1956 Oldsmobile 88 B.A.T. (Berlinetta Aerodinamica Tecnica)

Remember in the early-1950’s, Harley Earl and Bill Mitchell both went to Italy to visit the Turin Auto Show. Acknowledged inspiration for the 1963 Corvette rear window (and split feature) as well at the 1971 “Boattail” Riviera later were from the 1953 Alfa Romeo Bertone BAT 5 concept that they took numerous pictures of and had in their offices for years.

My creative thought: What if GM had shipped an Oldsmobile 88 to Bertone in Turin, Italy and had Franco Scaglione (Bertone’s design master) apply some of his unique aerodynamic design magic as a concept vehicle…

Can you imagine driving down the road or into an automobile event with something that looked like this today.

[series: Concept Americana]