In the 1990s, the American automotive industry was going through a phase of great evolution, with the Detroit giants intent on experimenting with new directions in design and innovation. Chrysler, driven by the ambition to create something extraordinary, conceived the Atlantic, a majestic two-seater coupe over 5 meters long, capable of blending the timeless charm of vintage cars with a touch of modernity.
Chrysler Atlantic: the 1990s concept car that blended vintage charm with modern design
Behind this vision were two key men. They were Bob Lutz, then president of the brand, and Tom Gale, design genius. The spark that ignited the project came in 1994, when the two participated as judges at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. There, they were struck by the fact that many concept cars, though extraordinary, failed to pass the selections. It was at that moment that they decided: the following year, Chrysler would present a car destined to steal the scene from everyone.
Lutz put his ideas in black and white and delivered them to Gale, who didn’t show the sketches to the design team. On the contrary, he gave them a single directive: to draw inspiration from the legendary French coupes of the 1930s, such as Bugatti, Delahaye, Talbot-Lago, and Delage, and create something new and spectacular.
From this vision was born the Atlantic, whose name paid homage to the mythical Bugatti Type 57S Atlantic. The result was a masterpiece of design, now housed in the Walter P. Chrysler Museum in Auburn Hills, and considered one of the most fascinating concept cars ever made.
Chrysler relied on the craftsmen of Metalcrafters, a California company specializing in the creation of exclusive prototypes. The Atlantic rode on 22-inch wheels and used a tubular chassis with components taken from the legendary Dodge Viper. The interiors, however, departed from the retro style of the exterior with finishes reminiscent of carbon fiber and modern instrumentation.
Although the Atlantic was fully functional, it was never intended for production. Chrysler chose an ingenious solution with a 4.0-liter inline eight-cylinder engine, obtained by combining two 2.0 engines from the Chrysler Neon. On paper, the 360 horsepower delivered by this unit seemed promising, but in reality, the engine was noisy, poorly balanced, and fell short of expectations.
After its debut at the 1995 Detroit Auto Show, Chrysler considered the idea of equipping it with the powerful V10 from the Viper, but the project stopped there. The Atlantic remained a four-wheeled dream, a unique piece that enchants enthusiasts.