In january 1953, invited group of businessmen and women gathered in cities from New York to San Francisco to sip cocktails and stare at a sleek, maroon convertible of which there is only one in the world - NXI-Nash Experimental International.
Meanwhile a quarter million other americans were studying pictures of the car in a questionaire in which they were asked to indicate weather they would buy such a car - if it were ever manufactured. For the first time an auto maker - Nash Motors - was displaying the prototype of an auto it was only considering building and was asking potential customers if they wanted it. Even more, Nash was underscoring a widely devated question: does the U.S., long accustomed to the luxury, power and roominess of its "small" cars (Chevrolet, Ford, Plymouth), really want a small automobile?
What cocktail sippers, including many rival car makers, saw a wll-proportioned automobile of substandard wight (1.350 lb), tread (40 in.) and wheel base (84 in.), which would seat only two comfortably and had ample luggage space. Depending on whether it was powered by an 18 or 36 hp motor, it would do from 60 to 70 mph, yeld 35 to 50 miles to the gallon and cost about $950 or $1000. Most previewers liked its lack of chrome trim, wide vision fore and aft and promised economy (albeit at the expense of jack-rabbit acceleration). Loudest criticism: its limited seating.
Bucket seats in NXI are comfortable for two, not three. Dashboard is neat, simple, has no glove compartment, which might add $5 to the price.
Windows are plastic and lowered by a strap, instead of crank-up glass windows which might cost $25 more. Hard-top coupe version would have cranks.
Rear-bumper would be made from same dies used for front bumper and grille. The luggage compartment is reached from behind seats.
.jpg)
Social Plugin