This week, we’re cranking up the nostalgia machine and heading back to Detroit’s golden age of automotive design—a period defined by audacious innovation and unparalleled ambition. Peter De Lorenzo shares his personal recollections of Bill Mitchell, the legendary and often unpredictable design chief who epitomized this era at General Motors. Buckle up for a captivating journey down memory lane as Peter recounts his firsthand experiences with the man who lived just a block away.
In other news, Mercedes-AMG flexes its technological prowess with record-breaking performances in the CONCEPT AMG GT XX. Meanwhile, Toyota unveils the fuel-sipping 2006 Corolla Hatchback. Our AE Song of the Week is Dave Mason’s poignant “We Just Disagree.” Peter also launches a new series in Fumes, diving into his all-time favorite racing cars. Finally, The Line delivers the pulse-pounding INDYCAR results from the Nashville season finale and the Formula 1 drama from Zandvoort, Netherlands.
Detroit’s Different Era: A Freewheeling Mindset
Calling the ’50s and ’60s a “different era” in automotive history is a gross understatement. Detroit was a cauldron of unbridled creativity and audacious decision-making. Car executives were assertive, inventive, and driven, often relying on their gut instincts, which could lead to either spectacular triumphs or catastrophic failures. Committees were largely relegated to financial matters, rarely interfering with design, engineering, marketing, or advertising unless a crisis demanded it. These “Car Kings” worked tirelessly and played hard, ruling their empires with unwavering authority, sometimes wielding their power ruthlessly to achieve their goals, believing their actions were justified as some of the most influential business leaders on the planet. In essence, it was a world fundamentally different from today’s risk-averse, consensus-driven automotive environment.
Bill Mitchell: Embodiment of a Bold Spirit
No one captured the spirit of that era more vividly than Bill Mitchell. He was daring, influential, flamboyant, stubborn, manic, brilliant, frustrating – every adjective imaginable for a truly unique personality. He was astute enough to recognize and understand that he had inherited the legacy of the great Harley Earl, a fact he never forgot or allowed anyone else to forget. He leveraged this legacy with unmatched swagger and style. He frequently clashed with corporate “suits” who didn’t grasp his design concepts, but he usually prevailed, securing his vision and leaving an indelible mark on automotive design.
Mitchell’s Reign: A Potentate Within GM
Mitchell operated as his own potentate within the GM monolith, acting outrageously, speaking his mind, and often disregarding the corporate bureaucracy. He was a larger-than-life figure, which frequently clashed with the conservative financial executives on the “4th floor” of the old GM building. He swaggered through the Design Staff as if it were his personal kingdom, and, in reality, it was. His influence was absolute, and his vision shaped the look of GM cars for decades.
“I’m the One Who Does Corvettes Here.”
To illustrate Mitchell’s influence at the Design Staff, consider the Corvette, which held a special place in his heart. Whenever a young designer became overly proud of their Corvette design, Bill would famously declare: “Don’t flatter yourself, kid – I’m the one who does Corvettes here.” This statement, delivered with his characteristic bravado, underscored his personal connection to the iconic sports car and his unwavering control over its design evolution.
Golfing Frustrations and Concept Car Escapes
On a lighter note, I recall witnessing Mitchell’s struggles on the golf course at Bloomfield Hills Country Club. He was terrible at the game, and his frustration escalated with each hole. His complexion would turn an even deeper shade of red. Lacking patience, he would inevitably abandon the round and storm off in one of his concept cars – the original Sting Ray, the Mako Shark, the Monza SS – peeling out of the parking lot and speeding down Long Lake Road. These impromptu escapes were legendary, showcasing his impulsive nature and his deep affection for his automotive creations.
Beyond the Ballistic Fits: A Neighborly Side
I’ve heard countless stories of his explosive outbursts in the studios as he pushed his teams to excel. However, I also witnessed a different side of him, perhaps because he lived just a block from my house… This proximity allowed me to see glimpses of his personality that were hidden from most of the corporate world.
The Friday Afternoon Ritual: A Horsepower Train
I’ll never forget the day I discovered this fact. I was still riding my bike, hanging out with friends on a corner in our neighborhood after a long, hot day. We heard a rumble in the distance, distinct from motorcycles, and soon a pack of stunning cars burst around the corner, the sunlight glinting off their polished surfaces. The “horsepower train” was led by the original 1959 Corvette Sting Ray racer in Silver, followed by the XP700 Corvette (“bubble-top” show car with side pipes, also in Silver, Mitchell’s favorite color), the first Mako Shark Corvette, and a concept called the Corvair Super Spyder (also in Silver), a wild racing-inspired show car with cut-down windscreens. The noise was deafening. After a moment of stunned silence, we chased after them, realizing they were heading into our neighborhood and turning onto my street!
Concept Cars in the Driveway: A Kid’s Dream
We saw them pull into a driveway one block from my house. The drivers handed the keys to the driver of the Stingray who walked them to the front door where a woman collected them. Then, an Impala arrived, and the four men departed, leaving the cars lined up, ticking as their pipes cooled. This became the Friday afternoon ritual of the summer, at least when Bill Mitchell was in town. He enjoyed having his “toys” at his disposal on weekends. Each weekend brought a different collection, depending on his mood when he contacted the GM Styling garage. I watched the cars arrive on Friday and returned on Saturdays, studying every inch, hoping for an audience with “The Man” himself – and maybe a ride. For a car-obsessed kid, it was a dream come true.
A Ride in the Super Spyder: Becoming “One of Tony’s Boys”
Bill Mitchell never tired of the cars or people’s reactions to them. After a few weekends, I gathered the courage to introduce myself one Saturday morning as he prepared to leave in the Super Spyder. He declared me “one of Tony’s boys” (my brother’s friend), and said, “Hop in – I’m just running up to the drug store, but come on…” I jumped into the passenger seat (with silver metallic leather), and he made sure I fastened my seatbelt, though he didn’t bother with his. The Super Spyder was a revelation, the first non-production car I had ever ridden in. Thanks to my brother, I had ridden in fast cars, but this was exotic. The ride lasted only five minutes each way, but from then on, I was a fixture in the Mitchell’s driveway for the rest of the summer. That brief ride cemented my fascination with automotive design and solidified my admiration for Bill Mitchell.
Every Concept Car and the XP400: A Weekend of Mayhem
I ended up riding in every one of GM’s Concept Cars of that era, all but one chauffeured by Bill Mitchell himself. My favorites were the original 1959 Sting Ray racer, the Monza GT Coupe in Silver, and the Monza SS Spyder in Red (stunning Corvair-based show cars with the front ends that ended up on the racing Chaparrals). The one not chauffeured by Bill Mitchell was an…
