The motif of the razor
12/23/2023
Streamline? Pontoon shape? Stern fins? Panoramic windows? Trapezoidal line? Wedge shape? It was all outdated after just a few years. The most enduring stylistic element of car design lasted not a few years, but three decades: the razor! These electric trimmers for the annoying facial hair shaped the front design of US products in particular across the most diverse fashion trends.
The 1957 Mercury was the first to be presented with chrome-proven cutting blades in the front bumper. In the following decade, the apparent cutting head then moved upwards and preferred to conceal the headlights. It retained this task until the 1970s, with the segments becoming increasingly delicate in contrast to the cars. The 1972 Plymouth Fury presents itself with a strikingly delicate face in a chubby fuselage design.
But the chrome age also marked the end of the shaving age. The Lancia-based Bertone Kayak took up the motif again in 1995, but remained a one-off.
