Some Secrets Are Out

Detroit's annual summer ritual--the sneak previews of next year's cars--got under way last week. As often happens, there was some grinding of the gears.

For months automen have kept their 1960 models, especially their new compact cars, under military-strict secrecy wraps. Typical of the carefully built suspense was a Chrysler document entitled "The Secret of Midland Avenue," describing how 200 tight-lipped engineers worked in "utter secrecy" for 13 months to develop the compact Valiant. But long before the public was scheduled to get details of the new cars--the editors, admen and dealers who attend sneak previews are held to ironclad release dates--the veil of secrecy suddenly lifted.

Well aware that General Motors has been producing the new rear-engine Chevrolet Corvair at its Willow Run plant since early July, an enterprising Ann Arbor News photographer hired a helicopter, flew over the plant's parking lot to shoot the mystery from under the new compact car with a picture of rows of Corvairs. This week the New York Herald Tribune went a step further, jumped the small-car release dates, ran pictures of the Corvair, Valiant and Ford's Falcon.

While the compact cars were prematurely unveiled to the public, four General Motors Corp. conventional car divisions opened up for 300 visiting auto editors. This week American Motors held a preview of its fast-selling Rambler. In September, Ford, Chrysler, Studebaker-Packard and the' Chevrolet division of General Motors will give previewers off-record looks at their new models. Even the best of the curtains had holes; by the time the ceremonial unveilings got under way last week, many details--but not the complete rundown--of the industry's conventional 1960 models had been prodded into view:

General Motors. Chevrolet keeps its basic body styling, although this year's front-end horizontal air scoops and teardrop taillights have been junked, the gull-wing rear deck considerably flattened. Pontiac has dropped its embryo tail fins, switched 1959's split grille for a series of horizontal slashes; lights and fenders have been restyled. Oldsmobile has smoothed out its racy look, dropped this year's tiny chrome fins, provided an optional engine that thrives on regular grades of gas. Buick has horizontal, rather than canted, twin headlights, a wide grille of concave vertical strips, tear-drop-shaped "portholes," smaller fins, and an optional economy engine. Cadillac has replaced its rakish, rocket-age fins with smaller ones that seem to sweep into the body, slashed chrome trim.

Ford. Perhaps the most drastically revamped model of the year, Ford has turned in last year's "crisp" look for a longer, lower', wider shape. It has added horizontal blades, i.e., fins, on a flat rear deck, replaced the traditional circular taillights with half-moons, installed a lower grille, more glass. Ford's Edsel shares the basic Ford body but has a split grille, different taillight styling, Mercury has more glass, less chrome, a new air-scoop grille, cleaner, sculptured side panels. Lincoln and Continental exteriors remain practically unchanged.

Chrysler. Plymouth keeps the dartlike Chrysler family look with skyward tail fins that begin far back on the rear fender. Dodge has new taillights, fins that sail both upward and out: its new Plymouth-sized Dart line has a curvy, compact, low-slung look, modest, softly-rounded fins. De Soto has Dodgelike fins, new grille and trim, tier-styled taillights. Chrysler adds the air-scoop grille from last year's sporty '300' series, flaring fins, minor bodywork changes in its new model. Imperial is virtually the same as the 1959 version.

American Motors. The new Rambler has lost its knifelike fins, gained a softer, flaring rear-end treatment, scarcely chromed side paneling, a generally smoother look.

Studebaker-Packard. The company promised owners of its bright Lark that there would be no major styling changes in its compact car, and it kept its promise.

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