1961 Ghia Asimmetrica
- Engine
- Slant inline-six with cast-iron split headers and Carter AFB carburetor (Hyper-Pack spec), Plymouth Valiant-derived
- Colour
- Red
The Plymouth Valiant-based Ghia Asimmetrica is one of at most two examples completed from a planned run of 25, closely related to Virgil Exner's radical Plymouth XNR show car of 1961. Styled by Exner and Ghia with an asymmetrical body sharing XNR body-buck panels, it features a four-seat interior and a Hyper-Pack slant-six drivetrain. The car was purchased at the Geneva Motor Show by Belgian crime novelist Georges Simenon, later passed through Swiss dealers to the Blackhawk Collection, and was fully restored to its original red livery before a 1990 Pebble Beach Concours appearance.
Ownership
- —Auction saleSold US$335,000
- → 1989Acquisition unknownRob de la Rive Box and Roger Meyerpartial documentation
Swiss dealers based in Villmergen who held the car and later brokered its sale to an American collection. During their ownership the car was repainted in non-original white with red trim; it appeared in two editions of De la Rive Box's classic car encyclopedia.
- 1989 → 2000Private saleBlackhawk Collectionfull documentation
Well-known American collector concern that acquired the car from the Swiss dealers and undertook a full one-year restoration to original specification, returning it to red with a tan interior and period-correct wheel covers.
- 2000 →Private salePacific Northwest collector familypartial documentation
Private family based in the Pacific Northwest who kept the car largely out of public view, using it occasionally while maintaining it in good order.
- Date unknownPrivate saleGeorges Simenonfull documentation
Belgian-French crime novelist who purchased the car at the Geneva Motor Show, reportedly as a gift for his wife Denyse. Transaction and ownership corroborated by multiple published sources including Simenon's own memoir and a book by Burgess-Wise.
Competition
- 19611961 Turin Motor ShowExhibited on Ghia stand
The car made its public debut on Ghia's display stand, presented without a manufacturer attribution, as the first completed example of the model.
- 19901990 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance
Displayed following completion of the Blackhawk restoration, marking the car's return to public exhibition in fully restored condition.
- —Geneva Motor ShowExhibited; purchased from stand
Believed to be the same car shown at Turin; Georges Simenon encountered and purchased it directly from the show stand.
- —Forest Grove Concours d'Elegance
A single appearance at this Oregon concours event occurred some years prior to the auction listing; no further detail on date or result is provided.
Maintenance & restoration
- 1989RestorationBlackhawk Collection restorers
A comprehensive year-long restoration returning the car to its original specification: repainted in the correct red, interior retrimmed in tan, and wheel covers sourced as close to original as possible.
Restoration completed circa 1990 in time for the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance.
- —Bodywork
While in Swiss ownership the car was refinished in a non-original white with red accent trim and a black interior, and fitted with incorrect wheel covers replacing the original specification.
Documented photographically in two editions of a classic-car reference book by the then-owner.
Are you the owner of this car?
This car's public record is built from its auction and competition history. Register your ownership and privately add your own records to make it a verified Legacy Metrics passport — provenance that backs your car's value at sale and gives your insurer evidence to price against. Roy reviews and verifies every registration personally.