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This smart, close-coupled four-seat coupe featured a fiberglass body set on a separate multi-tubular chassis. It was very fast thanks to the 300-bhp Chevy 327 V-8, and it also offered good handling and running refinement. The Bertone styling dated from 1960 and was a more elegant forerunner of the Iso Rivolta shape. The G-K was distinguished by a four-headlamp front end, with the lamps mounted in a slant-eye formation. Considered as desirable as a Ferrari at the time, it nonetheless lacked the cachet of a famous name. Ultimately, the Gordon-Keeble was a commercial failure because it was underpriced. It's a very sought-after car today because of its rot-free body, but not common or widely known outside its home country. John Gordon and Bernie Rodgers purchased the defunct Peerless Motors Ltd and built the fibreglass-bodied, TR3-engined 4-seater Peerless GT in 1958. One car finished 16th at Le Mans that year, but the overall sales were not as expected. John Gordon left the company in 1959, later that year meeting up with Jim Keeble - engineer and racing driver - and, encouraged by USAF pilot Rick Neilson - whose Chevrolet Corvette Jim Keeble serviced - transplanted a 3.5L Buick V8 into a Peerless Chassis. Hence was born the idea of a bigger, better luxurious 4-seater with ample V8 power aimed at the luxury market and incorporating all the latest developments of 1960s competition engineering. The chassis, similar to the Peerless, was to have a 1-inch square tube space frame, a De Dion rear axle with favorable location, and all-round disc brakes to cope with the 290 bhp(gross) at 6250rpm provided by the 4.6 liter Chevrolet V8 engine. The body shell was designed by Giugiaro and built by Bertone with aluminum panels. Jim Keeble started design in November 1959. The chassis was finished by January 1960 and transported to Turin, Italy, for the bodywork to be attached. The car was duly completed in March 1960 and featured as a star exhibit on the Bertone stand at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1960 as a fully finished car registered 472 LKX and named the Gordon GT. Taking four months from start to finish, this was a fantastic achievement. At the Geneva Motor Show, the car was well received and created great interest internationally. The car was road tested as a prototype (unusually) by Autocar on 29th April 1960 and again in October 1960, by which time it had covered 14,000 miles in 6 months. The report was full of superlatives and described the car as "the most electrifying vehicle it has ever tested." Later that year, John Gordon took the prototype to Detroit for a test drive by Chevrolet President Ed Cole and Zora Duntov. They were sufficiently impressed that they agreed to supply 1000, 327cu.in. Corvette engine/gearbox units annually, as well as full access to the Chevrolet distribution network in the USA. Source: auto.howstuffworks.com; www.gordonkeeble.org.uk Images: Bertone; www.gordonkeeble.org.uk; www.ucapusa.com

The 1960 “International Experimental Ghia” was an enclosed body dragster designed by Tom Tjaarda at the Turin, Italy Ghia studio. You can see the Stingray-ish styling cues of the sharp horizontal line going down the body and the humps at each wheel. The IXG was to set <1000cc drag racing records and incorporated under-car aerodynamics several years before Jim Hall and the Chaparral team brought them to Can-Am. It has a front engine and a center seat canopy behind the rear axle. Ford sold the car at auction in 2002. Source: CarStyling.ru Images: Ford; www.shorey.net; www.tom-tjaarda.net

A remarkably sharp-edged concept is typical of Boneschi’s ‘Linea Tesa’ (knife-edged) style. In 1960, coachbuilder Boneschi started a collaboration with the industrial designer Rodolfo Bonetto which gave birth to several futuristic concept cars with the “linee tese” design language. One of those was the Fiat 1500 Spider. Undoubtedly unusual and eccentric for that time, but we can say that Boneschi somehow anticipated the styling and the squared lines that we later found in the 70s and 80s. This particular car was presented at the 1960 Turin Motor Show. Source & Images: Carrozzieri-Italiani

At the Turin Motor Show in 1960, Superfast II made its first public outing. Ferrari boasted that the aerodynamic body design had been created in a wind tunnel. Its shape, reminiscent of a fat airplane wing, featured headlights that retracted into the nose of the body. In the winter of 1961-1962, a hood scoop was added, the rear fender skirts were removed, and the headlights moved into the front of the fenders to be covered by curved plastic. The revised body became the "standard" 400 Superamerica. Source: auto.howstuffworks.com Images: Pininfarina; www.virtualcar.it

