1964 Porsche 904 Carrera GTS. A masterwork in the annals of badging: cursive lettering, gold-anodised finish, canted 45-degrees, and unique placement flowing over the curved transition from rear deck to rear quarter panel

Free-flowing cursive script is not often seen on automobiles today. It still survives at Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini, Maserati and Porsche. Outside this quartet it is rare indeed. In days past, cursive was common throughout the industry.

Such longhand script was often utilized to enable casting a complete badge out of a single piece of metal. The alternative was to either run block letters together, or connect individual block characters with a bar across the top (à la Ferrari,) a bar at the bottom (typified by BMW and Mercedes-Benz) or through the center in the style of Alfa Romeo and Volkswagen.

Prewar cars used cursive scripting almost exclusively, although badging itself was generally minimal or nonexistent. In the 1900’s manufacturer nameplates were usually affixed only to the front of the radiator, and model designations were not displayed. I the thirties, even this practice declined, with most vehicles displaying the manufacturer’s name only via a stylized logo atop the radiator shell. After the war, marque and model badging began proliferating and begat its own art form.

Creative graphic artists and typographers often produced amazingly flamboyant and intricate designs as well as simple and elegant jewel-like examples. Often you can look at a vintage script and by its design cues, correctly guess the decade of inception. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the cursive script form reached its peak.

Use of color also came into vogue; in addition to the normal bright silver, gold anodized scripts began to adorn Porsches, Alfa Romeos, Lancias, a handful of American models and others. Porsche began using gold with the introduction of the Speedster, after which they used it on a variety of other 356′s. In the 911 era, gold badging was used to embellish the top-range E and S models until late 1971.

I have selected a number of cursive badges, arranged by county of origin for your delectation. A few are quite rare and seldom seen.

Since this piece began with a photo of the Porsche 904, I will continue on with more examples from Germany:

Porsche Continental. The use of the Continental nameplate was discontinued in 1948 by the Ford Motor Company. Believing it was discarded, Porsche later used it on 356 models for export the U.S. Almost simultaneously, Ford reintroduced the name at the Paris Auto Show in October 1955 with the debut of the new Continental Mark II. Porsche then replaced the “Continental” badge with a “European” script for a few months, after which it was discontinued and 356 once again became the sole worldwide moniker for non-Speedster and non-Carrera road models.

Porsche European. Here is the European script. Although discontinued by Porsche in 1956, Lotus renewed the theme in the late 1960’s with the Europa. Tom Wavrin photo.

Volkswagen Karmann Ghia. A marriage of block and cursive. Robert Strovers photo.

Borgward Isabella TS. Martin Alford photo.

Now across the pond to America:

1957 Chrysler Imperial Crown Southampton. Flamboyance meshing perfectly with the outlandishness of designer Virgil Exner's "Forward Look" of 1957. Extremely large in scale, the 'I' stands approximately 15 cm (6 inches) tall. Note how the capital 'I' carries on to dot the small 'i.' Just looking at this makes me want to pour a glass of single-barrel Bourbon, light up a Royal Robusto and listen to some Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin. Dave Linsay photo.

Rambler Marlin

Chevrolet Corvair

Oldsmobile Jetstar 88

1962 Studebaker Avanti. Boomerang-shaped lettering and aqua paintwork: a virtual snapshot of period design currents. Note how the dot of the 'i' is intersected and suspended by the crossbar of the 't.' Ian Fleming kept a supercharged R2 Avanti at his home in Kent. It was the last car he purchased prior to his death in 1964. Paula Wirth photo.

1960 Buick LeSabre. As in the example above, this one is not cursive in the strictest sense due to the characters being individually drawn. Nevertheless it has a healthy dose of cursive flair, especially in the highly stylized 'S.' Greg Jerdingen photo.

Next; back over to the Continent for a trip to Italy:

Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint Veloce. True automotive jewelry.

Alfa Romeo Giulia Sprint GTA 1.6 Stradale

Alfa Romeo Giulia Super 1.3 Berlina

Alfa Romeo Duetto Spider

Lancia Appia

Lancia Fulvia Sport 1600 Coupé Zagato

Fiat Derivazione Abarth 750 Berlina

Now over to France via the Autostrada dei Fiori:

Renault Dauphine Gordini

Facel Vega Facellia F2

Simca Aronde Etoile Six

By ferry over to the United Kingdom:

Austin-Healey 100-6

Vanden Plas Princess

Ford Cortina GT MkI

Austin Mini 850

Hillman Minx. Doctor Keats photo.

Nearly all manufactures utilized some form of cursive scripting during the 1950′s and 1960′s with few exceptions. Mercedes-Benz never used cursive during this period. BMW indulged only on automatic gearbox cars, which carried a longhand Automatic script. In a similar vein, Volkswagen sent clutchless Beetles to North America for eighteen months beginning in the spring of 1968 with a badge reading “Automatic Stick Shift” rather than the customary “VW Automatic.” That was VW’s only foray into the art form. Saab were also cursive-averse.

Some of the photos above are courtesy of Chromeography which hosts superb photographs of badges and logos in both block and cursive styles from automobiles, motorcycles, scooters, bicycles and appliances. I heartily recommend a visit.

A BMW Isetta 300 Moto Coupé displays Christmas spirit

Peter Franks arrives at the Port of Dover in his Saffron Yellow Triumph

Diamonds Are Forever, the seventh James Bond film, marked the return of Sean Connery as Secret Agent 007. Early in the film, operating under the cover of an assumed identity, he commandeers a Triumph Stag.

The evolution of the Stag began in the mid-sixties, around the time Goldfinger was being filmed. It was originally intended to be simply a convertible drophead version of the 1963 Triumph 2000 saloon. However, during its extended development the concept was revised to become more of a gentleman’s grand tourer and partly as a result, the Stag did not go on sale until 1970.

