Phantom Corsair: The 1938 Futuristic Dream Car That Defined Streamline Moderne

The Streamline Moderne movement transformed Art Deco aesthetics into sleeker, faster-looking designs. While the Cord 810/812 stands as one of the most iconic automotive examples of this style, its lesser-known offshoot—the 1938 Phantom Corsair—could be considered the first true concept car.

Today, the Phantom Corsair resides at the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada, where its long, streamlined contours evoke the speed and aspiration of the 1936 Mercury trains. Though neither the train nor the car achieved lasting commercial success, both left an indelible mark on history by pushing the boundaries of design and engineering.

Built on a Cord 810 Foundation

Both the Mercury train and the Phantom Corsair were products of creative repurposing. The Mercury was constructed from leftover commuter trains of the era, while the Phantom Corsair drew its inspiration from the supercharged Cord 810. Sajeev Mehta of Motor Cities and the National Automobile Museum notes that the Cord’s 170 horsepower remains impressive even by modern standards.

“I’ve personally experienced the Supercharged Cord’s 170 horsepower, and this 98-year-old car’s ability to keep up with modern traffic is downright gobsmacking. It has the power, the poise, and the comfort of a modern car, and only lacks its brakes.”

The Cord 810 provided the perfect platform for Rust Heinz’s vision—a car with fewer doors, a fastback roofline, and a body infused with aluminum and sound insulation for high-speed comfort. The result was the Phantom Corsair, a vehicle so ahead of its time that it felt more at home in Eisenhower’s Interstate Highway System than in the 1930s.

Rust Heinz: The Visionary Behind the Phantom Corsair

The Phantom Corsair was the brainchild of Rust Heinz, heir to the Heinz food empire. Though his family legacy was in condiments, Heinz pursued his passion for automotive and nautical design. The Phantom Corsair was one of his most ambitious projects, realized in collaboration with the Bohman & Schwartz coachbuilding company in Pasadena, California.

When the car debuted in 1938, it was renamed the Flying Wombat for the film The Young in Heart. While it didn’t set the standard for all futuristic vehicles in cinema, its influence seeped into broader automotive culture. Features like its chopped and channeled body foreshadowed the custom cars of the 1950s.

A Radical Departure from Convention

The Phantom Corsair stood out for its revolutionary engineering. Bohman & Schwartz widened the Cord’s front-wheel-drive underpinnings, allowing four passengers to comfortably occupy the front seat. This bold redesign, combined with its futuristic aesthetics, made the car a marvel of its time.

Tragically, only one Phantom Corsair was ever produced—a deliberate choice by Heinz to limit its run. Yet nearly a century later, its engineering and design remain radical. The car’s legacy endures, thanks in part to automotive legend Jay Leno, who has examined and showcased the Phantom Corsair. Phil MacDougall, president of the National Automobile Museum, brought the car to Leno’s garage, allowing him to highlight its unique style and engineering.

Why the Phantom Corsair Still Matters Today

The Phantom Corsair was more than just a concept car; it was a glimpse into the future of automotive design. Its blend of Streamline Moderne elegance, innovative engineering, and forward-thinking features continues to inspire designers and enthusiasts alike. As a one-off masterpiece, it remains a symbol of what happens when visionary design meets unbridled creativity.