GTP Cool Wall: 1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow

[GranTurismo916]

1933 Pierce-Arrow Silver Arrow nominated by @Cano

Engines: 7.5L V12
Power: 175 hp
Torque: 175 lb-ft.
Weight: >2600 kg
Transmission: 3-speed manual
Drivetrain: Front engine, rear wheel drive
Body Styles: 4-door sedan
Additional Info: "futuristic design study with integrated fenders that hide compartments for spare tires, this was a decade ahead of it's time. It was so well received that it actually entered production, altough only 5 were built because, well, it cost 10k in 1933. Three still exist to this day. One of the starters of the art decó movement that would gain steam all over the world during the rest of the decade."​

Spoiler: Additional Pics

 

[ClydeYellow]

Oh, come on! It's an art-deco car with V12 motivation... And it's called the Silver Arrow. It's an automatic sub-zero! Why are the other options even there?

 

[GranTurismo916]

It would be sub-zero, but a stupidly high price for 1933, the really low production numbers, and the fact that it's just a show piece bring it down to cool. Since it basically started the automotive art deco time period, it has to be at least cool.

 

[SomePlayaDude]

You know, if a Citroen 2CV could eat something that had it grow so big that it would look like this back in the 30s..

 

[Downhill Dino]

It's such a Concours car, but it just defines class. To vote on it being a show piece, or a wonderfully styled example. I really don't know what to do.

 

[Niku Driver HC]

It would be sub-zero, but a stupidly high price for 1933, the really low production numbers, and the fact that it's just a show piece bring it down to cool. Since it basically started the automotive art deco time period, it has to be at least cool.

That's the unfortunate side of the Silver Arrow. Had Pierce-Arrow gone through with a bigger production scale, the car would have killed it in the luxury market. Sadly, bad timing and bankrupcy put an end to that, and now the Silver Arrow lives on as that super rare and super elegant car that most people would pay to see. And I don't really see it as a driving car as much as a car you'd put on a pedestal for all your friends to see (and probably drool over).

All that considered, I'm afraid the Silver Arrow will not get a SZ rating. But it does get a very high Cool one, because it still oozes personality and elegance, while being a great Art Déco design.

 

[Cano]

It would be sub-zero, but a stupidly high price for 1933, the really low production numbers, and the fact that it's just a show piece bring it down to cool. Since it basically started the automotive art deco time period, it has to be at least cool.

Look at it this way: it was so impossibly awesome that, even if it was just a design study, Pierce Arrow actually received 5 orders to build at no cost, the cost ended up being 10k or so.

 

[Cano]

Wee twin post!

That's the unfortunate side of the Silver Arrow. Had Pierce-Arrow gone through with a bigger production scale, the car would have killed it in the luxury market. Sadly, bad timing and bankrupcy put an end to that, and now the Silver Arrow lives on as that super rare and super elegant car that most people would pay to see. And I don't really see it as a driving car as much as a car you'd put on a pedestal for all your friends to see (and probably drool over).

All that considered, I'm afraid the Silver Arrow will not get a SZ rating. But it does get a very high Cool one, because it still oozes personality and elegance, while being a great Art Déco design.

Pierce Arrow DID produce the Silver Arrow en (relative) masse, but the regular production car wasn't in the least the same as the show car, it was far more standard and sold relatively well:

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Pierce Arrow DID produce the Silver Arrow en (relative) masse, but the regular production car wasn't in the least the same as the show car, it was far more standard and sold relatively well:

Ah, fair enough, they did make a very toned down version of it. But they really toned it down, which is unfortunate, the show car looks like a completely different version.

 

[GTPorsche]

At any other time, this car would have sold more than 5, but since it came right in the middle of the Great Depression, a $10k price tag makes this uncool, and renders it merely a show queen.

Uncool.

 

[Stotty]

Beautiful and iconic.

SZ

 

[Cano]

Ah, fair enough, they did make a very toned down version of it. But they really toned it down, which is unfortunate, the show car looks like a completely different version.

Yeah, well, they needed to, you know, make money out of it in fact, I didn't remember but now that I looked at the extra images in the first post, I actually provided one of the regular version, wich would be the wine car cruising by the beach. All the other pics are of the real-deal Silver Arrow, including the interior.

 

[GranTurismo916]

Yeah, well, they needed to, you know, make money out of it in fact, I didn't remember but now that I looked at the extra images in the first post, I actually provided one of the regular version, wich would be the wine car cruising by the beach. All the other pics are of the real-deal Silver Arrow, including the interior.

I didn't even notice that...although I didn't even know there was a "production" version either. But your nomination was for the show car, correct? Or is it for both?

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Yeah, well, they needed to, you know, make money out of it in fact, I didn't remember but now that I looked at the extra images in the first post, I actually provided one of the regular version, wich would be the wine car cruising by the beach. All the other pics are of the real-deal Silver Arrow, including the interior.

Yeah, I noticed that now that you said it. The cover on the rear wheels is a dead giveaway of the show car. That is the most noticeable change between production and concept versions.

 

[Dagger311]

Sub Zero all day.

 

[Cano]

I didn't even notice that...although I didn't even know there was a "production" version either. But your nomination was for the show car, correct? Or is it for both?

Eh, take it as you like, as the production version was about as different as you could get from the show car.

Yeah, I noticed that now that you said it. The cover on the rear wheels is a dead giveaway of the show car. That is the most noticeable change between production and concept versions.

Naw, the most obvious change is that the fenders aren't incorporated to the body and don't house the spare tire. Pierce Arrow actually tried to more or less acommodate the "fastback" for calling it something rear of the show car in the regular version, even incorporating the iconic useless rear window

 

[Niku Driver HC]

Naw, the most obvious change is that the fenders aren't incorporated to the body and don't house the spare tire. Pierce Arrow actually tried to more or less acommodate the "fastback" for calling it something rear of the show car in the regular version, even incorporating the iconic useless rear window

Ok, guess that works too. The side spare wheel was a common sight on these luxury cars, no? And yeah, the rear window is about as good as a Countach's for seeing out of the car...

 

[AlvaroF]

Epitome of cool. You'd look astronomically cool getting out of one of these whichever the situation.

Sub-Zero

 

[Roger the Horse]

Difficult to say, but overall I'd say sub zero.

 

[All Your Base]

1930s cars are an instant SZ.

 

[Slash]

Cool.

 

[Crash]

Art Deco. Sub Zero.

 

[synchromesh]

Sub-Zero, Pierce-Arrows are masterful cars.

 

[JMoney]

At any other time, this car would have sold more than 5, but since it came right in the middle of the Great Depression, a $10k price tag makes this uncool, and renders it merely a show queen.

Uncool.

Precisely this.

 

[Adamgp]

Sub Zero.

As are most cars from this era.

 

[Joey D]

Art Deco. Sub Zero.

This, very much this. Art Deco was probably the coolest era for design.

 

[synchromesh]

I should mention, $10,000 in 1933 would equal $181,000 in today's dollars.

 

[SlipZtrEm]

Satisfies my "look like Gatsby" qualification? Check.

Auto-SZ.

 

[SVT Cobra GT]

Easy cool.

 

[TheCracker]

Vintage car. Uncool.