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Built from scratch by Englishman Bill Carter, the Top Cat is powered by a Jaguar V12 engine. The unusual layout, in which the driver and passenger are placed one behind the other, is due to a cockpit canopy from a Tornado jet fighter! IIt'shard to believe, but the car was certified for use on public roads and was used by the creator for commuting. Bill CaCarter'same was synonymous with some of the most outrageous street legal fantasy cars to grace the British roads. Bill built the car from scratch, the chassis, bodywork, and the lot. The engine was a Jaguar V12, and the passenger accommodation sat beneath a Tornado jet fighter two-piece canopy. All of BilBill'srs were street legal. He used to drive this one to work! Source: CarStyling Images: www.priceofhistoys.com

Yamaha began competing in Formula One in 1989. Using the experience they had gained during that time, they wanted to build a price-no-object, pure supercar based on actual Formula One technology. Even though the Formula One team was doing poorly in competition, by 1991, the team had just come out with a new engine, the OX99, and approached a German company to come up with an initial version of the car. Yamaha was not pleased with the result as it was too similar to sports cars of that time, so they contacted IAD to continue working on the project. By the beginning of 1992, just under 12 months after starting to work on the project, IAD came with an initial version of the car. The car featured a radical and somewhat outrageous design, like its cockpit-looking roof. Other notable specs were the same carbon fiber chassis and OX99 engine as the F1 car, providing the closest experience of a pure racing car to the consumer market. Commissioned by the Yamaha Sports division rather than the bike one, this supercar was based around Yamaha’s V12 F1 engine that was sat in the current Brabham at the time, granted detuned to only 400bhp. An engine that had yet to produce a win! The original development had started around 1990, but unhappy with the conventional supercar design that the first design company came up with, Yamaha turned to IAD on the south coast of England. Within a year, they had built this, a tandem 2-seater with a definite F1 car look about it. Unfortunately, all this carbon fiber and F1 technology came with a price tag of $800,000 just at the end of a recession. Two more cars were built and used as test beds and press cars, but the car never made it into production. Issues were found with its handling, which needed additional design development, which was to be expected in a supercar designed and built in 12 months. However, this was taken over by Yamaha’s company Ypsilon Technology in Milton Keynes, which was set up to both services the F1 engines and build the cars. Unfortunately, six months later, due to a perceived lack of demand, the plug was pulled in 1992. Source: SuperCars Images: Yamaha

Ryoji Yamazaki founded the Art & Tech studio in 1989 in Tokyo. The Vera was a follow-up to the Lamborghini-based Sogna. It was a four-seater mid-engined coupe using a Porsche V8 from the 928. It is on display at the Musée Automobile de Vendée, Talmont-Saint-Hilaire, Vendée, France. Source: carsthatnevermadeitetc Images: Art & Tech

IDR (Industrial Design Research) Arex (American Roadster Experimental). The most unusual car on hand though was an AREX, whose acronym stands for American Roadster Experimental. Fully looking like an experiment, the scissor-doored twin-turbo V-8 oddity was produced in the early 90s by former GM and Toyota designer David Stollery and Gale Banks Engineering. Source: Mike Daly - www.luxuryautodirect.com Images: CarStyling

From the same man who designed the Renault 16, Phillippe Charbonneaux came up with a concept and revealed it at the 1992 Paris Auto Show. The most unusual thing about it is the wheel layout, with 2 in the middle and one at each end! The front and rear wheels used to steer the car could almost turn on its length. The reason is it would make it easier to navigate narrow busy streets. With the wheels being set out in this way, it lent itself to the streamlined shape, which was sold as a benefit as in a collision with pedestrians, they would be deflected to the sides! This was only a model; moving forward to 1997, Franco Sbarro (a bongers/inspirational car designer) took shape and turned it into a working car, with a three-seater layout and powered by a six-cylinder Porsche engine hung out back. Source: www.thepetrolstop.com Images: www.autogen.pl

