Search Results

Chevrolet dubbed the XT-1 a truck, while it appears as a van intended to attract buyers who enjoy being outdoors. The four-wheel-drive XT-1 dropped down for ease of entry and shifted into a four-wheel-drive automatically when needed. The entire top half of the vehicle was glass, mating it appears as a greenhouse or a long glass tube. The car "s thirty computers checked the operations and transferred information to a single display screen in front of the steering pod. Four-wheel long-travel independent suspension allowed each of the wheels to travel up to 10.5 inches to individually adjust to changes in the road, surface, preventing loads from shifting and providing the passengers with a smoother ride. The driver could also set the suspension characteristics and trim heights differently depending on the terrain. The vehicle could drop up to one inch for easy entry and could be set up to four inches higher for rough off-road exploring. Four-comer leveling compensated for uneven load distribution. The transfer case included a self-sensing four-wheel-drive operation that automatically shifted the XT-1 into a four-wheel-drive when it sensed that a wheel was beginning to slip. A computer maximized performance by sensing slip and shifting torque fore and aft as much as 30 percent to the other axle in four-wheel-drive. Source: Concept Car Central Images: GM; Concept Car Central

More than just another aerodynamic concept vehicle, the Chevrolet Express, initially shown in 1987, was the latest iteration of General Motors' long-running experimentation with the gas turbine. Powered by a mid-mounted GM AGT-5 turbine, the Express was designed to be capable of running at a constant 150 miles per hour. It was not a toy for the hot rodder. It was part of a system of federal limited access highways where high-speed travel was the norm. The four-passenger, the two-door car, was accessed with a hatch raising the roof. The coefficient of drag was terrific at .195. Ground effects built into the carbon-fiber body-covered wheels and engine location were part of the speed package. Electronic gadgetry abounded, including drive-by-wire controls, instrumentation, and three dash-mounted screens and cameras replacing mirrors. The car is also seen in Back to the Future Part II upon Marty's arrival in the year 2015. Source: carstyling.ru

Subaru's colorful Jo-Car was one of several automotive fashion statements at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show. If you look past the colours, it used a clever three-value-per-cylinder 544cc engine allied to a super-smooth CVT gearbox. Source: Subaru

Following several rejections, where its designs stayed close to Jaguar’s design DNA of the time, Bertone changed its approach. By 1977, Gandini was in his full wedge-era prime, having designed the Alfa Romeo Carabo, Lancia Stratos Zero, and Lamborghini Countach, and applied his signature style to a four-seater Jaguar coupé, the Ascot. The Ascot was based on the XJS’ platform, albeit shortened in the wheelbase by around 200mm. The right-hand drive concept also used the Jaguar’s 5.3-liter V12 and automatic transmission, and was unveiled at the Turin Motor Show in 1977. Sources: carthrottle.com (photos), (context from) CarolinaJaguarClub.com

This 1994 Range Rover was commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei for his brother, Prince Jefri. At a reputed cost of around £135,000 ($163,500 USD), Townley stretched the chassis and body by 40 inches, incorporating two additional fixed Range Rover doors in the center and a roof raised by 8 inches. They also installed a laminated sunroof together with darkened windows and a one-piece opening tailgate. Interior features include a full electric center division with glass panel; three rear seats (two electrically operated); full air conditioning; stereo/CD player and two remote control 8-inch television monitors with a VHS recorder. Sources: Via Range Rover Owner (Facebook) and discovered from @rangeroverphotoalbum, context from @rangeroverphotoalbum (Instagram account)

Land Rover preserves its SVX moniker for more offroad focused vehicles. It was first used on the Project SVX concept vehicle, based on a ‘Land Rover Defender 90 Topless’. Project SVX was presented at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show and featured an upgraded TD5 engine (375Nm), hill descent control, loads of then-fashionable checker plate in the interior, and huge tires. It is said that the tires were too big to properly steer the car. Note the half doors with pull-up handles, first seen on the 1958 Land Rover Series 2 and last fitted to the first runs of the mid 90’s Defender 90 NAS. The idea was that they were detachable, but anyone who has ever tried to remove and re-install those door hinges might argue. The 20-inch wheels and tires scream ‘concept car’ and made it nearly impossible to round a normal bend. The lack of a windscreen, side windows, or roof added to the “offroad toy” image of the project. The chassis is galvanized, the added bumper is made of aluminum The original brochure for the car showed a disclaimer stating ‘Project SVX is a concept vehicle and is not currently available for sale.’ The ‘currently’ makes it interesting, as there is a promise of a ‘maybe in the future’, but the SVX did not make it into production under BMW ownership. Sources: by Ronald Janus, published 11/23/2020 (via De Autoboerderij), photos from Land Rover (discovered from CarStyling.ru)

