The Chrysler Airflow was one of the most ambitious production cars of the 1930s. Introduced in 1934, it broke sharply with the upright, separate-fender styling that had dominated American cars and replaced it with a smooth, integrated shape developed with aerodynamic testing.

This car is a Series CU Sedan, powered by Chrysler's large straight-eight engine and built during the Airflow's first and most radical year.

Designed in the Wind Tunnel

The Airflow's appearance was shaped by aerodynamic experimentation, something still highly unusual for a mainstream production car in the early 1930s. Chrysler engineers tested different body forms and discovered that many conventional cars of the period actually produced less drag when tested backwards.

That finding helped encourage a very different approach. The Airflow received a rounded front, integrated headlights, smoother body sides and a tapered rear. Its shape was intended to help air move more cleanly around the car rather than simply pushing against a flat, upright front.

More Than Just Styling

The Airflow was not simply a conventional car wrapped in a futuristic body. Chrysler also reconsidered the way the passengers and major mechanical components were positioned.

Occupants were moved further forward and more centrally between the axles. This improved weight distribution and gave passengers more usable interior space while reducing the tendency for rear-seat occupants to sit directly above the rear axle.

The result was intended to provide a smoother and more controlled ride.

The Series CU

The Series CU was the standard-wheelbase Chrysler Airflow for 1934 and used a 299 cubic inch, approximately 4.9-litre, L-head straight-eight engine.

Producing around 122 horsepower at 3,400 rpm, the engine gave the Airflow strong performance for a large sedan of the period. Power was delivered through a three-speed manual gearbox.

The smooth character of the straight-eight suited the Airflow's refined image and helped make the car feel as advanced mechanically as it looked externally.

Strong All-Steel Construction

The Airflow also used highly integrated all-steel construction.

Rather than treating the body and chassis as completely separate elements, Chrysler designed them to work together as a stronger structural unit. This approach improved rigidity and helped support the Airflow's unusual body shape.

Chrysler went to considerable lengths to publicise the strength of the design, using dramatic demonstrations to show that the structure could withstand severe impacts.

A Different Kind of Interior

The more central seating position changed the passenger experience as well as the car's handling.

By placing passengers between the axles, rather than concentrating them towards the rear, Chrysler was able to create a spacious cabin with improved ride comfort. The car's wide body also allowed generous seating accommodation.

These ideas would become increasingly common as car designers paid more attention to interior packaging and passenger comfort.

Too Advanced for Its Buyers

Although the Airflow was technically impressive, its appearance was a major commercial risk.

Many American buyers found the design too unfamiliar. Its integrated front end and flowing shape were dramatically different from the long bonnets, upright grilles and separate fenders they were accustomed to.

Sales were disappointing, and Chrysler quickly began modifying the design in an attempt to make later Airflows look more conventional.

Only 8,389 Series CUs

A total of 8,389 Series CU Airflows were produced for 1934.

That relatively modest figure illustrates the difficulty Chrysler faced in convincing buyers to accept such a radical design. The car's engineering was advanced, but the market was not yet fully ready for its appearance.

In later years, however, many of the ideas pioneered by the Airflow would become increasingly normal.

An Influence Beyond Its Sales

The Airflow's influence cannot be judged solely by how many were sold.

Streamlined body shapes, integrated headlights, improved weight distribution and more unified body construction all became increasingly common across the motor industry as the 1930s progressed.

In that sense, the Airflow was less a failed experiment than a car that arrived before many buyers were ready for it.

This Car

Built in 1934, this Chrysler Airflow Series CU Sedan represents the model in its earliest and most distinctive form.

Its 4.9-litre straight-eight, aerodynamic body, centralised passenger layout and advanced structural design show how comprehensively Chrysler attempted to rethink the automobile.

The Airflow may not have been the sales success Chrysler hoped for, but its ideas helped point the way towards the lower, smoother and more integrated cars that followed.