In the fall of 1954, a very special car was showcased on The Milton Berle Show. The 1954 Buick Special was showcased with something that would bring dramatic changes to almost every car design from that point forward – The Panoramic windshield.
Up until this point, the windshield was often thought of as a piece of glass that simply kept the outside from getting in your car. However with the introduction of the ’54 Buick Special, car designers began to realize that if you were to design cars to go faster, the windshield also had to be aerodynamically designed.
A panoramic Windshield on a 1959 Edsel Corsair
Not only did this help reduce drag on the car but it also provided a larger and wider view to the driver. This enhanced safety as much as it did for aerodynamics. No more having to lean back behind your passenger to see if something was coming while you were making a turn. A simple glance to the left and right to check and you were good to go.
The style and design of the panoramic windshield was such a hit that within a few years, almost every automaker from Chevrolet to Edsel began to use the design.
