The Plymouth XNR is a concept car developed by Chrysler. It was designed by Virgil Exner, and first shown in 1960. Also called the XNR 500, the car is an open roadster with some asymmetric features, and was proposed as a sporty addition to the Plymouth model lineup, and as competition for the Chevrolet Corvette. History Automobile designer Virgil Exner left Studebaker to join Chrysler in 1949. Chrysler's previous designers favored conservative, upright bodystyles, but sales were declining. At Chrysler, one of his first challenges was to wrest final say over design away from the engineering department. Exner commissioned a range of concept cars that were built in Italy by Carrozzeria Ghia. Among these were several sporty, open-top, two-seat cars, including three out of four of the cars in the Dodge Firearrow series, and the Chrysler Falcon. These studies were Chrysler's answer to the Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet Corvette. The XNR went through several name changes during development. Some early drawings label it the "Falcon". This was also the development name of the car that became the production Valiant, until Ford registered it for their own new compact. Later the car was called the Asymmetrica, and later still renamed "XNR", a disemvoweled, pseudo-acronym of the designer's own last name. The shape of the XNR was influenced by a Studebaker Indianapolis race car that Exner owned, as well as by the later asymmetrical Watson Indy Roadster, and the Jaguar D-Type. As originally built, the car reached a speed of on Chrysler's test track. Exner is said to have personally driven the car on the track at speeds up to . Later, after being fitted with a fiberglass nosecone fabricated by Dick Burke and receiving additional engine modifications, the car reached a top speed of . In May 1960, the XNR appeared on the covers of both Road & Track and Motor Trend magazines, then in May 1961 on the cover of Today's Motor Sports magazine. The car made its first public appearance at the 1960 New York Auto Show. Chrysler did not put the Plymouth XNR into production. Exner wanted to buy the car from Chrysler, but was unsuccessful. The XNR was shipped back to Ghia in Italy to prevent it from being destroyed. After being returned to Ghia, the XNR was purchased by a Swiss buyer, who later sold it to Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, the Shah of Iran. After that