THE VEHICLE AT A GLANCE
Model dossier
- Production period
- 1960
- Body style
- Roadster
- Engine
- V6
- Type
- Concept
THE PEOPLE BEHIND THE CAR
Coachbuilding, design & conversions
PRICE & SALES RECORD
Vehicle value
- Original price
- Not documented
- Latest recorded sale
- USD 935,000 2012 · RM Auctions
01 / THE STORY
History & context
The Plymouth XNR owes its name to its designer, Virgil M. Exner, Chief Designer of the Chrysler group. Of this very personal expression of his design philosophy, Exner said that he “was striving to avoid the grandeur and the stillness that are clumsy and not suited to a car. The goal is to try to give a graceful look with a shape that inspires movement. The wedge shape expresses this function of the car because it gives a sense of direction “. The Plymouth XNR development was entrusted to Carrozzeria Ghia after a design of Virgil Exner, precusor of his revival cars concept. The goal was to rival sports models from other brands, including the Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet Corvette, however, while these models were mass-produced, the XNR was too far ahead of its time and was never marketed. Built in Turin by Ghia, the Plymouth XNR immediately catches the eye with its asymmetrical styling, huge front air intake and headrest that extends all the way to the rear. Back which is also extremely asymmetrical ending with a huge “cross” on the left side. The driver’s seat, at first, makes it look like a single-seater, but the second passenger seat is hidden under the lid. As for the engine, it’s not exactly a “muscle car”, in fact it features a 2.8-liter Slant-Six (6 V-cylinders) that delivers 250 hp. The Plymouth XNR could easily reach 7000 rpm reaching a top speed of 240 kilometers per hour! The only existing model was sold at RM Sothebys auction for the modest sum of $ 935,000.
02 / TECHNICAL IDENTITY
Specifications & construction
Production & construction
- Production type
- Concept
Engine & performance
- Engine configuration
- V6
Design & manufacture
- Coachbuilder / Body Builder · Documented
- Ghia
- Designer · Documented
- Virgil Exner
- Manufacturer · Documented
- Plymouth
- Design features · Legacy attribution
- Space Age
04 / INDIVIDUAL HISTORY
Chassis & provenance
Ownership & provenance
- Ownership & history · Legacy attribution
- Museum Car
Chassis 9999997
- Chassis number
- 9999997
- Year
- 1960
05 / VALUE
Value & price history
Recorded sale history
USD · 1 recorded sale
- Last sale
- USD 935,0002012
- Highest sale
- USD 935,0001 recorded sale
- Average sale
- USD 935,000Completed sales only
RECORDED SALES
Recorded sale history
USD
Recorded sale history
USD · 2 dated salesEach point is a completed sale with its own date, in chronological order. Dates are positioned by calendar time, with approximate placement when only a year or month is documented. The connecting line shows observed sales prices in this currency, not an appreciation index: transactions may concern different chassis and specifications. Factory prices and unsold estimates are excluded.
Auction & sale history
| Date | Venue | Chassis | Record | Status | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | RM Auctions | Chassis 9999997 | Sale price | Sold | USD 935,000 |
| 2012 | RM Auctions | Model-level · chassis not verified | Sale price | Sold | USD 935,000 |
Market observations describe documented transactions, estimates or offers. They are not themselves a current valuation of the vehicle.
06 / EVENTS & AWARDS
Events & awards
No events or documented awards are currently recorded for this vehicle.
07 / THE VEHICLE IN DETAIL
Photo gallery 3 photographs
08 / FROM THE ARCHIVE
Archive
No publishable archival references are currently catalogued for this vehicle.











THE CONVERSATION
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