In 1999, Jaguar released a concept car called the XK180 in celebration of the 50th anniversary of the XK line. The vehicle was displayed at the Paris Motor Show, equipped with a supercharged 4.0-liter V8 that put out 450 horsepower and 445 pound-feet of torque. The XK180 had a five-speed automatic transmission and a rear-wheel-drive system with advanced features like racing shock absorbers, speed-sensitive steering, and Computer Active Technology Suspension. Source: (discovered from) thedrive.com

A sports coupé prototype with the mechanical characteristics of the “beautiful” Alfa Romeo 166. Alfa coupés are a recurrent theme for Bertone, stemming from its deepest and strongest roots stretching back into the past. Names that immediately spring to mind include the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint of the Fifties, the Alfa GT coupé of the Sixties, and the Alfa Montreal coupé of the Seventies, models that marked the start of Italian-style Gran Turismo. With BELLA; Bertone wanted to explore a new formula that makes it possible to optimize the space of the so-called 2+2 coupés. BELLA is an elegant coupé full of zest, for grand tourism driving on long trips. A coupé that adapts with great versatility to all requirements and situations, with a forceful personality and dashing appearance. BELLA is designed for the Alfa Romeo 6-cylinder 3000cc and 166 KW engine. Sources: www.concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com, @motor1com

The concept GTO pays homage to Pontiac's muscle car of the 1960s and 70s. GTO styling cues include a side profile with hints of the famous "Coke bottle" shape introduced on mid- to late-60s' models. The rear quarter windows are reminiscent of 1968-69 GTOs. A hood-mounted tachometer pod like the one that first appeared in 1967 is part of the package. However, the large, 19-inch-diameter front wheels, 20-inch rear wheels, and ultra-low profile, 40-series tires are much different from the 14-inch bias-ply US Royal Red Line tires included in the original GTO option package. The car's computer-generated interior uses high-tech materials such as aluminum, and the center section of the dashboard is an extension of the hood and painted to match. Sources: www.seriouswheels.com; www.sae.org

The Korean company Daewoo has developed a radical modification of its Matiz city car. The Daewoo DMS-1 concept car is characterized by the developers as a "tough and muscular" SUV for young people with an active lifestyle. It is easy to turn it into a kind of convertible by removing the top, and if necessary (for example, to hide from the sun), a light roof can be pulled over the driver's and passengers' heads. With the rear seat folded out, the DMS-1 can carry bulky goods. For a sense of real adventure, the car is significantly elevated from the ground, equipped with an all-wheel-drive transmission and large 16-inch wheels. But despite such an energetic look, the fantastic Daewoo, whose design, according to the press release, is made in the style of "shaved nape", is an ordinary small car with a 796 cm3 three-cylinder engine and a power of only 63 hp. The semi-automatic transmission, of little use in off-road conditions, finally breaks the "legend" of the DMS-1 SUV, which comes standard with a stereo surround sound system, TV, front and side airbags. If desired, for complete driving comfort, the car can be equipped with a satellite navigation system. Sources: (context from) Autoworld, # 28, July 14, 1999 (images from) Concept Car Central

Until auto restorer and customizer, Bob Hoshiko purchased the October 1966 copy of Car and Driver at a literature swap meet, the Mustang station wagon idea was all but forgotten. The owner of two Shelby GR350s and specialist in Mustang restorations, the station wagon intrigued him. In 1983, Hoshiko pulled the old Car and Driver off the bookshelf and decided to build one of his own- a project, that, unlike Clark and Cuberford's 66 prototypes, would take him more than several years to complete! He started with a basket-case 66 coupe purchased for $200. Over the years he added new doors, had a Shelby-style fiberglass hood built, and following the basic design Cumberford had penned, made a similar cut in the body. The similarities end there, however. Rather than having new rear quarter windows made, as Reisner did in Italy, Hoshiko adapted the glass from an import wagon and brought the Mustang backlight and roof section rearward. Cumberford's design called for a traditional folding tailgate, while Hoshiko's car offers a more contemporary approach with a one-piece hatch, made from the original deckled. This design also allowed the trunk lip to remain intact, as well as the Mustang taillights. Sources: Pinterest, mustangandfords.Com, ClassicCars.com