The unique car presented here, chassis no. 1739 GT is the third 250 GT SWB Berlinetta built. It was commissioned by Dottore Enrico Wax of Genoa, Italy. Wax’s company, Wax and Vitale SpA, were importers, mostly of alcohol, into Italy. Their products included Johnnie Walker, Enzo Ferrari's favorite scotch, and Moet et Chandon champagne. Wax was a personal friend of Enzo Ferrari and was considered one of the wealthiest men in Italy. Dott. Wax ordered many cars from Ferrari for his personal use. All were "speciales" or had a host of unique features. He liked extensive brightwork – stainless steel, polished nickel, and chrome – evident throughout all his Ferraris and perhaps this one. The story behind the commissioning of the 1739 GT came from former Ferrari Vice President Amerigo Manicardi, who related that Dott. Wax expressed interest in 1959 in a speciale during a meeting with Enzo Ferrari if he would allow him one of the first new short wheelbase chassis under construction. Il Commendatore walked him across to the Competition Department, where he pointed to the first chassis in a line of just three. Ferrari said that although it had been designated a works team car, it would instead be immediately assigned to the account of Dott. Wax. That chassis was a 1739 GT. As a Ferrari works car 1739 GT's intake and exhaust ports of the cylinder heads had been ground out and polished and had other competition details like velocity stacks, aluminum firewall, drilled transmission mount for lightness, polished leaf springs, solid spring bushings, and much more. The 280 hp engine had a 9.8:1 compression ratio, the same as later Le Mans-prepared SEFAC hot rods. This car also had red cam covers, similar to the Testa Rossa, and is the only known GT equipped with these. The 1739 GT was also the first Ferrari fitted with SNAP exhausts. Chassis no. 1739 GT was sent to Bertone on 7 January 1960 to be fitted with a one-off body designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro, who was just 21 years old at the time. Giugiaro would go on to start his own business, Italdesign. Bertone was founded in 1912 by Giovanni Bertone. His son, Giuseppe, known as "Nuccio," took over the Turin company after the end of World War II. Nuccio was a gifted designer and constructor and continued the fine tradition of the carrozzeria, building the company from its humble beginnings into a significant business. Bertone had made coachwork for only one Ferrari previously, a 166 Inter. 1739 GT was exhibited at the XLII Turin Motor Show in November 1960. The quality and artistry of this one-off coachwork were quite exceptional. 1739 GT was fitted with a brushed stainless steel roof, rockers, and front and rear valances. It also had a one-off wire mesh grille, headlight covers, and Ferrari's first-ever rear window defroster. Additionally, the hood and fenders could be flipped forward to expose the entire engine and front chassis – a configuration referred to as a "clamshell.” The interior featured rolled, pleated, and fully adjustable folding seats, a unique “pistol grip" gear lever, electric windows, and full-fitted luggage. A particularly unique interior design feature is the central placement of the speedometer and tachometer, which predated the similar design found in the 250 GT Lusso by three years! An oversize Ferrari emblem graced the hood, and the side of the car was badged with Enrico Wax's initials "Prototype EW" 1739 GT was also the first Ferrari to be fitted with Campagnolo cast magnesium wheels. This car significantly influenced later Ferraris, particularly the 250 GT Lusso. Battista's" Pinin" Farina was unrestrained in expressing his admiration for the design of this car and acknowledged borrowing liberally from it for future creations. The build sheets show that the engine, gearbox, and rear axle were completed during the summer of 1960. The date of manufacture on the heritage certificate issued by the factory is 17 October 1960. Enrico Wax sold the car in 1961, and the Tacchini family owned it before being exported to America in the seventies. The car remained in the US throughout the eighties and nineties and underwent a total restoration by Steven Tillack from 1982 to 1983. Lance Hill, a Hollywood screenwriter, acquired the car in 1998 and it was again subject to a complete restoration over several years. More recently, the vehicle has been part of a famous collection and shown at some of the world's best-known Concours and events. Ferrari historian Stan Nowak said of this car, "Possibly the one Ferrari that possesses all the criteria to contend for Best in Show at any major international Concours, including Pebble Beach. One-off coachwork, influential design, debut at International Salon, commissioned by prominent personality, built on special chassis, great bright work, impeccable history." Carrozzeria Bertone made just two coach built 250 GT SWB Ferraris. Both are unique. This car is in fabulous condition, with incredible detail throughout. It is a Pebble Beach entrant and award winner, voted "Most Elegant of Show" in 1983. It would continue to be a show stopper at all the best events and make a centerpiece for any significant collection. An incredible amount has been written about this car, but Auto d'Epoca summed it up. "Arguably the most spectacular and important of coach-built Ferraris – combines classic Ferrari elements of the sensuous form with a racing soul." Source: www.bertone.it; auto.howstuffworks.com; www.rmauctions.com Images: RM Auctions