Bond in Amsterdam

The styling was the work of Giovanni Michelotti, Triumph’s traditional design partner who had just recently penned the Herald and Spitfire as well as the 2000 saloon. During body development, problems with a lack of rigidity led to the adoption of a B-Pillar roll-over hoop with a connecting brace to the center of the windscreen frame to minimize scuttle shake. The resulting bright metal embellished superstructure, in combination with the fixed chrome door-window frames, was to become the most distinctive and defining styling element of the Stag.

Sometime during its extremely long gestation period, a fateful decision was made to significantly upgrade the specification by offering the car exclusively with a new Triumph-designed V8 engine, which was being concurrently developed.

Unfortunately, early buyers ran into several problems with the new 3.0 V8 right from the start, overshadowing early public enthusiasm. Had the car been offered with the 2.5 Triumph six as an alternative powerplant, it may well have enjoyed greater popularity and a longer production life. The Stag V8 was dealt a second blow from skyrocketing fuel prices resulting from the Arab oil embargo of 1973.

Bond's destination: Miss Tiffany Case

When Diamonds Are Forever began production, the Stag was British Leyland’s newest high-end product and was naturally selected by BL for product placement in the new Bond extravaganza. The vehicle chosen was plucked from the BL press fleet. It was finished in Saffron Yellow with a Saddle Tan interior and equipped with the standard 4-speed gearbox. The chassis number indicates that it was the fourteenth Stag produced.

In the film, the Stag is owned and driven by diamond smuggler Peter Franks. As Mr. Franks attempts to leave Britain at the Port of Dover on the way to Holland, he is apprehended by MI6 at Passport Control.

Bond receives a doctored passport from an undercover Miss Moneypenny

James Bond then assumes Peter Franks identity, commandeers the Triumph and proceeds to the Amsterdam home of Tiffany Case, crossing the North Sea via hovercraft.

Onward to Holland

BL ultimately sold approximately 26,000 Stags; production ceased in 1977. About one third of the Stags produced are still mobile, and very few cars express Seventies Britain quite like a well-turned-out Stag, particularly in yellow, orange, brown or magenta.

VW bodies travel on overhead conveyor from paint shop to final assembly, Wolfsburg, Germany

In April of 1953, German photographer Peter Keetman (1916-2005) spent a week at the Volkswagen factory in Wolfsburg. Peter was a founding member of Fotoform, a group of German photographers whose work meshed abstraction with objectivity, often incorporating close-ups and repetition. The images resulting from the Volkswagen project eventually became some of his favorite and best known.

When Herr Keetman visited, VW was at a pivotal point in its history. The Beetle and the Type II Transporter/Microbus were the only two products Volkswagen produced. However, a third model, the Karmann Ghia, had been developed and was little more than a year from introduction. The Wolfsburg plant was still VW’s only automobile manufacturing facility, but their second European assembly plant (Hanover) was in the planning stage, and Volkswagen do Brazil was in the process of beginning pilot production.

The German Economic Miracle, in which the German economy rose from the ashes of WWII, was in full bloom in 1953. Chancellor Konrad Adenauer became Time Magazine’s Man of the Year. Volkswagen had just completed its first year of producing over 100,000 Beetles. By 1965, they would be routinely manufacturing over one million annually.

The Beetle itself still retained the WWII-era 1.1-litre engine, and just a few weeks prior to Peter’s visit, received its most dramatic aesthetic change since its inception. In March of ’53 the original split rear-window was replaced by a one-piece oval window that would remain a hallmark of the Beetle for the following four and one-half years.

Here is a selection of images from Peter’s week in Wolfsburg.

Roof Pressings. The roof stamping extended from below the windscreen aperture (visible above) to the engine air-inlet grille below the rear window.

Magnesium crankcase castings

Machined differential bevel gears

Chromed wheel covers

Front bumpers

Grinding finished body-weld seams

Fabrication of stamping comprising inner windshield surround and instrument panel

Freshly painted bodies head toward final assembly

Finished cars await transport. Notice the two-tone wheels. The wheel rims were painted to match the body color, while the centers were painted a contrasting color, often matching the interior

Finished Beetles display their new one-piece oval rear windows

Lids up: the fuel filler was located in the front luggage compartment until September 1967.

“Autumn Fuchsia” by Norman Parkinson. Rover P4 90, 1957

Bendix AM radio, Volkswagen Deluxe Sedan, 1956. In the event of imminent thermonuclear attack, simply set the dial to one of the white triangles and stand by for further instructions.

In 1951, the U.S. government initiated the CONELRAD (CONtrol of ELectromagnetic RADiation) system in an effort to prevent the possibility of incoming Russian bombers using transmitting signals from U.S. broadcast antennas as navigational aids.

Miss Atomic Bomb, Las Vegas, 1957

Under CONELRAD protocol, if an enemy attack was determined to be imminent, all commercial radio and television stations would be ordered to immediately cease broadcasting. Pre-selected AM stations in each region would then begin transmitting on one of two specific frequencies, 640 and 1240 kHz. Every few minutes the broadcast would switch among pre-determined stations in the same region, giving instruction and solace to the general populace.

Delco AM radio, Chevrolet Impala, 1961

The constant switchover of transmission points precluded using transmission towers as potential beacons to guide hostile aircraft toward population centers. During the CONELRAD operational period, all radios sold in the U.S. were required to display the triangular Civil Defense symbol at the AM 640 and AM 1240 positions on the tuning dial.

Philco AM-FM Radio, Ford Galaxie 500 XL, 1963. This was the final year for CONELRAD-compliant radios displaying the two Civil Defense triangles.

