The writing in this piece is a hoot!
"Gloriously vulgar 1953 Corvette"? You might use many different descriptives for a 1953 Corvette, but vulgar (crudely indecent?) isn't one I would choose. Never been a fan of any Corvette, but never used that word either.
"Béla Barényi, one of the great Austro-Hungarian engineers." Can anyone name the others?
"cravat-wearing Bracq." This is a late in life adaptation of dress, much having to do with health and the style and class of an elderly gentleman...but not in the time of Wilfert/Barényi/Geiger etc.
"The production car was clicked back several notches from Bracq’s most uninhibited drawings." A good selection of these were published in Pagoda Style, and have been brought up here before. Nothing that earth shattering, just different design exercises.
"Mercedes-Benz 600, as pharaonic and gross." Huh? pharaonic? Say what? Large and stately, yes. Pharaonic? I don't think so, unless you are trying to impress with obscure and arcane words.
"he established a design language for the 3-series and 5-series [BMW]" Yes. But more than that: the 6 series, and the 7 series (though only prototype to be produced later). Basically BMW pre-Bracq was the boxy 2002 and its sisters and brothers. Post Bracq, the sleek, stylish 3, 5, 6, 7 series that moved the needle for BMW from boutique manufacturer to mainstream. Bracq was the first real stylist at BMW, as if anyone needed the cars to know that. When they started hiring more stylists, younger, less skilled, and paying them more than Bracq, he was rightfully insulted (I'm sure many have been there) and this had him considering whether it was worth staying. It was not, he returned to raise his family in France.
"interior of the long-forgotten Peugeot 604" The 604 isn't the best of the Peugeot projects of Bracq. It was the 205, a small car that was so popular, it helped save a struggling Peugeot.
"Carrosserie Passion, which was published in 1990....frankly hideous book." I searched for many years before finding a pristine, new copy on eBay. Big, beautiful, full of Bracq, eye candy to the max. Hideous? Send these "hideous" books to me, I'll take them all and pay shipping. BTW, it's out of print, out of stock, but the price is £198.00...on many motoring book sites.
