The 1934 Chrysler Airflow was the first streamlined American production automobile built in significant numbers.
Chrysler developed the Airflow to make vehicle design more aerodynamic and to improve passenger packaging. Its smooth, rounded body, integrated fenders, forward-set cabin, and rear-mounted fuel tank contrasted sharply with the upright, separate-fender styling common in the early 1930s.
Engineers tested scale models in wind tunnels and moved the passenger compartment forward, placing occupants between the axles rather than mostly behind the front wheels. The result was better weight distribution and a quieter, more spacious cabin.
The Airflow was technologically influential but commercially unsuccessful. Buyers were cautious about its unfamiliar appearance, and early production problems damaged its reputation. It is sometimes confused with the Tatra 77, which appeared earlier in Europe, or the Lincoln-Zephyr, which later popularized streamlined American styling.