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Article: Designer Mitchell wasted no time in building his legacy; '38 Sixty Special debuted in just 22 months - and set the styling pace for the industry.(SUPP)(General Motors Corp.)(Bill Mitchell)(Occupation overview)
- Article from:
- Automotive News
- Article date:
- September 15, 2008
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Crain Communications, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Byline: Richard Truett
It took General Motors designer Bill Mitchell just 22 months to start building his legend.
Harley Earl, chief of GM's Art and Colour Section, forerunner of today's Global Design, North American Studios, hired Mitchell on Dec. 6, 1935.
Mitchell's first car, the 1938 Cadillac Sixty Special, made its debut at the New York auto show less than two years later, on Oct. 27, 1937.
And it blew away the crowd.
The Sixty Special was smaller, sportier and radically different in appearance from previous Cadillacs, LaSalles and virtually all other mass-produced cars of the day. It set the styling trend for the rest ...