first flew in 1959 (seen here in an F-5E version). The exotic shapes of early supersonic fighter jets dramatically influenced
automobile stylists. First, the
tailfin fad, appeared in the mid-1950s and was on the decline by the early 1960s, then the "Coke bottle" look of severely wasp-waisted high-performance jet fighters, such as the
Northrop F-5.
United States Studebaker introduced the
Raymond Loewy-designed
Avanti gran turismo with pronounced Coke bottle look in 1962. The 1962
Pontiac full-size models also "had a subtle horizontal crease about halfway down [the bodyside] and a slight wasp-waist constriction at the doors which swelled out again in the rear quarters" One of the cleanest examples of the "Coke bottle" styling was the 1963
Buick Riviera, a pioneering
personal luxury car. Chevrolet first applied the Coke bottle look on
Bill Mitchell's 1963 Corvette Sting Ray. The styling of the 1962 through 1968 versions has been described "like a bottle of Coke on wheels" because of the long hood and "powerful wheel arches". is regarded as an iconic "Coke bottle" design. By 1966, the
General Motors A-body sedans received a mid-riff pinch and "hop up" fenders. Intermediates such as the 1968-1970
Dodge Charger and
Ford Torino followed suit, as well as compacts such as the
Ford Maverick and
Plymouth Duster. General Motors also styled their
"B" body full-size cars from 1965 to 1968 with this style, which is most prominent on the "fastback" 2-door hardtop models. Chrysler's "interpretation of the Coke-bottle styling treatment to its struggling
B-body cars ... [resulted in] ... smooth lines, subtly rounded curves, and near perfect proportions." Notable automobiles with this style include many of the
muscle cars during this era, such as the
Pontiac GTO,
Chevrolet Camaro, and
Dodge Charger. However, AMC discovered that compared to slab styling with deeply sculpted ridges, "the rounded "Coke-bottle" panels would be easier to make and the dies would last longer — an important cost consideration." Author
Clinton Walker described the archetypal product of Australian suburbia, the muscle car, with its "Coke bottle hip bump but the
midriff of a
go-go dancer?" According to automotive historian Darwin Holmstrom, Chevrolet "took it to its illogical extreme with the
1968 Corvette, though that car more closely resembled a prosthetic phallus than a Coke bottle". By the late-1970s and early-1980s, cars like the
Ford Fairmont and
Chrysler K-cars moved towards straight lines. The
Audi 100 (C3) and
Ford Taurus led towards functional aerodynamic styling.
International markets This styling "was to be seen right across the marketplace and, before long, around the world". while the
Subaru 360 also used similar styling elements, notably the curvaceous "belt line". == Examples ==