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The question of where to take Lincoln’s styling was top-of-mind for Ford during the mid-1950s, and the net it cast was to both the internal styling teams and one special dream car creator of Italy. Turbulent times for all the Blue Oval brands followed the market flop of their Edsel series, and Chevrolet was lighting up newsprint and auto shows with their swanky Motorama events and the original Corvette-concept of 1953.
The desire for miraculous styling direction and stunning concept cars led to all the non-GM American car brands to pair off with Italian styling houses. During this flurry of deals, Ghia signed up with Chrysler, Bertone for Packard and Carrozerria Touring with Hudson. Lincoln went with a less-renowned name of Felice Paolo to dress a rolling chassis with bespoke coupe bodywork ahead of the Turin motor show. The orange lacquer paint was barely dry on the 1955 Lincoln Indianapolis Exclusive Study by Carrozzeria Boano Torino when it was rolled onto the rotating platform of the Turin auto show.
This stunning concept car hit the auction block quite often in recent years. It changed hands in 2006, it failed to sell in 2013, and it found a new owner in 2015. Come 2019, and the Lincoln Indianapolis is set to go under the hammer at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction on August 15 to 17.
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