Like a meteor crashing through the sky, diagonally canted quad headlights were a styling trend that shone brightly and then burned out quickly. Let’s take a look at this short-lived fad, beginning with the 1961 DeSoto pictured above.
In the US in the 1950s, automotive lighting was governed by a patchwork of state regulations and industry standards. Starting in 1957, most (but not all) states permitted the use of separate low and high beam bulbs. However, because they were not universally permitted, very few 1957 cars were offered with quad headlights. Of the few 1957 cars that were offered for sale with quad headlamps (such as the 1957 Cadillac Eldorado Brougham, 1957 Nash Ambassador, and 1957 Mercury) many had alternate single headlight front-ends to sell in states that prohibited quad headlamps.
This changed in 1958, with quad headlamps becoming legal in all 48 states. Most manufacturers switched over to the new look almost immediately (Think back to how square headlights popped up almost overnight on every car when they first became legal in 1975).
So the question with quad headlights became how to arrange them. Most manufacturers went with a side-by-side arrangement for their low and high-beam bulbs, although a few, like the aforementioned Nash, went with a vertically stacked arrangement (a look that Pontiac would popularize in the mid-60s).
And then there was Lincoln. In 1958, they were the first (and only) manufacturer to nix both the side-by-side and stacked headlight arrangement and instead lined up their headlights diagonally. I’m not really sure what the thought process was behind the canted headlights, but when you look at it in the context of the overall car, I think it is pretty obvious: Lincoln was trying to make a statement here.
Lincoln, a perennial #2 in the luxury car race (behind Cadillac), upon seeing the success that Cadillac was having with their ever more flamboyant designs, said to Cadillac, “Hold my beer.” Everything about the 1958 Lincoln was designed to scream “Hey, look at me!” from the reverse-canted “Breezeway” rear window on the Continental to the expansive 131” wheelbase to the large scallops on the front and rear fenders. Honestly, I’m surprised they didn’t try adding a third axle or a second floor. Canted headlights were just the icing on the crazy cake.
For 1959, perhaps realizing that they had gone a little overboard, Lincoln tried toning down the look just a little, integrating the canted headlights into the grille (eliminating the separate pods), and smoothing out the front and rear fenders a bit.
1959 was also the year that Buick decided to stick their toe in the canted headlight waters. This would mark Buick’s (and GM’s, for that matter) only foray into canted headlights. A one-year-only entry, Buick returned to side-by-side headlights in 1960.
By 1961, even Lincoln had switched over to the side-by-side headlight arrangement, leaving the canted headlights for dead, or so it seemed. This is where Chrysler picks up the look, and the Mopar folks went in on canted headlights in a big way in 1961. You’ve already seen the 1961 DeSoto, in the hero image at the top of this article. Above is the 1961 Chrysler. Even the turn signals are canted!
Even Plymouth got canted headlights in 1961, albeit at a much smaller angle than the Chrysler and DeSoto. Only Dodge and Imperial were spared the canted headlights, although Imperial got its own very unique freestanding headlight treatment for 1961.
Not to be outdone, Dodge got its own take on canted headlights in 1962, angled in the opposite direction than all the previous examples.
By 1963, DeSoto was gone, and Chrysler and Plymouth had gone back to side-by-side headlights. This left Dodge as the lone domestic holdout for canted headlights. They went to a slightly more conventional layout for 1963 (if such a thing can be said about diagonally canted headlights).
By 1964, no American automaker was still using diagonally canted headlights. This would be the end of the story, except for the fact that the look enjoyed a brief resurgence in Great Britain and Europe around this time, with a variety of models that used it to one degree or another. Italian stylists seem quite taken with it and spread it around the globe, actually. Here it’s on the Michelotti-styled Prince Skyline Sport of 1960, Japan’s first domestic luxury grand tourer.
Volkswagen was another adopter, and the 1961-1969 Karmann Ghia Type 34 grilleless front offered a new look to the theme.
Back in Italy, Ferrari briefly employed the look on their Pininfarina-styled 330 GT 2+2 models in 1963 and 1964.
Another Italian-styled offering (via Giugiaro, still at Bertone); the 1964-1967 Gordon Keeble GK1 from the UK.
Staying in the UK, Bentley employed the look on their S3 Continental from 1963 until 1966.
The Jensen C-V8, produced from 1962 to 1966, also featured canted headlights.
The Triumph Vitesse (with Michelotti styling) employed diagonal quad headlights during its entire run from 1962 to 1971.
Picking up from the Vitesse, Lancia offered a tamer canted headlight interpretation in their Fulvia Coupe 3, from 1974-1976, making it one of the few cars to carry this look all the way into the 1970s.
And finally, another Italian styled offering kept the look going a couple more years in Argentina: the IKA Torino, built from 1966 to 1981 with little change throughout.
But fear not, diagonophiles. You may not even realize it, but virtually all cars now feature some form of diagonal lighting. Thanks to advances in composite headlamps, computer-designed reflectors, and LED lighting (not to mention aerodynamic demands), cars can now feature pretty much every lighting shape and arrangement you can imagine.
Note: a rerun of an older post.
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Curbside Classic: 1961 Plymouth Fury – What Planet Are YOU From?
Cohort Outtake: 1964 Jensen CV8 MkII – Nice Specs
Fascinating article. Very well done!
So many ways to mis use a fad .
-Nate
I think they all look pretty decent. Except for that 62 Dart. It just looks wrong. It looks like it swallowed a better looking smaller car. Looking up front diagonal views of it, it’s not so dramatic, but it still looks like things don’t quite go together.