The successful development of atomic warhead delivery via ballistic missiles rendered CONELRAD obsolete and it was superseded by the Emergency Broadcast System in August of 1963. The EBS did not require tuning-in to any specific frequencies, and the classic triangles disappeared from automobile radios with the debut of the 1964 models.

Other than for routine testing, CONELRAD was never activated. The closest it came to implementation was during the height of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. As the Cold War confrontation escalated toward its peak, the U.S. Strategic Air Command initiated DEFCON II (Code Red) status at 10:00 PM, Friday, 26 October. This remains the highest DEFCON threat level ever officially confirmed to date. Nuclear armed interceptors and bombers were either on airborne alert or staged at fifteen-minute readiness status.

Lockheed U2 "Dragon Lady" high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft

Heightened tensions were further strained several hours later on Black Saturday when an American U2 spy plane was shot down near Cuba by a pair of Soviet S-75 Dvina surface-to-air missiles.

NPO Lavochkin S-75 Dvina SAM

That evening, radio station operators were told to stand by and prepare to initiate CONELRAD operations at or any time after 10:00 the following morning.

CONELRAD instructional poster distributed by the U.S. Federal Civil Defense Administration

After all-night negotiations, Russia agreed at 9:00 AM Sunday morning to remove their missiles from Cuba in exchange for the removal of U.S. intermediate-range missiles from bases in Italy and Turkey.

1956 Aston Martin DB2/4 Supersonic by Ghia

The weapons of World War II gave the public their first-ever glimpse of the power and speed of jet and rocket engines. As hostilities drew to a close, engineers labored over their drawing boards to harness these new power sources for peacetime use.

The rocket-powered Bell X-1 airplane broke the sound barrier on 14 October 1947, achieving supersonic speed for the first time. BOAC commenced commercial jet travel in May of 1952. In 1958, commercial transatlantic jet service was inaugurated, and construction began on the Pan Am World Airways tower in New York City.

A number of auto manufactures found it desirable to infuse their products with a bit of this jet age glamour and space age allure.

Oldsmobile Rocket 88

Oldsmobile in particular took to likening their products to the imagery of the space age. This began with the Rocket 88 of 1949, powered by their new Rocket V8. Later came the Starfire, Jetfire and Jetstar, most of which could be had with a Jetaway automatic gearbox. In 1965, the Oldsmobile logo itself was updated to a stylized rocket on a field of red.

1965 Oldsmobile Jetstar I

The Olds Jetstars shared their name with the Lockheed L-329 JetStar, well known to James Bond aficionados as the preferred aircraft of metallurgist, businessman and SMERSH treasurer Aurik Goldfinger.

Studebacker Starlight Coupe

Simultaneous with the debut of the original Oldsmobile Rocket 88 was the launch of the Studebaker Starlight Coupe, later to be joined by the Starliner.

Alfa Romeo 1900 C52 Disco Volante Spider

In 1952, Carrozzeria Touring built a limited series of Disco Volante (Flying Saucer) Alfa Romeos based on the mechanicals of the Alfa 1900. Nine years later, Ian Fleming chose the name Disco Volante for SPECTRE agent Emilio Largo’s yacht in Thunderball.

Fiat Otto Vu Supersonic by Ghia

Not to be outdone by their Milanese rival, Carrozzeria Ghia built a series of Supersonic models, fitting them to Fiat 8V, Jaguar XK 120 and Aston Martin DB2/4 chassis.

1966 Pontiac Star Chief

Blending an outer space theme with their traditional frontier iconography centered around Chief Pontiac, Pontiac introduced the Star Chief in 1954.

1961 Ford Galaxie Starliner

For 1959, Ford launched the Galaxie as their new top-range model and a year later picked up the Starliner name that was discarded by Studebaker for a special version of the 1960-1961 Galaxie. The Galaxie Starliner featured special slim C-pillars and a large wrap-around rear window.

Like the Olds Jetstar, this Ford shared its name with a Lockheed aircraft, in this case the L-1649A Starliner.

1961 Mercury Meteor

In keeping with the astronomical vein of the space theme, Mercury offered the Meteor and Comet. The Comet was a variation of the Ford Falcon originally conceived as a second model for the Edsel line. When that division was eliminated, the Comet was handed to Mercury.

Bonnet Djet

In 1962, the world’s first series-production mid-engine sports car was launched; the Bonnet Djet coupé. This was offered alongside the Bonnet Missile cabriolet. Matra took control of Bonnet in 1964 and continued to produce the Djet through 1967.

Plymouth Sport Satellite

Plymouth introduced the Satellite nameplate on their top-range mid-size cars in 1965.

1969 Plymouth Satellite with optional Mod Top

In the autumn of 1968, less than two years after Scott Mckenzie urged listeners to wear a flower in their hair should they find themselves traveling to San Francisco, the 1969 Satellite could be had with flowers in its “hair” via the optional Mod Top.

My personal favorite space-age automotive moniker is Galaxie Starliner. It still sounds at least as futuristic as George Lucas’s Millennium Falcon.

Rolex Explorer 1016 Space-Dweller

The world of horology was similarly infatuated with space. In the 1960’s watchmakers offered the Breitling Cosmonaute, the Bulova Astronaut and Spaceview, the Hamilton Titan III (named after a NASA launch vehicle), the Zodiac Spacetronic and a holy grail among Rolex collectors: the extremely rare Space-Dweller. The Breitling Cosmonaute, with its distinctive 24-hour dial, is still in production.

A disc of l’Explorateur with its distinctive label depicting an in-flight rocketship.

Another space age icon that remains available to today’s consumers is a tasty one. Introduced in 1958, l’Explorateur was one of the first certified triple-cream cheeses in France and has been referred to as the aristocrat of triple-creams. The new cheese was christened l’Explorateur in honor of Explorer I, the first satellite launched into space by the Western powers. The launch of the U.S. craft in January of ’58, following two Russian Sputnik launches, marked the dawn of the Space Race.

