Chrysler V280

Vehicle Overview

The Chrysler V280: In 1950, Ghia received a Plymouth chassis to showcase their styling skills. Chrysler wanted to learn from the Italians about creating unique cars and chose Ghia as their preferred body shop. They wanted to change their image and show the world that they were a modern and design-focused manufacturer. The XX-500, a forgotten car, was the first of many Chrysler ‘Idea Cars’ and was designed by Virgil Exner with Ghia’s help. This marked the beginning of a collaborative relationship between Turin and Detroit. The Chrysler V280 was intended for production, but there is confusion about its design and who commissioned it. Some believe it was designed by Luigi Segre, Ghia’s boss, who wanted Chrysler to support a limited production of replicas. However, he passed away before the car was seen at motor shows in 1964. Another possibility is that Chrysler was considering manufacturing a European version of the Valiant, possibly in France through Simca. This car was described as a “lumpy looking Valiant” in a show report. Regardless of whether these thoughts are true or not, the new owner of Ghia, showed little interest in owning it or the V280. It seems that the prototype managed to make its way to America, but its current location is still unknown.