationary. His design of the 1947 Studebaker established the design pattern for all modern cars and was a huge success.

With many previously unseen works of art and family photos among the 150 color images throughout, this is a unique and fascinating insight into a pivotal player in the development of the modern automobile.