The Méga Monte Carlo is a French sports car. In 1989, Fulvio Maria Ballabio designed a carbon fiber monocoque sports car under the newly established brand MCA (Monte Carlo Automobile). Being born Monegasque, the vehicle was named the Centenaire for the 100th anniversary of the Automobile Club of Monaco. Guglielmo Bellasi Joined him with his experience as an F1 constructor. The car was developed in 5 years. In March 1990, Guglielmo Bellasi traveled to Bologna to sign a contract for Lamborghini to supply its V12. In August of the same year, the car was presented to Prince Rainier of Monaco, an avid collector of automobiles. Unfortunately for MCA, the global financial environment meant a lower demand than expected for this type of car; only five were built between 1990 and 1992. In 1993 a Georgian businessman bought the right for the car and the company and decided to race 'Le Mans' with a renamed 'Centenaire: MIG M100 (MIG standing for 'Migrelia & Georgia'). The experience was a complete failure, not passing qualifications, being at best at the 30th position behind the leader. Méga bought the project and contracted SERA-CD to redesign the car, renamed this time the Monte Carlo. Among other modifications, the Lamborghini engine was replaced with a V12 Mercedes engine. The vehicle was finally presented at the 1996 Geneva Motor Show. The number produced is unknown and is believed to have ceased in 1999. Source: Wikipedia Images: Mega

After World War II, the hungry French auto industry switched from luxury chariots like Bugatti and Delage to unpretentious microcars, most often four-wheeled covered motorcycles. Only auto giants Renault/Peugeot/Citroen could afford something more (and even those mainly focused on small hatchbacks, which are still popular today) and single upstarts like Facel. Gradually, France regained its former pre-war glory, not least with the expressive cars of Citroen, as well as the racing successes of Renault, Peugeot, and Alpine. But the love for microcars has already been absorbed. Moreover, in the mid-seventies, some manufacturers like Arola began to produce miniature cars that did not require a driver's license - and what else do romantic and carefree French people need? By the mid-1980s, Arola went bankrupt, and it was bought out for nothing by businessman and entrepreneur Georges Blain, who founded Aixam on the wreckage of Arola. The latter, under able leadership, became the leading manufacturer of "voiture sans permis" microcars (the ones that didn't require a license - only 14 years of age and no prohibitive medical orders) and remained so to this day. However, this was not enough for the ambitious Monsieur Blaine. However, car maniacs will never forget her thanks to the Track model, which to this day is unparalleled. In 1992, the entrepreneur registered the trademark Mega. Over time, the team under this brand will win the 1994-1995 season in the Andros Trophy championship and create an interesting Monte-Carlo supercar with the support of Mobil and Michelin. The speaking brand Mega was registered for this particular car. The idea of ​​an off-road supercar, which neither Lamborghini, Ferrari, nor Porsche had, Georges Blain had been hatching for a long time, but within the Aixam brand, which produces only small-capacity microcars, such a car would look ridiculous. Thanks to the designer Philip Colanson's engineering genius and the valuable advice of the rally driver Bernard Darnish, who also fit into the Mega Track project, the idea quickly acquired its physical appearance. And already at the Paris Motor Show in 1992, the newly minted car of the newly minted company made its debut ... and became a real show-stopper. The long (about 5 meters), wide (2.5 meters) mid-engined coupe had the proportions of a classic supercar of the period. The only thing that didn't fit in my head was the enormous 20-inch wheels (the Lamborghini Diablo had, for example, 18-inch ones) and the blatant ground clearance. In those years, supercars already liked to strike the bottom of any bump, so 220 millimeters of Mega Track seemed like something crazy. But the air suspension made it possible to increase the ground clearance up to 300 millimeters ... The first production road car produced by Mega was the Track. A four-seater saloon was a 12-cylinder engine. It used the Mercedes V12, delivering 394 horsepower to all four wheels. Technically, the car was more or less similar to most supercars of that time: it was based on a spatial tubular frame, and the suspension was on double triangular levers behind riders' backs (attention!) A unique feature of the Track was its adjustable ride height. The car raised its clearance from eight to thirteen inches at full size! In the case of the Mega Track, the engine was a six-liter - from the Mercedes W140, as was the automatic transmission. At the same time, Mega engineers had to develop an all-wheel drive system on their own since all-wheel drive S-Classes did not exist then. The French also gave trouble to the engine cooling system, which had to be re-created using four electric fans. Despite the mass of more than two tons, Mega Track had quite supercar dynamics: acceleration to "hundreds" took about 6 seconds, and the maximum speed reached 250 kilometers per hour. Moreover, the car did not need a road as flat as a table to get these indicators, which favorably distinguished it from its competitors. Instead, from other supercars. After all, Mega Track had no direct competitors. At the same time, the interior had armchairs with high-quality leather upholstery and electrical adjustments, air conditioning, an excellent audio system, and other benefits of that era. It would seem that the car is doomed to success because after the auto show, there was only talk about the new French supercar - millionaires stood with checkbooks at the ready in the hope of getting the Mega Track before the rest. However, when its debut, Mega did not have production lines to produce such a complex car on a more or less industrial scale. In addition, Mega Track required sea trials and perfection of quality - Blain could not allow otherwise. As a result, five copies (according to other sources - 11) were released only in 1995, when many had time to forget about the car. Each copy of Mega Track sold cost about 400 thousand dollars, but even these prices could not cover the costs of its creation and production. After trying his luck later with the more traditional Mega Monte Carlo sports coupe, Georges Blain gave up trying to conquer the world of supercars, and Mega quietly entered Aixam. By the way, a rather brutal supercar fell in love with the mysterious "Russian soul," so the lion's share of these cars ended up in Russia, where they are today. You can see Mega Track in the film Duhless or the clip of Timati and Guf. Could everything be different? Of course. But history and the subjunctive mood are incompatible things. Only five examples of the Track were completed before a new, the more exciting product took its place: the Mega Monte Carlo. Source: Alexey Olefirenko - motor.ru Images: Mega

