1966 Duesenberg Model D (Ghia)

The Duesenberg Model J was the mightiest of America's great 1930s Classics. Pioneer automotive journalist Ken Purdy once said it "will live as long as men worship beauty and power on wheels."

Still, there are those who can't resist trying to improve on a legend, particularly when they bear the same name. That, in a nutshell, explains why the only two attempts at a modern Duesenberg — at least so far — have been made by descendants of brothers Fred and August Duesenberg, creators of the immortal J.

The first attempt began in 1964, when Augie's son Fred A. "Fritz" Duesenberg resigned as chief engine engineer for the Labeco test-equipment company to join forces with one Milo N. Record, a sales and promotion specialist at Goodyear.

The impetus for their partnership was none other than Virgil Exner, who had just been ousted as styling chief at Chrysler. As Virgil Exner, Jr. later recounted in Special Interest Autos magazine: "My dad was [then] in semi-retirement. He'd done a number of designs for Esquire [in late 1963, interpreting] how some of the classics ... might look in the modern era."

Of Exner's four "contemporary continuations," only an updated 1934 Packard went unbuilt. His modernized Mercer idea was translated into the one-off 1966 Mercer-Cobra, while his Stutz speculation led directly to the trio of Pontiac-based Stutz Blackhawk models that sold in tiny numbers from 1970 to the mid-1980s.

But, of course, it was Exner's latter-day Duesenberg that interested Fritz — and Texas real-estate baron Fred J. McManis, Jr. With dreams of raising at least $5 million in start-up funds, Fritz formed a new Duesenberg Corporation in Indianapolis, where his father and uncle had built their towering machines 30 years before. Fritz installed himself as chairman and McManis as president.

The Duesenberg Model D concept car was the one and only car built by the 1960s Duesenberg Corporation. It had been started by Fritz Duesenberg, son of one of the original Duesenberg founders, with real-estate baron Fred J. McManis, Jr. as president.

Their initial vision was a $10,000 super-luxury sedan on a 120-inch wheelbase, but that soon grew into an even costlier car with a 132-inch chassis and, briefly, an aluminum V-8 with more than 500 cubic inches and 300 horsepower.

Targeted yearly volume was variously quoted at between 200 and 1,000 units by sources ranging from the Wall Street Journal to monthly "buff" magazines. Moreover, as Fritz told Car Life's Ed Janicki: "We plan no annual changes [though] we might consider a change or modification after 10 years. With this price, you couldn't sell [one] and then obsolete it in two years."

After selecting a final design from 15 working sketches submitted by the Exners, Fritz okayed a prototype of what came to be called the Duesenberg Model D. Construction was entrusted to the famed Ghia works in Italy — logical, as Ghia had built most of the elder Exner's Chrysler show-car designs of the Fifties.

Engineering work became a joint effort between Dale Cosper, a veteran of the original Auburn-Cord-Duesenberg concern, and Paul Farago, fresh from birthing the Chrysler-powered Dual-Ghia. But there was never any rush to completion, because financing was slow and hard to come by. In fact, hopes of attracting new money prompted the prototype's first public showing, which didn't come until the spring of 1966.

Like its hallowed forebears, the new Model D had grand proportions: It was a four-door brougham sedan measuring 137.5 inches between wheel centers and 245 inches overall. The announced price was a lofty $19,500, but included automatic transmission (Chrysler TorqueFlite), automatic climate control, all-disc brakes (big Airheart units), torsion-bar front suspension, chrome wire wheels, and power everything.

Per Duesenberg tradition, back seaters could scrutinize their own speedometer and clock; they also enjoyed a separate radio, fold-out writing tables, even a TV and bar. Interior trim was top-grade leather with solid mahogany accents.

The exterior blended nostalgic elements — razor-edge roof, center-opening doors, clamshell-shaped wheel openings — with trendy stuff like hidden headlamps. With 350 horsepower from a stock 440 Chrysler V-8 (the 426 Hemi was considered but rejected, as was all-independent suspension), the Model D had good performance for a 5,700-pound biggie.

But this first modern Duesenberg never went any further. Though plans were afoot for limousine and four-door convertible models, simple start-up of sedan production demanded $2.5 million, and the money was nowhere to be found.

So, after a few months in the limelight, Duesenberg Corporation faded away, which was a real shame. According to the few who've driven it, the Model D handled well for its size and had all the luxury anyone could want.

But the potential demand for such a costly "retro" car in 1966 was tiny if not non-existent, and the concept itself was probably flawed. As Car and Driver later opined, the Model D seemed the "perfect 1934 dream car. ... [Fred and Augie Duesenberg] would have kept up with the times."

Автомобили, созданные Фредом и Августом Дюзенбергами в 20-х и 30-х годах XX века, — одни из самых красивых в истории автомобилестроения. Неудивительно, что копии этих классических моделей еще долго пользовались спросом. Фред-младший, сын Августа, заказал Вирджилу Экснеру дизайн нового автомобиля. Так в итальянской дизайн-студии «Ghia» был создан Duesenberg Model D. Автомобиль вобрал в себя все возможные элементы роскоши, а безупречно настроенный двигатель V8 был позаимствован у моделей «Крайслер». Но, к сожалению, дальше прототипа дело не пошло.

Экснер прикидывал как мог бы развиваться стиль… не состоявшихся и исчезнувших брендов. Он фантазировал, как бы могли выглядеть модели Paсkard, Bugatti, Stutz и Duesenberg.

Образ Duesenberg запечатлелся в его сознании наиболее ярко благодаря детским воспоминаниям, когда в возрасте 7–8 лет на автомобильной выставке в Детройте он не смог удержаться от соблазна и, осторожно высвободив свою руку из руки отца, подлез под канат ограждения стенда и прикоснулся к изгибу переднего крыла символа американского автомобиля 30-х годов – роскошного Duesenberg SJ. Затем он долго рассматривая свое отражение в луноподобных кругляках гигантских фар и, почти не дыша, пообещал себе когда-нибудь тоже сотворить подобное чудо.

Но как это можно, ведь мода на такие формы отшумела много лет тому назад и тех лет уже не вернешь! Оказалось, что все возможно. Сохранившиеся на всю жизнь ощущения остро напомнили о себе спустя почти 50 лет в 1963 году, когда, оказавшись без любимой работы, он сидел с сыном на диване в гостиной и выдумывал себе хоть какое-нибудь занятие.

Нужно признать, что мода начала 60-х уже не предполагала килей и пышного декора; американский стайлинг томился в жестких рамках унылого «бокс стиля», наложившего табу на кривые и чувственные линии, где даже форма фар подчинялась форме прямоугольника. Тут он и вспомнил тот самый Duesenberg и представил, как мог бы выглядеть король американских дорог сегодня. Конечно, чтобы соответствовать моде, он стал бы чуточку угловатым, но величие монумента не утратил бы ни за что, и обязательно сохранил бы декор и форму облицовки радиатора, V-образность формы переднего двухэтажного бампера и восхитительную линию передних крыльев – ее пренепременно нужно восстановить!

Именно с этими мыслями Экснер взялся за карандаш. Так родилась серия исторических реконструкций, а с ней и метод римейка или «ретрофутуризма в автомобильном дизайне ХХ века», как назовут его в наши дни, когда будут созданы New Beatle, Mini, Bugatti и Fiat 500, и ко всем им придет ошеломительный успех.