Interesting was the 1966 Banshee Show Car code named XP-798. This was JZD's concept of a "Mustang Fighter" with all-wheel independent suspension, a 421 V8, and fold-down rear seats. The doors have flip-up panels on the roof augmented the passenger doors. The Banshee was never shown to the public: GM President Cole thought it would eat into the Corvette's market share, and Chevrolet was developing the F Car, which became the Camaro/Firebird. One could guess that the doors of the Banshee made their way into the design parameters of the DMC-12 in 1975, but there was no mention of this. Note that in 1988 the Banshee name was revived by Pontiac into a Show Car to demonstrate a Firebird for the 90s, so any references may get confused here since the 1966 Show Car was never shown. Source: Eric Friedebach

While many concept cars have pointed the way towards production models, others have not. One vehicle that falls decisively into the latter category is Ford’s Mustang I, which can be seen as the first tentative step along a road that eventually led to the arrival of the definitive best-selling Mustang in 1964. This car was the brainchild of Lee Iacocca, newly appointed chairman of the company’s Division, who recognized that the post-war baby boom was due to reach adulthood in the 1960s. Market research told him that this new youthful generation would instantly respond to a sporty car, just the type of vehicle that Ford was not building. Sources: Wood, Jonathan (1997) Concept Cars, Paragon, ISBN 0-75252-084-9. (Discovered from) OldConceptCars.com

The Ford Mustang II is a small, front-engined (V8), open "two-plus-two" concept car built by the Ford Motor Company in 1963. Although bearing the same name as the first generation production Mustang, the four-seater Mustang II which closely resembled the final production variant that would appear in 1964, was intended primarily for the auto show circuit. After debuting at the 1963 Watkins Glen Grand Prix, the Mustang II had a short lifespan as a show car before being relegated to the task of "test mule". The sole example still exists, albeit in storage at the Detroit Historical Museum. Sources: Wikipedia, OldConceptCars.com

The 1965 Ford Mustang is unquestionably an automotive design icon, and nearly every generation of Mustang has some connection to that original car. Because it's such a universally-known vehicle, we were amazed to see all the different designs that were being considered. Head of Ford's archives Ted Ryan recently shared photos of design proposals for the original Mustang on Twitter that he and Jamie Myler found, and we reached out to them to find out more. The photos were taken on August 19, 1962, and they are proposals for the Ford Mustang. Ford had committed to doing a Falcon-based youth-oriented car at this point, and it did have plans to launch the car in 1964 for the 1965 model year. But after having little success with early design proposals, the company asked all of its design studios — the Advanced Studio, Lincoln-Mercury Studio, and Ford Studio — to submit proposals. With only about two years before the planned launch, Ford was understandably short on time, and it's believed that the studios only had a month to create and present these designs. Sources: Ford Archives (images), autoblog.com (context)

In 1986 Porsche and German aftermarket shop AMG built a prototype custom 928 four-door saloon. One cannot help but conjecture that this variant may have been a prototype for a new 928 that would have created a completely new market niche, further distancing it from the 911 but probably ended as the basis for the Panamera launched in 2009. According to current Porsche designer Harm LaGaay, this rare and unusual car was delivered to Heinz Prechter, founder, and chief executive of ASC (American Sunroof Corporation), whose large automotive aftermarket firm, headquartered just south of Detroit, enjoyed a close relationship with Porsche. The workmanship of this conversion is impeccable, being equal or better of the legendary fit and finish of a new Porsche. The entire cabin, for instance, is lined in sumptuous burgundy leather to match the exterior paintwork. This unusual factory custom Porsche was offered at no reserve at the RM Monterey auction, Aug. 16, 2002, and sold for $44,000, nearly four times the going rate for same-vintage 928s. It wouldn't be the last time the 928 would be used for a four-door, either. In the late 1980s, Porsche itself tested a four-door. Under the direction of Porsche's design director Ulrich Bez, stylist Harm Lagaay penned the 989, which was much more of a true four-door than any of the one-offs that preceded it. While the prototype never made it to production, many of its design elements did: the canted headlamps were used on 1993 to 1998 "993" generation of the 911, and the wraparound tail lamps certainly influenced those of 1998 to 2005 "996" 911. Sources: @motor1com @classicdriver, Collectible Wheels (2018)

