In the mid-50s, American car design was inspired by space technology. AMC created a bubbletop car that would take everyone's breath away. Say hello to Astra-Gnome!
Based on Metropolitan
Actually, the prototype was to be called Metro-Gnome, which is pronounced "metronome" in English. But the Metro name already belonged to International Harvester. Therefore, AMC chose the name Astra-Gnome instead. A shame, because the nice bubbletop car was actually based on a 1955 Nash Metropolitan - which was colloquially called the Metro.
Designed by Richard Arbib
The name Metro-Gnome could have linked the prototype to the model already in production. But the purpose of Astra-Gnome was not to show a possible new generation of Metropolitan. The futuristic car was made to represent AMC on New York International Auto Show in 1956. It was Richard Arbib's design studio in New York that was commissioned to develop an exciting future study for AMC – not just as a design or empty shell, but as a fully drivable car. The design of the bodywork was put aside Andrew Mazzara (NEW). Richard Arbib had previously worked for, among others, GM and Packard - and now AMC. He spent 6 months converting a Nash Metropolitan into the Astra-Gnome and barely managed to finish in time for the show.
The car still exists
It is in a private museum in Los Angeles run by Metropolitan Pit Stop. The proprietor Jimmy Valentine occasionally takes it out on the road where it naturally attracts a lot of attention – even in LA.
Read more about Nash Metropolitan here!
Funny visions of the future
Richard Arbib believed that the cars in the year 2000 would look like the Astra-Gnome. In the USA in the 50s you could read in magazines such as Popular Science, that the highways in the future would have a magnetic field that would make the cars of the future self-driving. Covered wheel arches were part of Nash's Airflyte concept. Not only did it reduce air resistance – it also added extra rigidity to the bodywork. Also, partially hidden wheels gave a visual effect of floating above the asphalt. The aluminum plates on the sides could be easily replaced and optionally supplied in colours. The glass roof can be opened and closed by an electric motor. With the roof open, one can practically walk upright into the car and sit down in the swiveling leather seats. According to Arbib, the glass dome provides perfect acoustics for the sound in the hi-fi radio. The most impressive thing about Arbib's design - seen from today's eyes - is that the superstructure only gave a marginal increase in weight compared to the original Metropolitan model.
Small car concept
It is safe to say that glass domes and covered wheel arches never became a hit in the automotive world. But since the Astra-Gnome was based on a small car, it could emphasize positive aspects of small cars and thus give positive signals to the Nash Metropolitan - the donor car which was only 3,80 meters long and 1,45 meters wide. Astra-Gnome had increased the length to a moderate 4,20 and the width to a whopping 1,83 meters without changing the dimensions of the Metropolitan's original chassis. Richard Arbib had worked deliberately to make optimal use of the space. 6 specially designed suitcases, which only existed on the drawing board, were to fill up voids in the car, including in the width. Thus it would be able to accommodate as much as a full-size American car, although the Astro-Gnome only had 2 seats.
Inspired other designers
It's not hard to see how the Astra-Gnome has inspired American car designers - at least Bill Mitchell at GM. The front of Mitchell's 1963 Buick Riviera has great similarities with Astra-Gnome. It is also easy to find similarities between the Astro-Gnome's rear side panels and the insets along the rear sides of the 1958 Cadillac Fleetwood Sixty Special. Mitchell was working at Cadillac at the time.
Car enthusiasts and their watches
Have you noticed that people who like exclusive cars are often also attracted to beautiful watches? Richard Arbib loved watches and has, among other things, designed a special watch case for them Hamilton Electric Watches. One of the novelties on the Astra-Gnome was a high center clock unit of the Hamilton Celestial Time Zone Clock type. This was a very advanced device that could have been installed in a jet plane. Shape and location helped to create an illusion of the future. Perhaps Arbib envisioned today's mid-mounted infotainment screens?
Facts about Astra-Gnome
Source: Press release from RIchard Arbib in 1956 shared by Anders de Lange.
Chassis: Nash Metropolitan
Engine: Austin A40 4-cylinder
Weight: approx. 900 kg
Wheelbase: 216 cm
Length: 419 cm
Height: 134 cm
Width: 183 cm
Diameter of glass dome: 165 cm
Body: All aluminum built by Andrew Mazzara
Equipment: Air conditioning, hi-fi radio, 4 headlights
Tires: Goodyear 5,90 x 13
Interior: Leather supplied by Leather Upholstory Group
"In spite of the advanced nature of the Astra-Gnome's styling, it is a car that with very few changes could be produced and would offer the public a host of practical mechanical and safety innovations" – Richard Arbib
See
The YouTube channel "The Vintage Vehicle Show" visits Jimmy Valentine at The Metropolitan Pit Stop Museum in Los Angeles, USA.
