Greenwich Concours Preview: 1973 Momo Mirage

momo 1

2012 was not only the year that the Mayan prophecy came true (the one about New Kids on the Block and the Backstreet Boys combining to battle the forces of good), but it was also the year that the Momo Mirage emerged from relative anonymity from one of the dustier pages of automotive history. Specifically, it was the chapter on late 1960s hybrids that made a big splash early on but then quickly fizzled for various reasons. And it is perhaps one of the best cars to begin our preview of Greenwich Concours, as this is the type of machine you’re likely to come across while wandering the field at the 2013 edition of the event.

Like many mid-century hybrids, the Mirage was the result of a collaboration between many different companies and people. As the story goes, Peter Kalikow was shopping for a DBS but was talked out of buying one by Alfredo Momo, who had a Jaguar dealership in New York City at the time. Disappointed with the DBS (cause who wouldn’t be?) Kalikow and Momo decided to create their own grand tourer, with Kalikow providing the funding and Momo providing his contacts in the automotive business. What resulted was a striking car, but one whose life was cut short very early on.

momo 2

The exterior of the Mirage was designed by Gene Garfinkle at Frua, with Pietro Frua overseeing the final design, while the chassis itself was engineered by Stanguellini.  Power in the Mirage came from specially tuned Chevy 350 engine mated either to 5-speed or automatic transmission. It is unclear just how many of these ended up with which transmission, though that hardly matters now. 

momo 3

There is some debate as to just how many of these were assembled at the time, and how many are in assembled state now. A completed prototype was shown at the 1972 New York International Auto Show, where it was well received, and Kalikow ordered parts for the next 25 examples before doom arrived in the form of labor disputes in Italy and a general economic downturn at home. A total of two cars had been completed by that point, and at least three more shells existed in half-completed states. And right now there appear to be at least three completed Mirages, including this blue example which may or may not be the third car (not the third car off the line, but a third completed example).

momo 4

A silver Mirage with chassis number 00102 appeared at Villa d’Este in 2009, and a couple years later this blue example emerged at Amelia in March of 2012. And just a few months later I had the opportunity to see it up close at Greenwich (where I was the sole visitor, as these photos prove).

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If you absolutely must have something like this, might I suggest an early De Tomaso Longchamp? While the De Tomaso was penned by a different design house, namely Ghia, the proportions are vaguely the same, and it also has American power underhood. Ultimately, the Momo Mirage is one of those cars that inevitably invites discussions of what two or three cars’ designs were mixed together to create it.

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Each person at the concours had their own theories, and some of them actually made quite a bit of sense. I’ll open it up to you hoons, what cars do you see in the design of the Mirage?

Full gallery from Greenwich Concours 2012 below:

 

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26 responses to “Greenwich Concours Preview: 1973 Momo Mirage”

  1. scroggzilla Avatar
    scroggzilla

    I see a lot of Fiat 130 coupe, especially in the roof line.
    <img src="http://www.carnogain.com/images/fiat-130-coupe-01.jpg"&gt;

    1. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar

      Therefore also (if you squint or take drugs) MKII Cortina 2-door
      <img src="http://bringatrailer.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/10/1969_FOrd_Cortina_GT_MkII_Rear_1.jpg&quot; width=420>
      Image stolen from Bringatrailer.com

    2. Peter Tanshanomi Avatar
      Peter Tanshanomi

      I think I like the looks of the 130 better. And it would be a lot more fun and practical to own.

    3. CJinSD Avatar
      CJinSD

      <img src="http://p4.storage.canalblog.com/46/24/568981/68836449.jpg&quot; width="600">
      I see some Monteverdi, and more than a bit of AC 428.

      1. Jay_Ramey Avatar
        Jay_Ramey

        Whoa, that GAZ 3102 cabrio is lookin' good!

    4. Jay_Ramey Avatar
      Jay_Ramey

      By the way, just 2 years ago there was a Fiat 130 Coupe for sale at Greenwich at the Christie's auction, a silver one. I think Don Osborne either bought it, or bid on it. It went for like $8K I recall.
      Yeah, one of like 4 in the US or something.

  2. RichardKopf Avatar
    RichardKopf

    The front reminds me of an Iso Fidia, but that's where that comparison stops. The rear definitely reminds me of the Longchamp.
    I am sincerely happy that there are hoons out there with pockets big enough to keep this cars alive. We're all better for it.

  3. dukeisduke Avatar
    dukeisduke

    I can also see a little Lancia Fulvia in the Mirage. I'm not crazy about all of Frua's designs, but I love the Mirage. I seem to remember reading another article about them in the last couple of years, maybe on the Hemmings Daily blog. Lots of details about the design process and the labor problems.

