This 1954 Plymouth Belmont Concept is for sale and we’re in love

Plymouth Belmont 1_cr

It’s a unique concept that could have spawned a Corvette competitor

Born in 1954, a difficult year for Plymouth, the Belmont concept showed what the company could do if it wanted to build a two-seat sports car. Unfortunately, it didn't make it into production.

Barrett-Jackson's January 13-21 auction promises to be a great way to start the new year for car collectors. Among other beauties stands this 1954 Plymouth Belmont concept, and we're in love!

The first Plymouth with a fiberglass body instead of steel, the Belmont sported a poly-head 241-cu.in. (4-liter) V8 that developed 157 hp. The engine was brand-new and would be fitted in production cars a year later.

Plymouth Belmont 2_cr

The V8 was coupled with a Hy-Drive semi-automatic transmission. Because it was a concept car, the Belmont had a plexiglass windshield, missed door handles and wasn't quite waterproof. It was a functioning vehicle, though, and was later bought as such, presumably by none other than Virgil Exner, Chrysler's chief of design, instead of being destroyed (exact details are unclear).

Plymouth Belmont 4_cr

Unfortunately, its design was already `too old` for 1954, so the idea of a true Plymouth competitor for the Corvette or the Thunderbird never took production form.

Plymouth Belmont 5_cr

The car changed hands several times and received bids as high as $1.2 million in 2014, but remained unsold at the last auction. Who knows, perhaps this time we'll finally find out how much this unique concept costs in 2018. It surely is a stunner!

Plymouth Belmont 8_cr

SEE MORE: Cleanly restored '69 Chevrolet Corvette up for auction