L’Explorateur is delectably rich (75% butterfat) and is at its best served with a dry, acidic, artisanal (RM Code) Champagne. Naming a cheese after a satellite orbiting in space might seem peculiar until one remembers the old proverb that the moon is made of green cheese.

A pair of lovely ladies admire the fringed surrey top and wicker seats of the new Renault 4CV Ghia Jolly, 1962

Amphicar 770

I can think of no other vehicle that so epitomizes the unbridled optimism of the early 1960′s that pervaded Western Europe and the United States than the Amphicar 770.

This confidence in the future, born of an unwavering belief in technology and general good feeling at having survived wartime austerity (and indeed, the war itself) produced a unencumbered embrace of anything that appeared new, advanced or modern. The Amphicar certainly qualified on all counts.

The story of the Amphi starts with German engineer Hans Trippel. Trippel had been fascinated with the idea of amphibious vehicles since the 1930’s and designed a number of them, selling around 800 units to the Wehrmacht.

Trippel SG5, 1936

Unfortunately for Hans, the smaller Volkswagen-based Schwimmwagen, designed by Ferdinand Porsche and Irwin Kommenda in 1938 was the vastly preferred amphibious transport for the Wehrmacht and Waffen-SS throughout the war.

Amphicar Logo

Hans was finally able to bring his dream of a practical civilian amphibious car to fruition in the 1960’s. Harald Quant of Germany’s Quant Group was a fellow amphibian enthusiast and helped to bankroll the development and production of Trippel’s creation at a Quant subsidiary, IWKA.

The new Model 770

The resulting new Amphicar 770 was introduced to the public in 1961. Available solely as a two-door, four-seat convertible, its unitized body was constructed of heavy-gauge steel to prevent minor marine mishaps from causing hull penetration. The rear-mounted engine was a 1.2 litre Standard-Triumph inline water-cooled 4-cylinder unit from the Triumph Herald. The 4-speed transaxle was specific to the Amphicar and incorporated a switchable forward-neutral-reverse power takeoff (the water transmission) at its nose that sent power to dual propellers.

Amphicar sectional view

Suspension was independent trailing arm front and rear with double-jointed axles at the back. Coil springs were utilized at both ends. Four-wheel drum brakes with special water-resistant linings featured dual leading shoes at the front.

To facilitate easy ingress and egress in and out of the water, the 770 featured unusually large approach and departure angles and a generous ten inches of ground clearance. The copious clearance combined with rear-engine traction made the 770 a superb snow vehicle.

In order to provide clearance for the water transmission, the rear seat was set several centimeters higher than the font seats. As a result, rear passengers enjoy the visibility benefits of stadium-style seating.

The front luggage compartment lid incorporated a red-green port-starboard marine running lamp and a central, top-mounted horn inside a body-colored pod.

A coveted accessory: AM, FM, Marine Band and Short-Wave radio

A limited number color schemes were available, some as adventurous as the car itself: Regatta red with charcoal and white interior and white top, Lagoon Blue with yellow and white interior and white top, Beach Sand White with red and white interior and black top, and the rarest of all; Fjord Green with apricot and white interior and white top. Generally, the wheels were body color, but some Beach Sand White cars came with red wheels.

My personal favorite: Fjord Green with Apricot

Legend has it the “770” moniker was chosen to reflect that the vehicle could travel at 7 knots on the water and 70 mph on the road. These figures are fairly accurate if a bit conservative. A well-tuned Amphicar will actually top out at about 8-9 knots on the water and around 75 mph (120 kph) on land.

The helm

To morph from car to boat, one only has to secure the doors tightly via the secondary inside handles located at the lower rear edge of each door, make sure the bilge plug is in place and that the front luggage bay lid is secured.

A pair of Amphicars cruising on Lake Garda, Italy, 2002. Photo via Amphicars.com

When diving into the water, simply place the road gearbox in neutral and engage the propellers in the desired direction by means of the floor-mounted selector lever adjacent to the gearshift lever. A lamp in the instrument cluster glows to show that the props are in operation.

In water, direction changes are accomplished via the steering wheel, using the front wheels as dual rudders. Speed can be adjusted using the accelerator or a dash-mounted hand throttle that can be locked in position. Rapid deceleration is achieved by reversing the propellers by means of the prop selector lever.

Any water that seeps or splashes in can be dispatched by activating the bilge pump via a dash-mounted switch. Bilge water is ejected through a chrome outlet just inboard of the right rear (starboard side, stern) turn indicator.

Stirling Moss pilots an Amphicar down the Thames in London, 1965. Photo via Amphicars.com

Nearly 4000 Amphicars were sold between 1961 and 1968. Most were exported to the United States. An expensive item, the Amphi never achieved high sales volume and the changes required to meet the upcoming U.S. safety and emission regulations would have been onerous. Further, the Amphicar’s financial champion, Harald Quant, passed away in late 1967. Thus, the Amphicar was no more.

Honoring its place of birth, the Amphicar steering wheel boss featured a depiction of Holstentor, the western entrance gate to the town of Lübeck, a German port city on the Baltic Sea. The 15th Century Gothic structure is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Despite the wailing of some naysayers, who expected the Amphicar to perform like a Porsche Speedster on the road and a Riva Aquarama on the water, the 770 was a quite clever design, and most impressive coming from a start-up which heretofore had built neither car nor boat. Due to the fact that it had to perform as both a car and a boat, the compromises necessary certainly impacted its performance as compared to a non-amphibious car or boat. The validity of the original design concept can be illustrated by the fact that throughout its production, no major changes were ever required.

Lyndon Johnson cruises in his Amphicar on the lake at his Texas ranch shadowed by a pair of Secret Service helicopters, 1963. Rumors of a Russian submarine operating in the lake proved unfounded.