The 1960 Citroën C60 Prototype was designed by Flaminio Bertoni, who had also styled the DS and the Ami, the C60 was a proposal for a new mid-range model to fit between the Ami and the DS, a niche that the GS would later fill. The headlamp treatment (using the lamps from the yet-to-be-launched Panhard 24) anticipated the restyling of the DS in 1967. Source: www.citroenet.org.uk Images: www.autobild.de; www.citroenet.org.uk

A proposal for a coupé based on Chrysler’s then-new Valiant, it was coach built by Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin. Still, it is unclear if the design was by Virgil Exner (as many of Chrysler’s Ghia concepts were). Additionally, some sources claim this proposal was from 1959. If more is known, please comment. Source: carsthatnevermadeitetc Images: Ghia

In 1960, Pininfarina put forward a project of their own, providing the attractive, if controversial, rear-engine Corvair chassis with a body. This version was the first of two chasses to be bodied by Pininfarina in the following three years. The first version was shown at the Paris and Turin salons in 1960. Two years later, at the Paris salon, the chassis was shown again, this time a less radical but more convincing project involving a lot of work. Finally, the example shown here was probably the most successful of the group. By 1963, it managed to be a four-seater or at least a 2 + 2 and remains forever, as so much of Pininfarina's work "variations on a theme." This car was at the Pininfarina museum for many years and eventually made its way to the US. The car was restored several years ago by a noted restorer. This is a highly unusual car and a one-off designed Corvair. Some sources refer to this prototype as the "1963 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé II by Pininfarina". View all three prototypes: 1960 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina Source: Barrett-Jackson Images: Pininfarina; www.shorey.net; www.forum-auto.com; Concept Car Central; montanaman1's photostream

The 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina was designed by Tom Tjaarda when he worked for Pininfarina. This was the second of 3 versions of the Corvair-based concept presented by the Turin-based carrozzeria. Some sources refer to this prototype as the "1962 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé I by Pininfarina". View all three prototypes: 1960 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina Source & Images: carsthatnevermadeitetc

In 1960, Pininfarina put forward a project of their own, providing the attractive, if controversial, rear-engine Corvair chassis with a body. This version was the first of two chasses to be bodied by Pininfarina in the following three years. The first version was shown at the Paris and Turin salons in 1960. Two years later, at the Paris salon, the chassis was shown again, this time a less radical but more convincing project involving a lot of work. Finally, the example shown here was probably the most successful of the group. By 1963, it managed to be a four-seater or at least a 2 + 2 and remains forever, as so much of Pininfarina's work "variations on a theme." This car was at the Pininfarina museum for many years and eventually made its way to the US. The car was restored several years ago by a noted restorer. This is a highly unusual car and a one-off designed Corvair. View all three prototypes: 1960 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina 1962 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Coupé Speciale by Pininfarina Source: Barrett-Jackson Images: Pininfarina

