- 1,115
- Rivera
- Tsukishima-TDUDT
In 1954 Ghia designed the Adventurer II as a prototype to showcase their own version of a Rocket Age DeSoto. With an extended hood, long rear overhang and small greehouse, the Adventurer II had many DeSoto proportions with European style.
Adventurer II came from Ghia's own Supersonic design by Giovanni Savonuzzi. It was reworked by Virgil Exner to accommodate the length of the DeSoto chassis and in doing so he created a much more dramatic design.
A unique feature of this Ghia special is the sliding sunroof which hides into the trunk area.
The Adventurer II was built on the DeSoto Imperial Series S-19 chassis and is powered by a Chrysler Hemi V8 developing 160 hp. Extremely long for a two-seater, its form is at once elegant and refined yet boldly spectacular. An innovative feature that seems never to have been replicated was the sliding-into-the-trunk backlight, opening up the roof behind the seats, giving a draft-free open area and many of the advantages of a convertible with none of the inconveniences. A close look at the DeSoto will show just how fastidious and perfection-minded Ghia designers, managers and workmen were.
