Graham-Paige Graham Spirit of Motion (Sharknose) History

Introduced for 1938 under the slogan 'Spirit of Motion', this Graham wore one of the era's most dramatic shapes: a forward-thrusting grille and fenders that made the car look as if it were moving while standing still, earning it the nickname 'Sharknose'. It was the last design begun by Amos Northup, who died in 1937 before it was finished; Graham's own engineers completed it.

The styling drew admiration in some quarters — it won a concours d'elegance in Paris — but it was a commercial failure, and total production across the 1938–1940 run was only a few thousand cars. The sales disaster contributed directly to the end of Graham automobile production.