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Virgil Exner: Visioneer: The official biography of Virgil M. Exner, designer extraordinaire
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About Virgil Exner: Visioneer: The Official Biography Of
Product Description Virgil Exner: Visioneer: The official biography of Virgil M. Exner, designer is the story of a 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, and more than three decades 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 epitomised 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. Until the mid-fifties, engineers, creating cars that were reliable but invariably staid and conservative, had dominated auto design. Exner introduced to Chrysler, firstly 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 whilst stationary. His design of the 1947 Studebaker established the design pattern for all modern cars and was a huge success. Along with automobile styling, his talents stretched to many other areas of industrial design, from trains to trucks and boats to Buicks. This book gets behind the character of the man, his strengths and weaknesses, his personal tragedies and his vision of modern transport. Uncover why he set up in competition with Raymond Loewy, get the real facts behind historic inaccuracies and why he was made a scapegoat for the sales disaster of the early sixties. Then delight in his fine artwork and his love of motor racing. With many previously unseen works of art and family photos among the 150 colour images throughout, this is a unique and fascinating insight into a pivotal player in the development of the modern automobile. About the Author Born in Coventry, the heart of the British motor industry, Brian Long comes from a family with a proud heritage in the automotive and aviation fields. He trained as a mechanical engineer, and worked for a time at his father's garage. Brian became heavily involved in the classic car scene at 19, and says he turned to writing by accident. He has a long association with several major car manufacturers, is a member of the Society of Automotive Historians, and a member of the Guild of Motoring Writers. He now writes full-time and, since 1990, when his first book was released, he has had more than 80 titles published. Brian currently lives with his family in Chiba, in Japan, where they enjoy life with their Dobermann and Thoroughbred racehorse.