Among notable Amphi owners was U.S. President Lyndon Johnson, who owned an early Lagoon Blue 770 that he kept until he passed away in 1973. The car now resides at the LBJ National Historical Park in Texas.

While not speedy, the 770 was certainly seaworthy. A gentleman by the name of Ray Bowe cruised from Miami to the Bahamas in the early 1960’s, Howard Singer sailed an Amphi from California to Catalina Island and Amphi’s have at least thrice crossed the English Channel.

David and Cameron Chapman display the proper headgear to wear when piloting an Amphicar. Photo via Amphicars.com

The Amphicar has appeared in a number of films, the best of which was the 1967 movie, The President’s Analyst, which stars James Coburn as personal psychiatrist to the U.S. President. In the film, a Regatta Red 770 was used as a yacht tender. Lowered into the water, it sails to shore and proceeds to drive inland. The film also features Barry McGuire of Eve of Destruction fame.

Lake Blue Alpine in the Blue Mountains of Jamaica

The Sunbeam Alpine featured in the film Dr. No is significant to Bond aficionados because it is the first time audiences see Bond driving his “own” (although portrayed as a hire-car) vehicle, as opposed to a car commandeered from a foe.

Bond drives the car in Jamaica in order to rendezvous with the enigmatic Miss Taro at her Magenta Drive residence in the Blue Mountains above Kingston, whereupon she becomes Bond’s first cinematic feminine conquest. On the way, Bond is pursued without success by Dr. No’s henchmen.

Later that night he drives the Sunbeam down to the shore to meet up with Quarrel and Felix for a clandestine boat trip to Crab Key.

Sean Connery at the wheel in "Dr. No" publicity photo, 1962

The use of an open car was a good one as it served to display Connery (in his first appearance as Bond) to good advantage and was quite emblematic of the locale. Indeed, the car was actually borrowed from a Jamaican resident. Being the first film based on the Ian Fleming novels, there were no vehicles supplied by manufacturers for the prestige of being in a 007 movie; that would come later, beginning with Goldfinger. Nevertheless, the Alpine was a good choice.

Bond’s destination: Miss Taro

Named after the coach-built Sunbeam Alpines of the early fifties that are most oft-remembered for capturing four Coupes des Alpes in the 1953 Alpine Rally, the mass-produced “Series” Alpine used in the film was originally introduced in October 1959.

Bond begins his journey

The coachwork of the new model was the first to break from the curvaceous, flowing lines of the original Alpine and other contemporary English designs in the manner of the MGA, TR3 and XK 150. Instead, it featured a more blunt, rectilinear, square-bodied shape that would go on to epitomize mid-priced 1960’s British sports car design in the form of the MG Midget, MGB, Triumph TR4 and TR6.

With Dr. No's assassination squad in pursuit

Bond’s Alpine was a Series II, which benefited from a larger 1.6-litre engine. It was finished in Lake Blue with matching Lake Blue upholstery with Dark Blue piping and Lake Blue carpets. Optional upgrades fitted to this example included wire-spoke wheels and whitewall tires. These period-correct wide-whitewalls give it an enhanced vintage look today, firmly anchoring the car to the early 1960’s.

The Alpine eventually evolved into Series III, IV and V configurations until production ceased in January of 1968. Equipped with a Ford V8, it became the Sunbeam Tiger, at one time the preferred vehicle of another secret agent: Maxwell Smart.

Carnival Red Sunbeam Tiger with Agent 86, Maxwell Smart, at the controls. With undercover drivers Bond and Smart, the sporting Sunbeam’s espionage credentials were formidable indeed.

Citroën U55 Currus Cityrama

Fans of the iconic Citroën Cityrama tour bus have reason to rejoice. The Criterion Collection is releasing the 1960 Louis Malle fim, Zazie dans le Métro on 28 June in Region 1 NTSC DVD and Blu-Ray. The French comedy was only the third full-length film directed by Malle, who went on to helm Murmur of the Heart, Pretty Baby and Atlantic City. The futuristic Citroën U55 Currus Cityrama, featured at Auto Universum in March of 2009, is a prominent presence in the film.

Andy Warhol: 1970 Mercedes-Benz C111, silkscreened acrylic on canvas, 1986. © The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts

Stuttgart Express: The 300 SEL 6.3 at speed

The legendary and storied Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 was a seminal automotive creation of the 1960’s; a comfortable, quiet, soft-riding, full-featured and meticulously crafted sedan that went like a Ferrari. Nothing quite like it had ever come along before.

The W108/109 S-Klasse Mercedes that served as the basis for the 6.3 was actually the first iteration of the S-Klasse as we know it today. Prior to its debut, The S models of the Ponton and Fintail era were simply mid-range models with longer front-ends, larger engines and superior trim.

The new S-Klasse, 1965

The new S was introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, 1965. Its chassis was based on the Fintail drivetrain, suspension and platform architecture with an all-new body and interior. The new body design was one of the last from the era I like to think of as Mercedes’ Elegant period, though signs of the later Functional period appear for the first time in the form of the discrete rubber strips adorning the bumpers and beltline moldings. The S-Klasse styling bore elements from both the 230 SL and 600, each introduced two years earlier, with simple, taught lines and generous glass area. The roof was nearly flat, hinting toward the concavity of the SL’s removable “Pagoda” hardtop.

300 SEL front view

Its most stylish aspect was the frontal view. Here the classic M-B multi-function bubble headlamp lenses were given considerable forward rake like the prow of a ship, acting as a keen counterpoint to the rearward tilt of the radiator grille. Together, these two elegantly simple elements combined to bestow a proud countenance appropriate to a high-ranking Mercedes-Benz sedan.