Jotto Caspita, even if largely unknown, is probably the most famous Japanese supercar. It was conceived by Jiotto Design inc. of Japan, a new design studio, and was developed by Dome, one of Japan's most experienced engineering and motorsport companies. The Caspita would compete with the other supercars of that era in a market that was peaked and ready to collapse. The Caspita was designed by Kunihisa Ito, an experienced automotive and industrial designer who has worked for many big companies like GM, Ford, Mazda, and Nissan. Ito founded Jiotto Design in 1989, and the agency's clients include many big Japanese companies like Honda, Subaru, Yamaha, Sony, and Canon. The Caspita was a two-seat mid-engine supercar similar in concept and layout to the endurance and Group C racecars. Dome developed the car with years of experience in motorsport and composite materials construction. Dome has already built race prototypes, including the Toyota prototypes that compete in LeMans during that period. The actual car was low and wide but not excessively big (length: 4534mm / width: 1996mm / height: 1135mm / wheelbase:2700mm). It was also very light, weighing about 1100-1200 kg. Aerodynamically the car was very advanced. There was a movable rear airfoil, and the car's underside was flat with big diffuser channels in the rear. The suspension with double wishbones and rocker arms controlled the wheel movements while shielding all bulky components from the airflow. Dome was established using indigenous technology, and the Jiotto Caspita was an almost all-Japanese project. Subaru provided the engine of the car, and it was a flat-12 derivative of the unsuccessful Subaru Formula 1 effort. In 1990 Fuji HI acquired the team of Enzo Coloni to participate in F1. A new flat-12 engine similar in concept to all Subaru flat-4 engines was developed in partnership with the also Italian Motori Moderni. The Japanese-Italian flat-12 found its way into Caspita similarly to the Ferrari 512BB and Testarossa. The Subaru/MM engine produced 456ps, and in the Caspita, it was mated to a custom 6-speed transaxle made by Weismann. This engine powered the first prototype, but later it was replaced by a Judd V10 engine, which originated from Formula 1. The Judd engine was more potent with 585ps and gave the car a maximum velocity of 345kmh (up from 320) and a 0-100 time of 3,4" (from 4,7"). The car's design was simple and effective and looks stunning and modern even today, 20 years later. The Jiotto Caspita never made it into production, and the market for supercars was in decline by the time it was ready. Dome continues to operate successfully, and Jiotto Design closed in 1999. The closest thing to a multicylinder complete supercar from Japan is the new Lexus LF-A, but it is more of a GT than a Group C car for the road, like the Caspita. The yellow car is the first prototype; the grey car is the pre-production model. Manufacturer: Dome Co. Ltd. Production: 1989–1990 Model years: 1989–1993 Source: robotpig.net; 10 supercars that time forgot Images: Dome; 2000gt.net; www.ultimatecarpage.com Pictured Above: 1989 Jiotto Caspita Pictured Above: 1993 Jiotto Caspita

