1979 Buehrig Prototype

Richard Kughn, a Detroit businessman, teamed up with automotive designer Gordon Buehrig to produce a new vehicle in the late 1970s. The result of this union was the Buehrig Motor Car Company. Their car was based on the Chevrolet Corvette platform and was intended to have a limited run of just 50 vehicles. This was the first car to bear the Buehrig name. Four prototype cars were built between 1979 and 1982 and this example is one of those prototypes. There is a lift-off roof panel that Gordon Buehrig pioneered in the 1949 Tasco design.

The interior features bright yellow and blue upholstery treatments that correspond with the colors of the Swedish flag. This design was specially requested by Buehrig, in honor of his wife, Kay, who is of Swedish heritage.

Mounted under the bonnet is a 350 cubic-inch V-8 engine that produces nearly 200 horsepower. The wheelbase measures 120 inches and cost $130,000 to produce.

By Daniel Vaughan | Nov 2010