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The Creative Genius of Virgil Exner is Lauded

November 17, 2025

Pictured above: The cars of Virgil Exner provide a striking accent to the calm 18^th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links.

In concert with its celebration of the centennial of Chrysler, the 2025 Pebble Beach Concours paid homage to Virgil Exner, the creative genius who led Chrysler’s design department throughout the 1950s, introducing fins and the Forward Look, and thereby revolutionizing the appearance of American cars.

Sixteen of his iconic models filled two very special classes, divided between earlier and later works.

Among earlier designs, the 1952 Chrysler Styling Special shown by Mark Hyman placed First in Class, with the 1955 Imperial Eight-Passenger Limousine of Rajiv Kehr in Second and the 1953 Chrysler Thomas Special of Dan Hembal in Third.

*The 1952 Chrysler Styling Special, which won our Virgil Exner Early class, has a semi-fastback roofline.*

*The 1957 Dual Motors Dual Ghia Convertible, which won our Virgil Exner Late class, is based on Exner’s design for the Dodge Firearrow IV*.

Among later designs, the 1957 Dual Motors Dual-Ghia Convertible of The Singleton Collection placed First, with the 1966 Duesenberg Model D Prototype of Thomas Shannon in Second, and the 1958 Imperial Crown Limousine of David C. Fitzgerald in Third.

Fittingly, the 1965 Bugatti 101C-X Roadster, captured driving past the front door of The Lodge at Pebble Beach for our 2025 Pebble Beach RetroAuto poster, received the Elegance in Motion Trophy for its sleek appearance while on this year’s Pebble Beach Tour d’Elegance.