This formidable beast is the infamous 1989 Chevrolet one-ton “RV from Hell” truck from the Sylvester Stallone/ Kurt Russell action-comedy flick “Tango and Cash.” Russell’s character, Cash, drove it, or rather it was jumped by a stunt double because this was the stunt truck built for the big jump scene at the excavation yard. The RV from Hell features a mid-chassis mounted 454 and is fully caged. As all proper vehicles from Hell probably should, this one still has the original moving multi-barrel machine gun built onto the driver's side. And according to Hartwig, this baby “still has ‘The pink slip from Satan’ and terrorizes the streets of Los Angeles on occasion.” Source: www.cnbc.com Images: www.sondersphotography.com; Cinema Vehicle Services via www.cnbc.com

CadZZilla is a custom hot rod car built by custom car builder and legend Boyd Coddington and designed by Larry Ericson. This fantastic yet classic car is based on a 1948 Cadillac Series 62 Sedanette and was bought or built for rocker Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. The name consists of 3 words: Cadillac, ZZ Top, and Godzilla. Even the license plate says "I8TOKYO" ["I ate Tokyo" - a reference to the famous Godzilla movie]. This hot rod is known as "The Eliminator" in ZZ Top videos. This customization cost around $900K at the time. Conceived in 1989, CadZZilla is a customized Cadillac built for Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top. Jack Chisenhall and Larry Erickson designed the car's appearance. It is acclaimed as one of the great expressions of automotive customization. Drawing inspiration from the lead sleds and Mercury Eights of the 1950s, it was different from anything that had gone before it. CadZZilla attracted considerable attention. Hot Rod's Gray Baskerville called CadZZilla "the most incredible transformation he'd ever witnessed." In their "History of Hot Rods & Customs," the auto editors of Consumer Guide praised it as "the first new type of custom since the heyday of the 1950s". Coddington's team, led by body man Craig Naff, started with a 1948 Cadillac Series 62 Sedanette; it went from mild, as initially proposed by Gibbons, to wild. The first sketches were done on a bar napkin. The top was chopped. The hood and front fenders were sectioned and combined into a tilt nose. Headlights were frenched and late-model Cadillac taillights frenched into the rear fins. The front bumper is fitted with high-mounted dagmars, with a Moon tank between them in the grille opening. The engine is a 500 cu in (8 l) Cadillac V8 with custom-built Holley fuel injection, mated to a Currie 9-inch rear axle. The exhaust pipes exit through the rear bumper. Springs are Koni coil overs with a steering box from a 1985 Corvette. The wheels are a 22 in (560 mm)-diameter billet aluminum design by Coddington. The exterior was finished in deep purple from House of Color. CadZZilla cost Gibbons about US$900,000. CadZZilla is also available as a Hot Wheels car. Source: www.amcarguide.com Images: thegearheadskeptic.com; justcustomz.com; www.hotrod.com; okamigrey.deviantart.com

The Weitz X600 was created in 1979 based on the Chevrolet Camaro Z28 by fashion designer John Weitz. It turned out to be a kind - the fruit of the devilish love of Batman and Darth Vader! Doodling dream cars is just a pastime for most of us, but fashion designer John Weitz is serious about driving a vehicle that suits him. His X600 is hand-formed in aluminum, and the prototype should be ready next month for the auto-show circuit. The aluminum sports car is on an s 108-inch wheelbase and weighs in at 2300 pounds with its 350-cu.-in. V8. The engine, drive train, and suspension is off-the-shelf GM parts. Unlike other cars with fashion designer names—Gucci, Cardin, Bill Blass — the X600 was styled from the ground up by Weitz. The designer Cadillacs and Continentals have only paint, upholstery, and badges to distinguish them from their mass-produced counterparts. Whether the X600 sells as a high-priced, custom-made automobile is still a question. Meanwhile, John Weitz will have the prototype in his garage. It'll be his very own dream car-and, not on paper. Source: Popular Mechanics, Sep 1979 Images: www.shorey.net

