A friend sent to me a slide show of superb automobiles from this year's Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, which is THE antique competition car show of the world. We're talking rare, god-like perfection - gorgeous pieces of Art that are disguised as automobiles.

http://vintagecars.about.com/od/historygreatmoments/ss/delage_pebble.htm (Go to this page, then click on the right hand red words "Print this page", which will give you the whole article all at once.)

Part of this Delage's incredible looks comes from
knowing what was still avant garde industrial thinking
in design in 1937, and, in a country about to face Hitler.
(France) THIS car is NOT a committee design. Delage came
from the brain of ONE designer, as you can see. It is an
extravagant, clean, unadorned design that allows for no
interferences. Note NO tail lights, for example. I
am unfamiliar with the vehicle laws of 1937 France,
but often one brake light on the rear was in use
by that time, and sometimes even lighted turn
signals. NOT for this car! Hand signals,
not tail lights, were yet the standard,
and little pieces of tacked-on "junk"
(such as rear light pods) were mere
distractions from the pure sleekness.
Bumpers? Hell Non!! DISTRACTIONS!!
You have to admire the dedication to an idea.

Look at that lovely long hood, with the consecutively enlarging
"louvers" (side of hood vents) for releasing hot engine air.
Note how the side glass curves with the roof line, and
concludes to match the rear fender line. Both front
and rear fenders are near ideal "teardrop" shapes -
which, at the time, said "Super Modern Streamline".
(Science had shown the teardrop shape to be the least
resistant shape to air and water flow.) The leading edge
of the door follows the line down out of the wind shield post,
and the bottom edge of the door flows off the curve of the front
fender and down to meet the start of the rear fender. The doors
open at the front edge, for ease of entry/exit. Of COURSE the
three curves at the rear had to conclude in points! It was
the only logical, expressive, streamlined thing to do!
Can you even see the full rear trunk line? Exquisitely
placed to not interfere visually with the important lines.

And this is only the start. You ARE looking at Art.

For a comparison, check out this web page:

http://www.webaccess.net/~pstair/Friendscars4.html (It's the 7th shot down the page, of a 1937 Chevrolet Business Coupe, which, in my opinion, is one of the best looking Chevys of all time.) BOTH the Delage and the Chevy were designed that same year. You'll see my point. One is an artful car (Chevy), and the other (Delage) is Art slightly disguised as a car.