The range-topping 300 SEL was a fully contemporary, roomy and luxurious conveyance with four-wheel disc brakes and fully independent self-leveling air suspension. Its only shortcoming was that the power developed by the 3.0-litre engine was not up to the task of fully exploiting the sophisticated chassis.

A mid-size V8 was in development to address this issue, but it was still a few years away from production. In the interim, Erich “Wax’l” Waxenberger of the Test and Development department at Mercedes-Benz test-fitted a big 6.3-litre V8 from the flagship 600 into a 300 SEL. Famed development chief (and former competitions department head) Rudolph Uhlenhaut championed the idea of developing the concept for production, and management granted approval of the new creation.

Mercedes-Benz 6.3-litre V8 as fitted to the 300 SEL 6.3 (distinguished by the single-alternator and low-mounted a/c compressor)

The 300 SEL 6.3 debuted at the Salon de Genève in March of 1968. Changes to the standard 300 SEL were minimal. Wheels of a half-inch greater width (6.5-14) were fitted with larger 195/70-14 V-rated tires, ventilated brake rotors were added front and rear and the fuel tank was enlarged. Finally, a tachometer was fitted to the center of the instrument cluster, displacing the clock. To replace the evicted timepiece, engineers dipped into the parts bin to borrow the rectangular unit from the W111 Coupé, which fitted nicely into the instrument panel to the left of the steering column.

View from the bridge

The final modification was a mixed blessing: in order to take advantage of the very latest headlamp technology without the delay of creating production tooling for modified lamp units, the graceful front lamp clusters were abandoned in favor of blunt-faced over-and-under circular lamp units using newly introduced quartz-halogen H1 bulbs. These were simply plugged into the mounting cradles and bezels heretofore used to mount standard sealed-beam lamps for the U.S. market. Better lighting performance was achieved, but at a cost to frontal aesthetics.

The 6.3 came standard with the DB 4-speed automatic gearbox, but at least one was built with a ZF 5-speed manual transmission. All but the earliest models had a limited-slip differential fitted, which was available with three different final-drive ratios: the standard 2.85 and more accelerative 3.69 and 3.92 options. As with all Mercedes models (except the 600), the new M-B light-alloy road wheel became an available option in April of 1970. Another available upgrade was the classic M-B ivory steering wheel, which today adds an extra dose of period character to a number of surviving 6.3’s.

Publicity Photo, 1968

The motoring press blanketed the 6.3 with accolades. A quote from Road & Track is typical: Its 6.3-liter V-8 gives it the acceleration of the Porsche, its air suspension gives it a ride equal to that of the Jaguar XJ6 and the handling (at least in expert hands) is almost as good as that of the Ferrari 365GTB/4. And yet it is the roomiest and most practical car of the group. If we had to choose one car, regardless of cost, to serve all our automotive desires, it would have to be the 300 SEL 6.3.

To understand to impact of the 6.3, consider for a moment that the new model boasted a 70% increase in power and no less than a 100% increase in torque over the 300 SEL, the previous top-line S-Klasse variant. To put those numbers in perspective, the current AMG models have an advantage over their standard S-Klasse brethren of at most 40% in power and 51% in torque output.

The most recognizable view of the 6.3

What is important to note here is that the 6.3 enjoyed the same cosseting ride and the same low noise level as the standard 300 SEL. And it looked identical apart from the single 6.3 emblem at the rear. If the Nomenclature Delete option was specified, the 6.3 was virtually indistinguishable from any other long-wheelbase S-Klasse Mercedes-Benz. One of the great attributes of the 6.3 was stealth. It revealed nothing and telegraphed no warning of what lay beneath.

Compare that to today’s 6.3 models embellished with stylized wheels, a plethora of badges, aggressive front and rear fascias, a phalanx of outsized exhaust embellishers and other accouterments to announce their presence with all the subtlety of musical air-horns playing La Cucaracha.

The 300 SEL 6.3 in contrast was a true gentleman’s express. Unlike the flamboyant models of today, the original 6.3 went about its business rapidly, quietly and unobtrusively.

The sole giveaway

Consider the following quotes from the November 1968 issue of Road & Track in regard to the 6.3:

The styling is conservative; there isn’t a frill or a furbelow anywhere…

Inside, it’s luxurious but not oppressively so…

Everything has the air of unostentatious good taste…

Mercedes hasn’t made the mistake of forgetting that they’re building an automobile and that automobiles are for driving, not womb-substitutes or ladies’ powder rooms…

It is quite sad that unfortunately, none of these statements can be made today in regard to current production Mercedes-Benz automobiles. While Audi and BMW sedans still adhere (to some degree) to the simple, handsome functionalism that was once the hallmark of German design, Mercedes seems to have lost the script.

The illustrious 300 SEL 6.3 passed into history when the W109 S-Klasse was replaced by the W116 series. It was revived as the 6.9 in 1975, but the 6.9 never captured the imagination of enthusiasts as did the original 6.3. In the most part this was because the 6.9 could not match the comparative dynamic advantage of the 6.3 over its contemporaries, given that the performance of many other cars increased significantly in the intervening years.

As an illustration, upon its introduction in 1968 the 6.3 could run with a contemporary top-range Porsche 2.0 911S, even out-accelerating the Porsche below 100 km/h. In 1975 however, both the Porsche Turbo and 2.7 911S were capable of outpacing the newly-launched 6.9.

The 300 SEL 6.3 was available for only four-and-a-half years, but it has left a rich and lasting legacy among automotive cognoscenti. There had been nothing comparable before, and nothing really similar since. The difference in the performance envelope between a 6.3 and other sedans (and most cars of any sort) in 1968 was an order of magnitude. The difference today between the S65 AMG (which some would consider a spiritual descendant of the 6.3) and many other models both in and outside the Mercedes-Benz family can sometimes be expressed in just a few tenths of a second.

