"Every so often a car is born so perfect in proportion that it is internationally acclaimed a classic. Such a car is the 59 Ford . . . awarded the Gold Medal for exceptional styling by the Comité Français de l'Elégance at the Brussels World's Fair!"
When new, it had a shiny chrome panel adorning its lower rear fender. This panel disappeared at some point in time, but otherwise our pictured Ford Fairlane 500 is in pretty good shape, considering that this car is more than half a century old.
By today's standards, the Fords for 1959 were not very harmoniously proportioned and thus look a bit odd, but in 1959 their styling was perceived as eye-pleasing and modern. The Comité Français de l'Elégance even awarded a gold medal at the Brussels world fair for "proportions exceptionales et la ligne élégante". Arguably, there are better examples for automotive elegance, but back then the tastes were different ...
Evidently, the Ford designers under studio chief Joe Oros took a good dose of inspiration from the angular, cutting–edge Mercury styling when crafting the clay models for the 1959 Ford. Compared to other American cars of that year, the Ford looked reasonably restrained after all. The only part that screamed "excess" was its trunk, sporting dish-sized "Iris-Eye Safety Taillights". The boxy front end, in comparison, looked surprisingly tame and conservative, but was in its treatment a positive departure from the rather overwrought detailing of the previous model year.
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