  4. dukeisduke Avatar
    dukeisduke

    Jay, here's the article I read:
    http://www.ultimatecarpage.com/car/4132/Momo-Mira
    The silver car is chassis number 00102, and there are recent pictures out there of a burgundy car (I don't know its chassis number).
    According to comments in the UCP link above, stylist Gene Garfinkle passed away several years ago in LA.

    1. Jay_Ramey Avatar
      Jay_Ramey

      Ahh, makes sense, so the silver 00102 may be in Europe now. Kalikow has been taking the blue one to concours events over the past year or so.

  5. Rust-MyEnemy Avatar

    I'm pretty sure I had heard of this, but not for a long time. There are so many familiar bits, as everybody says, from Iso, De Tomaso, Lancia etc, but also millions of little bits you can't really put your finger on. It's like somebody you're sure you've met before, but have no idea whether it was last week, ten years ago, or in a dream.

  6. Slow_Joe_Crow Avatar
    Slow_Joe_Crow

    The greenhouse and overall proportions look a lot like a Bitter SC <img src"http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Bitter_SC_Seitenansicht.jpg/220px-Bitter_SC_Seitenansicht.jpg"&gt; and also a Ferrari 400 <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c3/Ferrari_400.jpg/280px-Ferrari_400.jpg"&gt;, although both of these are later cars, and I also see some Frua Maserati in the front end.

    1. Slow_Joe_Crow Avatar
      Slow_Joe_Crow

      My comment got mangled, what i meant to say was I saw Bitter SC and Ferrari 400 in the greenhouse and proportions and also some Frua bodied Maserati in the front styling. Both the Bitter and Ferrari are later cars so it is more likely that the Momo inspired the Bitter and Ferrari.
      <img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8f/Bitter_SC_Seitenansicht.jpg/220px-Bitter_SC_Seitenansicht.jpg"&gt; Bitter Sc for completeness

  7. OA5599 Avatar
    OA5599

    The trapezoidal grille and recessed headlights remind me of a mid-60's Chrysler.

    1. Jay_Ramey Avatar
      Jay_Ramey

      Yeah, I know what you mean, almost like something Exner would have drawn.

    2. P161911 Avatar

      A fair amount of Chrysler 300K in there.
      <img src="http://www.vaultcars.com/wp-content/uploads/64Chrysler300-003-1024×681.jpg&quot; width="500/">

  8. wisc47 Avatar
    wisc47

    I like it, however to me the overall proportions seem a bit generic.

  9. nanonano Avatar
    nanonano

    " Kalikow and Momo decided to create their own grand tourer" – that spirit is no more. Rich people just gold-wrap their suvs nowadays.

    1. Jay_Ramey Avatar
      Jay_Ramey

      Or start electric car companies. I hear that's popular right now.

      1. nanonano Avatar
        nanonano

        "Dissapointed by his Tesla, he decided to wrap it in tinfoil".

    2. P161911 Avatar

      This is the closest semi-modern car I can think of that comes close to the concept in spirit.
      <img src="http://static.cargurus.com/images/site/2008/04/18/01/05/2003_panoz_esperante_2_dr_std_convertible-pic-18957.jpeg"width=500&gt;
      The Panoz Esperante.

      1. nanonano Avatar
        nanonano

        Panoz? Very good point indeed! "dissapointed by european GT2 racing, he created his own series" (ALMS)

  10. Spring-heeled Jack Avatar
    Spring-heeled Jack

    I love all the 'hybrid' cars from the 50s – 60s – 70s: Iso, Jensen, Facel, Ghia. Best of both worlds and likely worst too. But all of them beautiful and fast.

  11. Van_Sarockin Avatar
    Van_Sarockin

    I like it. Too bad they couldn't have built a few more before it all went to smash. Also too bad that no one else picked up the tooling to augment their lines. Chrysler Imperial. Mercury Marauder. AMC Tuna….

  12. lilpoindexter Avatar
    lilpoindexter

    It looks like a car batman would drivewhen the batmobile was in the shop.
    But, it is really beautiful.

  13. Vairship Avatar
    Vairship

    I see Jaguar XJ40 headlights. <img src="http://www.jaguar-club.net/graphics/gallery/full/81_1987_xj40_44717849996e4.jpg&quot; width="600">
    Source: http://www.jaguar-club.net/gallery_detail.php?id=
    Which would make sense, except that the Jag arrived after the Momo.