For period road tests and other information on the 300 SEL 6.3, visit the 6.3 Page of The International M-100 Group 

Citroën DS in Vert Printemps (Spring Green) with Champagne (Ivory) roof

Citroën dropped a bombshell when it unveiled the DS 19 at the Paris Salon in October of 1955. It was so futuristic in style that it appeared to have beamed-in from another planet. Even better, the car had the technical specification that fully justified the space-age exterior: self-leveling hydropneumatic suspension, adjustable ride-height, disc brakes, radial tires, powered steering, brakes, clutch and gearchange, aluminum and fiberglass body panels and active load-proportional braking. Never before or since has a new car been introduced with such an advanced specification and so many new technical innovations.

Apparently, Citroën wished to further advance the futuristic aura of the new DS via an advanced, fashion-forward color palette.

This was quite a departure for Citroën, heretofore known for their somber colors. When the DS made its debut, its predecessor, the Traction Avant, was only available in greys, blues and black, and the recently-introduced 2CV was offered solely in a single shade of grey.

While enticing and unusual colors were becoming all the rage in the 1950’s, no other manufacturer employed them quite like Citroën. Their embrace of color went beyond a bold selection of pigments and fabrics, finding its fullest expression in the coordination and mixing of color.

Most DS models were a symphony of three major colors, the body, the roof and the interior fabric. The fiberglass roof was initially available in four paint finishes: black, pale aqua, ivory and aubergine (eggplant.) Later, the aqua and ivory were superseded by silver-grey and white. The less-expensive ID came with a white translucent roof, with no alternative color choices.

DS with Bleu Royal (Royal Blue) Jersey interior. Shown here with Gris Rosé (Pinkish Grey) body and Bleu Turquoise (Aqua) roof

The original 1956 models produced a hint of what was to come with a vibrant green exterior color, Vert Printemps, and an available electric blue interior (Bleu Royal.) In 1957, Citroën further pushed the boundary with the introduction of Capucine, a sort of seafood red, reminiscent of shrimp or lobster. In the U.S., Edsel offered Rangers and Pacers in a similarly-hued Sunset Coral the following year. In the mid-1960′s, it reappeared in Italy as Rosso Salmone to great effect on the Lancia Fulvia Sport Zagato.

ID in Capucine

ID in Capucine with translucent white fiberglass roof and Rust Jersey Cloth

In 1958, Jonquille (Daffodil), an intense Chartreuse-like yellow-green debuted.

DS in Jonquille with Silver-Grey roof and newly available Bronze Helanca interior fabric

Even more avant-garde, a new upholstery option was introduced, Helanca.

ID in Ecaille Blonde with Bronze Helanca (large pattern) Cloth interior. In Bronze, Helanca was redolent of leopard skin.

Ecaille Blonde (Pale Tortoiseshell) made an entrance on the 1959 models.

ID in Ecaille Blonde (Pale Tortoiseshell) with translucent white fiberglass roof and Rouille (Rust) Jersey Cloth interior

As a final flourish, in 1961 Ambre Doré (Golden Amber) and Absinthe were added to the color palette, which now encompassed 13 lower-body colors, five roof selections and seven interior choices.

Wild in the streets: A DS in Ambre Doré with (age-faded) Aubergine roof and Green Jersey Cloth interior

ID in Absinthe with translucent white fiberglass roof and Red Helanca (small pattern) Cloth interior

Here are two more intriguing amalgamations:

DS in Rouge Esterel (Esterel Red) with Blanc Carrare (Carrara White) roof and Green Jersey Cloth interior

ID in Black with white translucent fiberglass roof and Bleu Royal Jersey Cloth interior

The color combinations at Citroën were unrivaled: green with red or blue; yellow with blue, green or eggplant; tortoiseshell with blue…

Alas, as the world took a step back from its unbridled embrace of futurism in the early 1960’s, so did Citroën colorists. By 1963, the more vivid and adventurous hues were all gone, and the bold pattern of the Helenca fabric was reduced in scale.

The early DS set a benchmark for sophisticated utilization of color in automotive design. Particularly noteworthy was their novel use of eggplant as an alternative to black or brown as a dark neutral. Over a decade later, Charles and Ray Eames used eggplant in a similar manner as a frame-color option on their Aluminum Group and Soft-Pad Group furniture for Herman Miller.

All photos courtesy of Le Nuancier DS

Advertisement for the Michelin X Radial Tire, 1950

Today, radial-ply tires are virtually universal, while back in the mid-twentieth century, they were considered exotic. The vast majority of cars still rode on tires of bias-ply construction, the basic layout of the pneumatic tire since the heyday of the bicycle.

Bias-ply tires had reinforcing plies running across the entire tire from bead to bead, each at an approximate angle (bias) of 35 degrees from the direction of travel. The design dictated that the ply configuration be uniform throughout the tire: if there were four plies under the tread, there was by necessity four plies throughout the sidewalls.

Most passenger car tires were built with up to four plies of cotton cord, while trucks and buses rode on tires with as many as twenty plies. The downside of a high ply-count was excessive heat build-up within the tire. In order to reduce the ply-count while retaining the necessary strength, Michelin developed the first tire with steel cord plies in the late 1930’s for large trucks and buses. This breakthrough allowed reduced ply-counts back down to the two-to-four range, greatly reducing heat generation and prolonging tread life.

Although early experiments with radially braced tires date back to the early 20th Century, the development of the radial tire as we know it today began in the 1940′s when Michelin embarked on a major fundamental research program in basic tire technology.

The radial ply-orientation approach actually came about through the design of a special test tire built under the direction of Marious Mignol to facilitate performance evaluations of tire treads in isolation (i.e. without a sidewall attached.) In order to connect the tread to the drive hub, loops of wire were utilized in a radial configuration from the hub to the tread. Due to its appearance, the test tire was dubbed the Cage À Mouche (flytrap), or CAM. This was the genesis of the very first production radial tire.