CERV stands for Chevrolet Engineering Research Vehicle. The 1960 CERV-I is the first of four high-performance research vehicles produced by Chevrolet over 35 years. The CERV I was developed between 1959 and 1960 by Zora Arkus Duntov as a functional mid-engine, open-wheel, single-seat prototype racing car, with Larry Shinoda and Tony Lapine doing the design work. Duntov developed CERV I as a platform for engineers to build and refine Chevrolet body, chassis, and suspension systems. Due to the AMA (Automobile Manufacturer’s Association) ban on manufacturer-sponsored racing, Duntov drove the CERV I’s demo laps at the U.S. Grand Prix in 1960. Its impressive performance on the test track drove him to have higher aspirations, the checkered flag at Indy. The CERV I was initially equipped with a 283 cid / 350 hp, small block V8 engine, weighing only 350 lbs. Intensive use of aluminum and magnesium engine components saved over 175 lbs. Complementing its lightweight power plant, designer Larry Shinoda constructed the body structure out of fiberglass, which weighed in at only 80 lbs. The body structure was attached to a rigid 125 lb. Chrome-molybdenum tube-made frame, welded in a truss-like configuration. Combining these lightweight components helped the CERV I’s 96-inch wheelbase weigh 1,600 lbs. The chassis features a four-wheel independent suspension. The front suspension uses independent, variable-rate springs with shock absorbers and a stabilizer bar. The rear suspension uses independent multilink, variable rate springs with double-acting shock absorbers, and the wheels are cast of magnesium alloy. Steering is recirculating ball type with a 12:1 ratio. The brake system uses a front disc/rear drum with a two-piston master cylinder to eliminate the chance of complete brake failure. Fuel is delivered via two rubber bladder fuel cells (20 gal. total capacity). Fuel-injected small block technology was developed using the CERV I. For even more excellent performance, Duntov refitted the CERV I with a 377 cu. in. aluminum small block, an advanced Rochester fuel injection system, and Indy-style tires and wheels. Shinoda redesigned its streamlined body structure to match this mechanical updating for more excellent aerodynamics. The top speed was 206 mph. Source: Bill Bowman - wiki.gmnext.com; Mario van Ginneken - www.corvettes.nl Images: www.shorey.net; General Motors Archive

The Bristol GT 407 Z was a concept car built by Zagato in 1960. The GT 407 Zagato coupé was a styling exercise displayed at the Turin Motor Show but was not developed as a production series. It entails good use of side and rear glazing, leaving a very slim rear ¾ pillar, which permits excellent all-around visibility. Source: ht.boc.net Images: Zagato

The last of the six-cylinder Bristols, the 406, was made between 1958 and 1961, though the basic steel-framed alloy-paneled superstructure was carried over to its V8-engined 407 successor. Bristol's BMW-based engine was extensively revised and enlarged to 2.2 liters for the 406. As a result, the power went up to 130bhp, and flexibility increased, while other improvements included servo-assisted Dunlop disc brakes on all four wheels and self-canceling overdrive as standard. Bristol had commissioned Carrozzeria Zagato to build a limited series of lightweight four-seater cars on the 406 chassis in October 1959, six of which, plus a solitary two-seater, had been completed by the time production ceased. Weighing 2,436lbs, the Zagato was a whopping 574lbs lighter than the stock 406 and 11" shorter and 5" lower, with commensurate gains in both acceleration and top speed. One of five four-seater Bristol 406 Zagatos known to survive, chassis number '5299', registered 'NPK 120', was displayed at the 1960 Earls Court Motor Show and sold new by Anthony Crook Motors to Richard Robinson in May 1961. Source & Images: www.bonhams.com

The 1960 Alfa Romeo Super Flow IV by Pininfarina is a one-off concept car that was built on the chassis of the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider. The car was created to showcase Pininfarina's design and engineering capabilities, representing a milestone in the history of Italian automotive design. The Super Flow IV features a striking body design that is low, sleek, and aerodynamic. The car's lines flow smoothly from front to back, creating a sense of motion even when the car is standing still. The front of the car features a distinctive grille flanked by four round headlights, while a pair of sweeping fins dominate the rear. Under the hood, the Super Flow IV is powered by a 1.3-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 100 horsepower. The engine is mated to a five-speed manual transmission, which gives the car excellent acceleration and top speed. The car's suspension and brakes are also upgraded, with impressive handling and stopping power. Inside, the Super Flow IV is a masterpiece of Italian design and craftsmanship. The cabin is luxurious and spacious, with leather seats and a wood-rimmed steering wheel. The dashboard is dominated by a large, circular tachometer and speedometer, which are flanked by smaller gauges for oil pressure, water temperature, and fuel level. The Super Flow IV was never put into production, and it remains a one-off concept car that toured the auto show circuit in the early 1960s. In total, there would be four Alfa Romeo Super Flow Prototypes: 1956 Alfa Romeo Super Flow I by Pininfarina 1956 Alfa Romeo Super Flow II by Pininfarina 1959 Alfa Romeo Super Flow III by Pininfarina 1960 Alfa Romeo Super Flow IV by Pininfarina Source: automotive-heritage.ru; Wouter Melissen | ultimatecarpage.com Images: Pininfarina; www.caranddriver.com

