Remembering the 1956 Astra-Gnome, the Absolutely Gorgeous 'Time and Space Car'

We could look back on those designs today and wonder, if not laugh, at the naivety of everyone involved, from the automakers to the designers and the people for whom those designs were for. But the reality is that the retrofuturist, Space Age designs of those years remain some of the most beautiful creations on wheels. And none as much as the Astra-Gnome, officially described at the time as "The Time and Space Car."

The 1956 Astra-Gnome was commissioned by American Motors Corporation for the '56 New York International Auto Show. They wanted a car that would make waves and they'd decided that they could get the kind of attention they wanted by building a car of the future. It would be the car of the year 2000, to be more precise, and it would be closer in styling to a UFO than the automobiles they had on the road back then.

It would also be luxurious and spacious, and it would have features the cars of the day didn't. It would replace "gaudy paint schemes" with interchangeable aluminum panels, anodized to different colors for a bit more diversity. It would be a spaceship on wheels, but of the most luxurious kind, and it would live up to its name as "The Time and Space Car."

Issues arose right away, when the styling department told American Motors brass that they couldn't do the project. They agreed on getting someone from the outside for a fresher, more creative vision and, to their luck, they turned to former collaborator and esteemed industrial designer Richard Arbib.

In his storied career, Arbib did everything from cars for GM, Cadillac, and Henney/Packard to timepieces for Hamilton Watches and Omega, vacuum cleaners and dirigibles. He was the go-to industrial designer for the Space Age look American Motors were going for with this project.

The entire process took about four months (or six at the most, according to other reports) and was completed just in time for the event. It was a resounding success: the vehicle was featured heavily in the media, both trade publications and popular magazines (including a fashion spread in Esquire), and was positively received by attendees. The questionnaire handed out to visitors returned an 88% approval rate for the car.

Not that American Motors ever planned on taking the Astra-Gnome into production. It was designed as a concept from the start, a study into the design language that would influence future releases. The company believed functionality would take second place to style and comfort, even saying in a press release that the cars of the future wouldn't focus on speed or performance, but out-of-this-world aesthetics and luxurious features.

Let's just say that the Astra-Gnome was as wrong in predicting the future as American Motors was in anticipating design trends. But it remains one of the most beautiful space-themed vehicles of the decade.

It might come as a surprise, but underneath that extra-curvaceous exterior is a rather unassuming and quite small 1955 Nash Metropolitan in factory spec. No modifications were made to its powertrain, so we're talking only about cosmetic mods. The body of the Astra-Gnome is all aluminum, hand-molded or machined by engineers from Alcoa Aluminum from New York.

The concept is 25% heavier than the donor Nash, but its weight is still under 2,000 lbs (907 kg) because of the use of aluminum. The Astra-Gnome has no doors, and access inside the two-seater cabin is done via the bubble canopy, which is made from Plexiglas by Steiner Plastics Company. The canopy opens at the press of a button, thanks to a motor-driven aluminum arm that lifts it up. Make that two buttons because there's one inside the cabin and another one outside the car.

The canopy serves a triple function. For starters, it offers unparalleled visibility, including of the curb when parking, rendering side mirrors useless, and creates the impression of flying because of this excellent vantage point. Secondly, it delivers the joy of driving an open-top because it has air conditioning, but without any of the disadvantages of a convertible, like wind messing up your hair. Thirdly, it's the perfect sound chamber for the integrated true hi-fi radio and record playing setup.

The Astra-Gnome also featured tailfins, not that this needed mentioning anymore. It had retractable running boards, wrap-around bumper protection, and genuine leather interior: black and blue leather for the seats and black leather on the floors. The dashboard was equally futuristic and highlighted as centerpiece a Hamilton Celestial Time Zone Clock that Arbib also designed.

Arbib's irregular-shaped Hamilton watches are a hit with collectors today, but he's just as famous for his space-themed horological designs. The clock he put in the Astra-Gnome is a one-of-two creation, with Arbib keeping the prototype. It has a planetary chart and features two complications to tell time. Legend has it that the constellations on the face are genuine diamonds, backlit to sparkle like real stars, but that's probably just a rumor.

Measuring 13.5 feet (4.2 meters) in length and 6 feet (1.8 meters) in width, the Astra-Gnome was larger than its contemporaries. Arbib used the extra space to create a system of "integra-luggage," six pieces of luggage made of matching leather and placed in the otherwise "wasted" space inside the cabin. Extra large glove boxes on either side were also available. Clearly, American Motors believed that luggage-carrying would be one of the biggest problems of the man (and woman) of the year 2000.

While the Astra-Gnome was never intended for production, it was, from the start, a fully functional concept. It was driven a lot upon its introduction and even saw some action after its restoration. Indeed, the Astra-Gnome is still around: it was lost for some years before it was re-discovered in the '80s, sealed in a New York high-rise office.

The Astra-Gnome is now with the Metropolitan Pit Stop in North Hollywood, CA, but is on loan with the Petersen Automotive Museum until November 2024, as part of its Eyes on the Road exhibition. Check it out if you're there in that timeframe, and you won't regret it.