The Porsche 989 was a 4-door performance-oriented touring sedan developed by Porsche between 1988 and 1991. This vehicle was never produced, after development was halted in late 1991 and canceled in January 1992. Sources: OldConceptCars.Com, @autoblog, Wikipedia

In 1986, Kevin Verduyn designed a concept car model for Chrysler called the Navajo. The concept never went beyond the clay model stage. Still, when Chrysler acquired Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. in 1987, the design was resurrected and, with some fairly minor tweaks, turned into the Portofino. The Portofino was built by Coggiola of Turin, Italy, on a lengthened Jalpa chassis, giving the car a mid-engine rear-wheel-drive layout. It also used the Jalpa's 3.5 L V8 water-cooled engine and 5-speed manual transmission. The engine could rev to 7,000 rpm, with 64.6 bhp/liter. The most interesting feature of the Portofino was the dual scissor doors enclosing a pillarless passenger compartment. The front doors pivoted forward, as in Lamborghini's Countach. The rears were also scissor-style but pivoted upward to the rear. The logo on the hood featured the Lamborghini bull inside the Chrysler Pentastar. While the Portofino was a one-of-a-kind concept and Chrysler ownership of Lamborghini would not survive, the concept's design would inform and influence Chrysler cars for the next two decades. The wide low stance and open plan interior would become the hallmark of the Chrysler LH body vehicles and their "cab-forward" design standard. The triangular headlights and dual notched rear indicators would find their way directly to the first-generation Dodge Intrepid and serve as key design points throughout that vehicle's existence. Sources: OldConceptCars.com; @motor1com; Wikipedia Images: Chrysler Corporation; Concept Car Central; www.kimballstock.com

Cadillac’s Evoq two-seat luxury roadster is meant to convey a style inspired by high technology. The retracting hardtop is power operated, there is NightVision head-up display, AutoPC with Internet connection, voice recognition, neon rear lights and rear-view cameras that replace mirrors. Power to the rear wheels is provided by the 4.2-liter, 32-valve, supercharged V-8 that is teamed with a four-speed automatic transmission. Sources: www.chicagoautoshow.com (discovered from CarStyling.ru) Images: DieselStation.Com (Published On : Dec 30, 2010) © Cadillac @cadillac

The design of the 1989 Chevrolet California IROC Camaro concept car offered several surprises to Camaro fans who had thought they knew the car inside and out. The concept Camaro was given quasi-gull-wing doors that pulled upward and hauled part of the glass roofline along with them. They also shifted forward at a 45-degree angle, so you didn’t have to be a contortionist to slip into the driver or passenger seat. Seating was 2+2, just like the contemporary Camaro, and more than likely was just as cramped in the back, though the three-inch stretch in wheelbase helped some. Formula One racers inspired the layout of the Chevrolet California IROC Camaro. Once inside, the driver faced a full set of analog instruments (and a digital speedometer) in a cockpit that felt more like that of an airplane than an automobile. Just in case you forgot where to sit, the swiveling driver’s seat was red upholstery while the passengers rested on black. The red seat could even be custom-fitted to a single driver -- which might have caused a bit of discomfort and irritation when the spouse or youngsters took the car out for an evening. Maybe not, though, because the interior was designed to offer a precise relationship between arms, legs, steering wheel, and pedals -- handling a broad variety of (human) body types and sizes. So maybe everybody would be relatively comfy. That same precise relationship extended to the nearby, high-mounted gearshift lever, which traveled with a mercifully short throw from one ratio to the next. There is no need to reach halfway across the front passenger to snick into top gear. Performance fans loved it. Nobody liked to settle their designer jeans onto dusty upholstery, so Chevrolet thoughtfully included a little vacuum cleaner in the console, with the urging that the driver better wait until standstill, for safety’s sake, before switching on the suction. With both Camaro and IROC monikers attached to the car, it was a sure bet that performance wouldn’t be ignored, though the folks at GM weren’t ready for some time to name a specific powertrain for any production version. However, the prototype carried a dual over-head cam V-6, leading observers to believe that if a readable version of the California Camaro appeared, horsepower might run in the neighborhood of 250. All Camaros in the past had come with a choice of engines, so at least one smaller powerplant was sure to be offered. Not every customer demanded the sensation of being rudely shoved back when tromping hard on the gas pedal. Thankfully, hefty 17-inch tires (P235/50R17 at the prototype’s rear) handled the top end of the engine spectrum without flinching. Source: auto.howstuffworks.com Images: Concept Car Central; Publications International, Ltd.