Detroit Style: Car Design in the Motor City, 1950-2020

November 15, 2020 – June 5, 2022

Updated Nov 14, 2020

Detroit designers have always led the way in car design. The futuristic concept cars, roaring muscle cars, and sleek racers designed in and around the city shape our ideas of what a car can be. Working on paper, in clay, and in metal, their ideas drive American car culture and inform the way we get around every day.

Ford Motor Company, GT, 2017. Collection of Jody and Tara Ingle.

Detroit designers have always led the way in car design. The futuristic concept cars, roaring muscle cars, and sleek racers designed in and around the city shape our ideas of what a car can be. Working on paper, in clay, and in metal, their ideas drive American car culture and inform the way we get around every day.

Images

"1960 Chrysler," 1956, Dave Cummins, American; prismacolor on vellum. Collection of Brett Snyder.

"1960 Chrysler," 1956, Dave Cummins, American; prismacolor on vellum. Collection of Brett Snyder.

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Ford Motor Company, GT, 2017. Collection of Jody and Tara Ingle.

Ford Motor Company, GT, 2017. Collection of Jody and Tara Ingle.

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"The Unfair Advantage," 2003, Kristin Baker, American; acrylic on PVC on board. Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, Connecticut, Gift of Pam and Jack Baker, 2017.

"The Unfair Advantage," 2003, Kristin Baker, American; acrylic on PVC on board. Mattatuck Museum, Waterbury, Connecticut, Gift of Pam and Jack Baker, 2017.

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General Motors. "Firebird III," 1958. General Motors Heritage Collection.

General Motors. "Firebird III," 1958. General Motors Heritage Collection.

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"Elwood Engel Design for a Gyroscopically Stabilized Two Wheel Car," about 1960, Sydney Jay Mead, American; gouache, liquid resist, graphite on illustration board. Collection of Brett Snyder.

"Elwood Engel Design for a Gyroscopically Stabilized Two Wheel Car," about 1960, Sydney Jay Mead, American; gouache, liquid resist, graphite on illustration board. Collection of Brett Snyder.

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General Motors. "Corvette Stingray Racer," 1959. General Motors Heritage Collection.

General Motors. "Corvette Stingray Racer," 1959. General Motors Heritage Collection.

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"Lincoln XL-500 Concept Car," 1952, Charles E. Balogh, American; watercolor, gouache, airbrush, ink, graphite on illustration board. Collection of Robert L. Edwards and Julie Hyde-Edwards.

"Lincoln XL-500 Concept Car," 1952, Charles E. Balogh, American; watercolor, gouache, airbrush, ink, graphite on illustration board. Collection of Robert L. Edwards and Julie Hyde-Edwards.

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"Ford Nucleon Atomic Powered Vehicle, Rear Side View," 1956, Albert L. Mueller, American; gouache, pastel, prismacolor, brown-line print on vellum. Collection of Robert L. Edwards and Julie Hyde-Edwards.

"Ford Nucleon Atomic Powered Vehicle, Rear Side View," 1956, Albert L. Mueller, American; gouache, pastel, prismacolor, brown-line print on vellum. Collection of Robert L. Edwards and Julie Hyde-Edwards.

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"'71 Barracuda Front End Facelift Concept," 1968, Donald Hood, American; crayon, gouache, ink, felt marker, prismacolor, pastel on vellum. Collection of Robert L. Edwards and Julie Hyde-Edwards.

"'71 Barracuda Front End Facelift Concept," 1968, Donald Hood, American; crayon, gouache, ink, felt marker, prismacolor, pastel on vellum. Collection of Robert L. Edwards and Julie Hyde-Edwards.

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"'61 Pontiac Catalina vs. Aerodynamic Streamlined Sedan," 1959, William Porter, American; prismacolor on vellum. Collection of Bill and Patsy Porter.

"'61 Pontiac Catalina vs. Aerodynamic Streamlined Sedan," 1959, William Porter, American; prismacolor on vellum. Collection of Bill and Patsy Porter.

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"Toronado Proposal," 1968, Roger Hughet, American; gouache and prismacolor on illustration board. Collection of Roger Hughet.

"Toronado Proposal," 1968, Roger Hughet, American; gouache and prismacolor on illustration board. Collection of Roger Hughet.

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"Ford Mustang," 1965, Howard Payne, American; prismacolor and gouache on red charcoal paper. Collection of Brett Snyder.

"Ford Mustang," 1965, Howard Payne, American; prismacolor and gouache on red charcoal paper. Collection of Brett Snyder.

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"Rendering of Proposed 1967 Cadillac Eldorado Design," 1964, Wayne Kady, American; watercolor, gouache, and ink on paper. From the Collections of The Henry Ford, Dearborn, Michigan.

"Rendering of Proposed 1967 Cadillac Eldorado Design," 1964, Wayne Kady, American; watercolor, gouache, and ink on paper. From the Collections of The Henry Ford, Dearborn, Michigan.

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Chrysler Corporation. Plymouth Barracuda, 1970. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

Chrysler Corporation. Plymouth Barracuda, 1970. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

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Chrysler Corporation. Chronos, 1998. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

Chrysler Corporation. Chronos, 1998. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.

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