A one-off elegant coupé based on Alfa's 6-cylinder flagship. The 1960 Alfa Romeo 2000 Sprint Praho by Carrozzeria Touring has chassis no AR10205*00001 and 1,975 ccm 115 bhp engine no AR00204*01345 (as of 2019). The "Praho" nickname comes from fishing boats in Thailand called "Prahu" and "Proa". It debuted 1960 Turin show. Touring sold it in 1967. Around 2008, added to the Lopresto Collection in Milano, repainted dark green, "147 MI" plate. Sold/number built 1960/1 Construction steel chassis, with alloy body panels over steel tubular frame Engine iron-block, alloy-head, DOHC 1975cc' four', twin Solex side draught carbs Max power 115bhp @ 5800rpm Max torque 112Ib ft @ 3500rpm Transmission five-speed manual, RWD Suspension: front double wishbones, rear live axle, radius arms; coil springs, telescopic shock absorbers f/r Steering worm and sector Brakes Al-fin drums Length 14ft 4in (4369mm) Width 5ft 7in (1702mm) Height 4ft 4in (1321mm) Wheelbase 8ft 2½in (2502mm) Weight c2600Ib (1179kg) 0-60mph 14 secs Top speed 111mph Source: Wikimedia Commons Images: Touring Superleggera; carsthatnevermadeitetc

In the 1950s, Abarth designed and built its race cars, making itself pretty well-known in the international motorsport community. To help promote the company name and brand, Carlo Abarth – the founder of Abarth & Company – looked to compete for international speed endurance records. In doing so, the company created several vehicles, but the most important cars, arguably, came from a collaboration between Abarth and Pininfarina. The first car developed from this collaboration was a 750 cc Monoposta that debuted in 1957. It set a Class H record by maintaining an average speed of 102.743 mph for 72 hours. Around the same time, Abarth had another breakthrough using its new Bialbero engine. With this engine in the Pininfarina-designed Monoposto, Abarth could smash its three-hour record by more than 8.5 mph. With the thirst for record-breaking taking hold, Abarth continued to improve its designs with Pininfarina and eventually built a final series of these streamlined record-setters. And the one you see here was Abarth's primary 1,000 cc that goes by the name La Principessa. Powered by a type 229 Bialbero engine, this baby had just 108 horsepower and could hit a top speed of 136 mph. It set several Class G records at Monza between September 28 and October 1, 1960, including an average speed of 126.545 mph over 12 hours, 123.525 mph over 24 hours, 118.224 mph over 48 hours, and 116.001 mph over 72 hours. The car has been in storage for most of its life and owned by the same family for most of its existence. Recently going under the hammer at the Gooding & Company auction during Monterey Car Week 2016, we finally got a good look at this piece of Abarth history, so let's dive in and talk a little more about it. As a car designed specifically for breaking endurance speed records, it is devoid of sharp design queues. Instead, the vehicle has an incredibly smooth finish from front to rear, with just a few elements that give it its overall shape. Up front, the car's body comes to a soft, rounded nose. As you can see from the images, it has suffered minor damage to the nose, but nothing serious. As we move further rearward, the only natural defining marks are the Abarth scorpion logo and the Fiat lettering at the access panel between the wheel wells. Those wheel wells, by the way, carry such a pronounced shape to make room for the front wheels and to help give the car more aerodynamic balance as it zooms around the track. Along the sides, you can see that the skirts that cover the top half of the wheels are removable for accessing the wheels, and the rear wheel arches mimic the front. On the sides, there are huge letters that designate the model as an Abarth. The cockpit is accessible from either side of the vehicle by opening up the bubble-like hatch. Just to the rear of the cockpit hatch, you'll find the engine access hatch that sports various decals, including the Pininfarina name. At the rear, the body flattens out and comes to a contoured edge that runs the entire vehicle width. There are four cutouts in the rear tip for the exhaust outlets. Looking at the car from the rear, you can almost visualize how the air streams over the vehicle smoothly while providing ample downforce to keep all fours planted on the pavement. While this may be an outrageous design, the car was quite successful in setting records and should make a very nice addition to somebody's collection. Looking at the interior of this record-setter, it's clear that it was built for only one purpose and comfort, wasn't it? The shots we have here, however, give us a rare look into how the car is made. Notice how the entire inner area is filled with a roll cage? This was done to help protect the driver and keep the body structurally sound – much like the roll cages we use today, just a little different. The seat itself looks somewhat uncomfortable, considering this thing was used for endurance record-setting. The steering wheel isn't a wheel but a two-spoke half-moon that was necessary to make room for the driver's legs. Ahead of the wheel are various gauges and an adjustable tachometer. When these pictures were taken, the tach's redline was set at 9,000 rpm. The other thing I would like to point out here is the permanent marker writing just to the left of the instrument cluster. As you can see, first gear is up and to the right, second low and to the right, third up and to the left, and fourth down and to the left. This shift pattern is backward compared to what we're used to here in the U.S. This isn't a cockpit you would want to sit in for long periods, but its driver somehow set quite a few records in the past. There isn't a lot known about the drivetrain inside this specific model, but we do know that it is a type 229 Bialbero engine. It delivered 109 horsepower at 8,000 rpm and could push the car to a top speed of around 136.7 mph. The engine was mounted in the vehicle's rear, and power was delivered to the rear wheels. A four-speed manual transmission handled shifting duties. Regarding competition, this car's primary competitor was itself and the Abarth models that came before it. I would love to tell you how much the car is worth, but as it is a truly unique car, it's a little impossible to say. It did go up for auction through Gooding & Company during Monterey Car Week in 2016. The current owner Acquired it from Carrozzeria Pininfarina in 1970 and has held onto it ever since. It didn't sell during the auction, and there was no estimate for what it might go for. For now, it looks like the current owner will keep his piece of Abarth history – at least until the next auction, anyway. As for me, I have to say that – despite the car's odd appearance – I am strangely fond of it. I think it has to do with the smooth and no-nonsense body. Compared to the models we see daily, this fine example of history is brilliantly simple and welcome in my garage anytime. Source: TopSpeed (Robert Moore Aug. 26, 2016) Images: pininfarina spa.; www.bernimotori.com; leroux.andre.free.fr