The Cage À Mouche test tire with the classic Pilote tread pattern created by Marcel Michelin in 1937. Variations of this same pattern were used on the first generation of new radial X tires.

Testing with the CAM revealed that, contrary to popular belief, the majority of heat built-up in conventional tires was not from the tread area but was being generated in the sidewalls, where the multiple opposing-angled plies were generating intermolecular friction as they flexed within the carcass.

It became obvious that the key to an improved design lay in separating the design of the tread and sidewall areas according to their functional roles. Exactly, in effect, as what was done in creating the test tire mock-up.

A decision was quickly reached to build prototype tires based on these findings. They were constructed using a single cotton ply of radially-oriented fibers, replicating the wire loops used in the test tire. To stabilize the tread, reinforcing belts using the steel cord of the heavy-truck tires were added. Early test results indicated both superior grip and tread-life as compared to conventional designs.

The patent of radial concept was registered in Paris on 4^th June 1946 in the name of Pierre-Marcel Bourdon, Michelin’s Directeur Technique, two months to the day after Frank Sinatra released his first record album.

"The Voice of Frank Sinatra" Columbia Records, 1946

In 1949, the revolutionary Michelin “X” radial made its public debut and was offered as optional fitment on Peugeots, the Citroën 11 and Simca 8.

It was the Italians who led the charge to fully embrace the advantages of radial tire construction. Lancia was the first, specifying the X tire as exclusive factory equipment on their new Aurelia.

The premier of the Michelin X Radial at Le Mans on the Scuderia Ambrosiana Lancia Aureila B20 GT of Giovanni Lurani and Giovanni Bracco. The duo claimed victory in the 2.0 litre classification at the 24 Heures du Mans, 1951

Alfa Romeo soon followed suit, fitting the X to Alfa 1900 models. Due to the commercial success of their new radial, Michelin discontinued all further development of traditional tires in 1952.

In 1956, the firm took a further step by ceasing production of bias-ply tires completely in order to focus exclusively on their radial models. At the same time, the X was given a lower 78-series profile, and the cotton body-plies were replaced by synthetics. As the public grew to appreciate the handling characteristics and long-life of steel-belted radial construction, the X continued to increase in popularity.

It became standard issue on nearly all Lancias and Alfa Romeos, as well as Citroëns and Peugeots. Other tire manufacturers had no choice but to respond, most notably Pirelli, with the textile-belted Cinturato. As competitors continued to catch up, Michelin announced a revised X in 1967, the ZX, with a softer–riding carcass and improved tread pattern.

Michelin XAS High-Performance Radial Tire, 1965

Michelin’s second radial line, introduced in 1965, was aimed squarely at the sporting driver. The XAS was H-rated for sustained speeds up to 210 km/h (130 mph) and wore an innovative new tread pattern, the first commercially successful all-season asymmetrical design.

The center of the tread was composed of a pair of large jagged ribs, with the inboard portion of the tread featuring separate blocks and large voids for enhanced traction and water dispersal. The unique part of the tread was the outboard shoulder that was formed of two more jagged ribs spaced little more than a millimeter apart.

Asymmetrical tread of the XAS. The closely-spaced outermost ribs (on the right in the photo) would lock together under high lateral forces

This put more rubber on the ground where it is most needed in hard cornering. Beyond that, as the tread distorted under high lateral g-forces (which would only be achieved on dry pavement), the two nearly adjacent ribs would actually lock together forming a continuous band of rubber at the road surface. This not only offered improved corning power and steering response, it also reduced tread chunking, improving tire life under hard driving conditions.

The BMW 3.0 CSL was fitted exclusively with Michelin 195/70VR-14 XWX tires

The 1960’s saw the completion of many key links in the new network of high speed autoroutes, autobahns and autostrada interconnecting the population centers of Europe. Following in their wake came a crop of new cars which could travel at sustained speeds of well over 210 km/h (130 mph); a group including the Lamborghini Miura, Ferrari 365, Dino 206, Porsche 911S, Mercedes 300 SEL 6.3 and others.

The XWX

To address this market, Michelin introduced the XWX radial in 1968. To cope with speeds in excess of 210 km/h (130 mph), the belts were reinforced and yet another tread design was created. To forestall aquaplaning at elevated speeds, evacuation of water was give priority over noise abatement. As a result, no continuous ribs were utilised, only small tread blocks with a high void-to-tread ratio. Extensive hand-work was utilized in the production process of the XWX making them quite expensive; they sold for nearly twice the price of an XAS.

Through the 1950’s and 1960’s, tire manufacturers continued adding capacity to produce more radial-ply tires to meet demand. Michelin alone built fifteen new factories for radial tire production between 1956 and 1970. As availability increased, radials began to be supplied on several additional automotive models as original equipment.

The VW 411, the first Volkswagen to leave the factory wearing radial-ply tires as standard fitment.

By 1971, all French cars, and all Alfa Romeos, Audis, BMWs, Ferraris, Jaguars, Lancias and Porsches came fitted exclusively with radial tires. Fiat fit them on their more sporting models as well as the 127 and 128, and VW specified them on the 411 and 914. American manufacturers were slower to adopt the new technology: the only U.S. car to be series-fitted with radial tires that year was the Lincoln Continental Mark III, which came equipped with 225-15 Michelins.

The radial tire, along with the disc brake, was one of the key mid-century breakthroughs in automotive performance, providing much improved handling and steering response. After the Arab oil embargo of 1973, another radial advantage, lower rolling resistance, came to the fore. The reduction in fuel consumption this provided finally led to adoption of the radial tire throughout the industry, with American and Japanese manufacturers joining the Europeans to fit radial tires to all models.