This automobile is a 1939 Plymouth P-8 Deluxe coupe. It was among the first cars to feature a gearshift lever on the steering column instead of in the traditional location on the floor. The streamlined styling of the 1939 Plymouth is among the best examples of art-deco automotive form and ornamentation. In the late 1920s and 1930s, Chrysler Corporation successfully marketed Plymouth as a low-priced rival to Ford and Chevrolet. Strong sales of the new make constituted a bright spot during the Great Depression. Plymouth stood at number three in production volume by 1931, and output reached a half million cars per year by 1936. Several other auto manufacturers had introduced "companion" marques in the 1920s, but only Plymouth achieved high volume and found a lasting place in the market. Car collector and museum curator Richie Clyne donated this example to the Smithsonian in 2003.