The first Fiat 600-based Abarth to be fitted with the more significant 982 cc development of the 600 engine was the Zagato-bodied Berlinetta, similar in appearance to the 750 and 850 Monza models. It was first shown at the October 1960 Paris Motor Show and had 91 CV (67 kW) at 7100 rpm. Twin Weber carburetors and a 9.3 to 1 compression ratio help reach this considerable output for a one-liter engine. Claimed top speed is 205 km/h (127 mph). A bewildering variety of slightly different body style elements appeared over the years, with covered and uncovered headlights, different engine lids, taillights, and window arrangements, as well as a later long-tailed design that received a longer nosecone. Since these cars were largely handbuilt and often ordered, it is hard to say what is original and what may have been modified after many years of competition. Source: CarStyling Images: Zagato; www.bernimotori.com

One of several gas-turbine-powered cars Rover and BRM worked on in the late 50s and early 60s, the T4 was based on a Rover P6 prototype. The engine bay of the P6 was designed to accommodate a gas turbine, but when it went on sale in 1963, it was with a conventional 4-cylinder petrol engine. Source: carsthatnevermadeitetc

Born in Turin, Italy, in the last year of World War I, Virgilio Conrero served as a mechanic in the Regia Aeronautica during the next global conflict. He established the Autotecnica Conrero in 1951, was one of the most successful Alfa Romeo and Lancia tuners (though often overshadowed by the work of Abarth), and produced a small number of Conrero-Alfas that are prized today for the performance and good looks. -ma, With a tubular spaceframe and aerodynamic bodywork, the Triumph Conrero took full advantage of the tuned Sabrina engine – a reported 165bhp with a surfeit of torque – to reach almost 150 mph on the M1 motorway in England. His reputation led Standard-Triumph to commission his assistance to produce a four-car team for the 1961 24 Hours of Le Mans. Unfortunately, only one car was made, and that single unit was not finished until 1962. As so often happens with the history of Triumph, the Leyland takeover scuttled what could have been a class-winning effort at Le Mans in 1962. The car, however, survives and represents another chapter in the Book of What If for British sports cars. Source: www.mossmotoring.com

The 1961 Toyota Toyopet X was a prototype coupé using a 2nd generation Crown chassis and engine based on an earlier Pininfarina concept presented at the 8th Tokyo Motor Show. It wasn’t until the 3rd generation that the Crown was offered as a 2 door coupé. Source: carsthatnevermadeitetc Images: www.2000gt.net