Car Masters is a reality TV show on the worldwide global streaming powerhouse, Netflix. The idea of the show is centered around the crew and owner of Gotham Garage, a famous automotive shop that has built a fair share of props for movie studios and television shows over the past decade.
The misfit crew, led by Mark Towle, provides modern makeovers of classic cars in an order to raise their values to sell. Knowing Mark Towles' background helps the viewers see how he got to where he is today and how he has created such a successful show and business.
Despite showing their lives on the air, there are many things the Gotham Garage crew never told their fans. Aiming to turn one thousand dollars into $100,000, the crew takes on one unique project per episode.
In one of their episodes, they decided to make a modern replica of the ultra-rare 1960 Plymouth XNR.
Sometimes, with one-off concept cars, they don’t actually function or run at all for that matter. This isn’t the case with the uncommon and highly-valued 1960 Plymouth XNR. designed by Virgil Exner, this car is a modicum of style, brilliance, and uniqueness. Being so hard to come by, this hidden gem made it especially important for the crew of Gotham to do a stand-up job in the modern renovation.
Who Is Virgil Exner?
Virgil Max Exner Sr. was a car designer for various companies in America, most notably Chrysler. He is famous for his innovative look in the Chrysler products in the 1950s and 1960s, creating the Forward Look, a style that used aerodynamic qualities and fins to enhance performance.
By 1957, Exner had already made a name for himself permanently in the automotive industry. It was this same year that the Plymouths began being advertised with a look to the future. In 1960, the Plymouth XNR was developed by Chrysler and Plymouth, it was designed by none other than Exner, adding a roadster to the Plymouth line of cars.
Details From The Crew
The crew at Gotham had a number of specifications to hit in order to make an accurate replica of the 1960 Plymouth XNR. They had to copy this concept car in every aspect of design, from the frame to the engine. The crew used an Inline-6 engine to power the vehicle, which was placed longitudinally in the front of the car. The power of the car could reach 186.4 kW. The car was rear-wheel drive, and the frame was a steel body over the Plymouth Valiant Chassis.
The Plymouth Replica
Being one of the sickest cars the Gotham Garage crew ever built, they decided to do something special with this vehicle. Petersen's partnership with Gotham Garage and Netflix allowed the crew to donate the replica to Petersen Automotive Museum.
Petersen Automotive Museum
Petersen Automotive Museum is a museum that boasts over 100,000 square feet of exhibits comprising 25 galleries and over 300 vehicles. Located on Wilshire Boulevard along the Miracle Mile in Los Angeles, it is one of the world’s largest car museums. This non-profit organization specializes in educational programs and automobile history.
Founded in 1994 by Robert Petersen, the $40-million museum is owned and run by the Petersen Foundation. The museum contains a ground floor of automotive artistry, while the second floor contains parts about industrial engineering. The third floor details the history of the automobile industry and how it came to be.
More Than Meets The Eye
Since Chrysler was lacking a two-seater roadster to compete with Ford and GM, Virgil created the Plymouth XNR, changing Chrysler's landscape, marketing, and competition. No wonder the crew of Gotham Garage decided to take on this feat of transforming the Plymouth XNR 1960.
There you have it, some interesting information that you might not have known about the Plymouth 1960 XNR, the creator and designer, and the aftermath of the building of the replica. Although this vehicle was originally just a concept car to add to the Plymouth line, it ended up surpassing everyone's minimal expectations in the auto world.