Wow. If it is what they say it is, the body design is very predictive of some late '70's, early '80's typical auto styling. Not often does a concept car predict that far into the future. I'm seeing some '84 Corvette flavor in there. Devon
Never seen this before. Pretty wild. It'd have made a perfect villain's car in one of the Bond flicks.
1967 Exemplar I Concept Current Bid: $25,500 This Exemplar I is a one-off coachbuilt show car with Italian coachwork based on a 1967 Buick Riviera Gran Sport chassis that was commissioned by the Bridgeport Brass Company and the Copper Development Association to model the potential applications for copper, brass, and bronze in automotive design and engineering. Featuring copper-lavished coachwork designed by Mario Revelli de Beaumont and built by Turin’s Carrozzeria Coggiola, the car made its public debut at the 1968 New York Auto Show and subsequently toured the US for two years before being decommissioned and slated for destruction in 1970. It was instead reportedly purchased by the Bridgeport Brass Company head Herman Steinkraus and remained in storage until resurfacing in the 1990s. It was subsequently purchased for a Connecticut collection and underwent a refurbishment in 2015 before winning its class at the 2016 Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance. Acquired by the seller in 2024, the car is finished in cream with copper, bronze, and brass trim and is powered by a copper-dressed 430ci V8 paired with a three-speed automatic transmission. Copper alloy elements include front brake discs, hydraulic brake lines, angled dual radiators, electrical components, brass-plated 16” wire wheels with spinner-style bronze covers, and interior accents. Additional features include a limited-slip differential, heavy-duty suspension with adjustable pneumatic shock absorbers, twin panoramic roof panels, a front-mounted spare, red leather interior upholstery, multi-way adjustable seats with custom copper seat adjustment mechanisms, air conditioning, power windows, and a radio. This Exemplar I concept car is now offered in West Hartford, Connecticut, by the seller on behalf of the current owner, a licensed retail dealer, with period advertising literature, design sketches penned by Mario Revelli de Beaumont, and Vermont registration describing it as a 1967 Buick Riviera. The Exemplar I was the second concept car backed by the Copper Development Association following the Ford-based 1964 Mercer Cobra and was commissioned in partnership with the Bridgeport Brass Company of the National Distillers and Chemical Corporation. The Exemplar’s styling was entrusted to Carrozzeria Coggiola of Turin, Italy, which was provided a 1967 Buick Riviera Gran Sport that was subsequently clothed in one-off coachwork with a delta profile penned by Mario Revelli de Beaumont. While retaining a standard Buick powertrain, the design utilized copper alloys in numerous aesthetic and technical capacities in an attempt to inspire expanded use of the material by automakers. The body is finished in the concept’s original shade of cream and features copper and copper alloy details including a bronze grille flanked by matching panels concealing pop-up headlights, bronze-coated steel bumpers, and brass rear window louvers, as well as a bronze roll-bar cover, rocker-panel covers, beltline trim, conical-shaped side mirrors, pop-out door handles, window and cowl trim, and dual exhaust outlets. Additional features include twin glass roof panels, an electrically defrosting rear window, and Exemplar I badges. Period literature describes a protective transparent coating over the copper and copper alloy elements. Brass-plated 16” wire wheels wear custom spinner-style covers with vented copper-coated ears and are wrapped in Michelin Latitude Tour HP tires measuring 235/60 up front and 255/65 at the rear. A spare housed under the hood at the nose of the car wears a copper disc cover and 215/65 Michelin rubber. The power-assisted hydraulic brakes incorporate vented copper rotors up front and copper hydraulic lines along with finned drums at the rear. The cabin is trimmed in red leather and houses a pair of front bucket seats with four-way power adjustment as well as additional manual back and headrest adjustment, while the rear bench features a power-adjustable back. Copper accents include the console and center tunnel trim, seat side shields, door and dash garnish, vents, stirrup shifter, roof panel frames, and various other trim and switchgear. Additional features include black padded dash upholstery, a pleated black headliner, air conditioning, power windows, and a radio. The wood-rimmed Nardi steering wheel is accented by copper and sits ahead of a two-tiered copper instrument panel housing a 140-mph drum-style speedometer and ancillary gauges. The five-digit odometer shows 1,800 miles, approximately one of which has been added under current ownership. The General Motors 430ci V8 breathes through a four-barrel carburetor beneath a copper air cleaner cover accented by the National Distillers and Chemical Corporation’s initials, while copper valve covers feature Exemplar I script. Dual copper heat exchangers arranged in a V handle the engine cooling and air conditioning systems, while copper is also utilized for the coolant expansion tank, hood hardware and pad, firewall shrouding, and electrical components. Output was factory rated at 360 horsepower and 475 lb-ft of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels via a three-speed automatic transmission and a Positraction rear end with a 3.42:1 ratio. The chassis is said to utilize the heavy-duty suspension that was standard for the Riviera GS, and is also equipped with adjustable air shocks, the functioning of which is demonstrated in two videos in the gallery below. A plate stamped affixed in the engine bay is stamped with number 6749467, which is listed as the car’s identification number on the Vermont registration. A collection of Mario Rivelli de Beaumont design art is included in the sale along with a shipping box addressed from Mario Revilli de Beaumont to Bridgeport Brass Company. Additional period promotional material is also included. The car does not have a title, as it is registered in a state that does not issue titles for a vehicle of its age. It is being sold on its registration, which is expired and carries an antique brand.
Kinda scary how they supported it on the lift. Rear pads on a second gen Riv go on the pinch weld. And they almost missed on the front pad