I wonder how long it lasted, with 4 distinct round headlight units offset diagonally. It continued into the 80s and 90s with the Golf/GTI, that’s the first thing I thought of.
Although I’ve never really thought about them, I have always like these types of headlight styles. I like them round better than rectangular as well, but I like both of them way more than the composite headlights of today.
I gather the ’74-76 Fulvia 3 only had the canted lights in the UK market, raising the outer dipped-beams to meet new UK headlight height regs.
My own impression the canted headlights are ugly. They didn’t last too long in the industry either, maybe that’s why?
If you want to see a ’60 Lincoln in action, check out the TV show Coronado 9. The star is a private eye, (what else could he be?) that drives a white convertible. What can be as stealth as a giant white Lincoln convertible? In many scenes he whips that Lincoln around turns and blasts down the straightaways. In other scenes he looks like he’s having a bit of trouble keeping it within the lane. Either way, it’s fun to see the Lincoln being treated as a real car.
Of the US makes, only the ’59 Buick looks well integrated into the design. ’60 looks odd in comparison.
I agree. The 59 Buick incorporates the canted headlights into the overall design. Buick just did it best.
Absolutely.
Came to post this. While the 1960 look isn’t horrible at 1st glance, once you see the 59, ya can’t got back.
Not only does the 59 Buick do great with “canted Headlights”, but it’s also just an all-around good looking design period.
LOVE IT!
Great article! Man that lead Desoto is ugly! No wonder they were gone shortly afterwards. The only two cars here that really look good are the Buick Electra and the Fulvia, though some of the rest are allright to pleasant, in an idiosyncratic way, like the Citroen.
One addition to the list are the Bristol 408/409/410s and the first two series of the 411, all had a version of canted headlights, though I believe the inside ones were practically speaking actually fog lights. Still the effect was the same. I wonder if the same could be said for the Karmann-Ghia? The attached 408 picture from Wikipedia.
I realized I mentioned the later versions of the Citrroen DS though it wasnt actually listed in the article. It has a similar treatment to the CV8, hence my confusion. The American version didn’t have the cover so was more obvious. Photo attached from Wikipedia as well.
The point at the end is dead on and has basically been the case for the last 15 years. Name a single model that doesn’t have canted headlights to date? This “fad” in the sealed beam era came back with a vengeance and has no signs of ending. Even the horrid Cybertruck with its ruler straight lines succumbed to pulling its not-headlights back and up diagonally like every modern car to give it an extra level of aggression.
It was ugly then and it’s ugly now as far as I’m concerned
Very entertaining collection, thanks for putting it together. I think the Buick is the winner (there is no Buick like Angry Buick), but the Bentley has grown on me over the years. Seemed like a total blunder the first time I saw one, but now I think that little bit of aggression makes it into something other than a Rolls with a different grille.
The ds was a very special car with so many things it did and had the hydraulics. Probably drove like a dream.
Really like the “63, Dodge”. Always have.
I realized I mentioned the later versions of the Citrroen DS though it wasnt actually listed in the article. It has a similar treatment to the CV8, hence my confusion. The American version didn’t have the cover so was more obvious. Photo attached from Wikipedia as well.
American Motors should have adopted the IKA Torino design in the 60’s.
Would have added a deluxe sporty image to the US lineup.
The 1962 Dodge Dart always looked as if it needed to visit an ophthalmologist. With these designs we can always say, “Someone had to try it.” I do like some of the canted headlamp treatments including the 1959 Buick and the over-the-top 1958 to 1960 Lincolns. In the case of the Lincoln, if one must show up at the club, show up as showy as possible and NEVER EVER park your own vehicle, lest your peers not notice that you have arrived – and I do mean one’s status. I have lived the mundane life with ordinary headlights until LED was introduced. I still live a mundane life, but my headlights say so much about me. “Old man bought vehicle with LED headlamps. How exciting!”
When I was growing up before age 15 (I’m now 70), my father owned a 1958 Chrysler New Yorker 2 door hardtop, light blue with a white top. I thought my Dad the coolest car in the neighborhood…big & muscular with that Hemi. Later in my life, I wanted recreate that feeling of my Dad’s Chrysler and found my great 1961 Chrysler Newport in a Montana wrecking yard. Though it was missing it’s 361 V8 and it’s original MANUAL 3 SPEED transmission, my mission was clear, I needed to buy it and resto-mod my way. With it’s ORIGINAL paint and patina, now with a built 440, 833 4-speed, disc brakes, 3.55 8-3/4 rear axle (all from a rolled 1969 Charger R/T) , I engage with those econo boxes on the open road. I personally love the canted headlight look, the car looks and drives with authority…not everybodys thought of a cool car, but I like it and with the compliments I get, other enthusiasts like it also !! Thank you !
Nice Indeed.
My ’61Chrysler Newport along side with my ’35 Dodge rumbleseat coupe, 340 all-Mopar built
Lincoln had stacked headlamps for the 1957 models, although the lower positions were parking lights in states where quad headlamps had not yet been allowed, also higher end Mercury models, definitely the Turnpike Cruiser on the 1957 cars. Personally I think Buick made the best looking General Motors cars for the 1959 models.
Every one of those cars has more captivating style, intrigue, and visual appeal than *anything* Detroit has produced for a very long time.
I remember those weird days. Funny looking cars, skinny men and women, goofy songs, weird hairdos and crooners.