Airflow of Carioca? Who was First? (UPDATE II: the Budd connection)

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Chrysler’s Airflow we all know, but Carioca? Sure, a swinging Latin dance, but also a nickname for Volvo’s first attempt at streamlining. Designed by Ivan Örnberg, an engineer who had worked for the Hupp Motor Co. in Detroit, the PV36 as it was officially named, came on the market in 1935. It is often said that Örnberg copied the Airflow, which appeared one year earlier, but this is unlikely as the lead time for designing a car from scratch is certainly more than a year. Örnberg left Hupp in 1931, so it’s more likely that he knew of early discussions about streamlining that resulted in the Hupmobile Aerodynamic (kitfoster.com), also introduced in 1934. Yet there’s almost no resemblance between the Volvo and the Hupmobile. True, it can be said the Airflow and the Carioca do have a certain likeness, but that’s perhaps due to the influence the famous Raymond Loewy began to have on industrial designing and streamlining in the early thirties. It may even be so that Örnberg and Loewy knew each other as Loewy also worked for Hupp in 1930/1931. What do you think? (photos courtesy Volvo Car Corporation)

Update II by Hugh Nutting: "In the early 1930s Budd Company began building concept cars that had much to do with the "airflow" look. Their ideas were used for the Chrysler Airflow and the Lincoln Zephyr. As an International business, Budd made auto body stampings for the UK and Euro countries. Pressed Steel Company-UK and Ambi-Budd in Germany that also supplied France. Their design research ideas were offered to their many customers. Hupp was also a Budd customer."
Update by Barrie Down: “Streamlining was certainly not new in 1934. Tatra announced their T77 in March 1934 based on their 1931 prototype, probably the first series production streamliner. However...

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