Series SG. 100 hp, 241.5 cu. in. L-head inline six-cylinder engine, Ball & Ball single-barrel carburetor, three-speed synchromesh manual transmission, solid front axle with leaf springs and anti-sway bar, semi-floating rear axle with leaf springs, and Lockheed four-wheel hydraulic drum brakes. Wheelbase: 115.5"

• Advanced mechanicals; Art Deco-inspired design; historical significance

• Restored by a former DeSoto Club president; well cared-for ever since

• Now offered from 10 years of single ownership; well-maintained and shows well

In 1934, the entire DeSoto lineup featured Chrysler Corporation’s all-new and radically streamlined Airflow design. Walter P. Chrysler expected the streamlined and futuristic Airflow models to take the nation by storm, and five body styles were offered for the introductory year. A design far ahead of its time, the Airflow featured built-in headlamps and wider front seats accommodating up to three adults. The hood was extended past the front axle, and the rear fenders were fully-skirted. More advanced styling features included a rounded radiator grille and a modified vee’d windshield.

No mere design exercise, the Airflow series was a technological marvel with its low-drag body, advanced unit-body construction, and Lockheed hydraulic brakes. Passenger comfort and ease of entry/exit were greatly improved from the outset, aided by the positioning of all passengers within the wheelbase, low ground clearance, and extra-long front and rear leaf springs. Despite the quantum leap represented by the Airflow, wary Depression-era buyers failed to respond in the numbers Chrysler anticipated. For 1935, the more conventionally-styled SF-Series Airflows debuted, outselling the more radical SG-Series cars by a factor of over three to one.

This late-production SG-Series 1935 DeSoto Airflow Sedan was restored by Mr. Randy Rutherford, of Pennsylvania, a former DeSoto Club president. Acquired by the current owner in 2002, the Airflow clearly benefits from proper maintenance and storage, as well as limited use. It presents well and was recently fitted with a new battery. It is also stated to run smoothly. The Airflow models represent a welcome break in convention from their more common, less advanced, prewar competitors. While vastly underappreciated when new, Chrysler Corporation’s “true” Airflow models of 1934–1935 are highly prized by collectors today for their aerodynamic Art Deco lines, advanced engineering, robust driving dynamics, and relative rarity.