The 1955 DeSoto Adventurer II concept car was more Ghia of Italy than Exner of Detroit.
A
second DeSoto-based exercise, the 1955 Adventurer II, was mainly Ghia’s
work and never a serious production prospect. Though larger than the
original
Adventurer, it
had seats for only two. The front bumper was dispensed with; up back,
the plastic backlight was retractable into the rear deck.
Similar only in name to the first
DeSoto Adventurer
designed by Virgil Exner in 1954 as Chrysler’s answer to the Chevrolet
Corvette, the 1955 DeSoto Adventurer II Concept Car was more Ghia of
Italy than Exner of Detroit. The Adventurer II was commissioned by
Chrysler and designed by Ghia by Luigi Segre and Giovanni Savonuzzi for
the European car show circuit. With Chrysler Hemi V-8 power and Italian
coachowrk, the DeSoto Adventurer II was larger than the first
Adventurer; it was much more of a two-seat grand tourer rather than a
sports car. After its launch the car was shown at all the major car
shows, finishing up at the Moroccan Auto Salon where it was acquired by
King Mohammed V of Morocco in 1955. It was then bought by American
Diplomat Armand Archer, who kept it until 1985.The car features a
retractable rear window and fitted luggage. A cosmetic restoration was
completed in 1989. It has been driven 200 miles since then and currently
only shows 15,000 total miles since new.
Source: Internet