It is clear who was joking about the spherical car l'Automodule, created in 1970: it was engineer Jean Pierre Ponthieu. He built various structures for advertising, and this "silver ball" was no exception. Because of his appearance, he was more often used for advertising shoots, the most beautiful models of the time sat in his mini-salon, and his photos appeared in women's magazines - and that's about it. The car was equipped with a 248 cc two-stroke engine, an electronic control system, and a hydraulic transmission. It developed a maximum speed of 45 km / h and resembled an object taken over by space aliens. l'Automodule had another feature - a hydraulic suspension that can change the ground clearance quite a lot. It is worth saying that back in the 70s, the car was declared "the car of the year 2000", although,h in 2000, few people remembered it. This unit is called l'Automodule, created in 1970 by engineer Jean Pierre Pontier (Jean Pierre Ponthieu). The machine has a two-stroke engine of 248 cm 3, an electronic control, and hydraulic transmission. Maximum speed - 45 km / h. In addition to stunning design, a l'Automodule has another feature – the hydraulic suspension that can change the ground clearance. Source: open.by Images: CarStyling

Austin Powers' "shagadelic" Jaguar E-Type roadster first appeared in the original 1997 picture featuring Mike Myers as the thawed-out British secret agent. One of the most famous movie cars is Austin Powers' Jaguar E-Type. Shaguar was made for the release of the first film in the series - "Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery" which appeared on the screens in 1997. Untranslatable pun - Shaguar is just a Jaguar that looks shagadelic (which roughly means: erotic to ridiculous, too sensual). The car is hand painted under the British flag. The luxurious interior of the Jaguar E-Type Roadster is finished in blue and red leather. Under the hood of the car is the original 4.2-liter Jaguar engine. The car's popularity is so great that even its large-scale copies are produced. Source & Images: CarStyling

The Lamborghini Cheetah was an off-road prototype built in 1977 by the Italian carmaker Lamborghini. The Lamborghini Cheetah was Lamborghini's first attempt at an off-road vehicle. It was built on contract from Mobility Technology International (MTI), which in turn was contracted by the US military to design and build a new all-terrain vehicle. The basis of the design came from MTI and was essentially a copy of FMC's XR311 prototype developed for the military in 1970. This resulted in legal action from FMC against MTI and Lamborghini in 1977 when the Cheetah was presented at the Geneva Motor Show. The XR311 and Cheetah could be considered progenitors of the current Humvee. The Cheetah was built in San Jose, California. After initial construction, the prototype was sent to Sant'Agata so Lamborghini could put on the finishing touches. They decided to go with a large, waterproofed 180 bhp 5.9L Chrysler engine, rear-mounted, with a three-speed automatic transmission. The body was fiberglass, and there was enough room for four fully equipped soldiers and the driver. The engine mounting in the rear gave the Cheetah inferior handling characteristics, and the engine choice was not powerful enough to be adequate for the heavy vehicle (2,042 kg (4,502 lb)), resulting in overall poor performance. The US military never tested the only finished prototype, only demonstrated to them by its designer, Rodney Pharis. It was later sold to Teledyne Continental Motors by MTI and still exists today. In the end, the military contract was awarded to AM General and their similar-looking Humvee. The failure of the Cheetah project and Lamborghini's financial problems led to the cancellation of a contract from BMW to develop their M1 sports car. Lamborghini eventually developed the Lamborghini LM002 — a similar design but with a 12-cylinder engine from the Lamborghini Countach mounted in the front. Source: Wikipedia Images: www.omniauto.it

For all fans of retro-futurism - a 1975 concept designed by Syd Mead in space style for Playboy magazine. An attractive idea for any man - a party yacht on wheels, on which you can throw a Playboy-style party! There is an upper deck with leather sofas for sunbathing, a natural bathroom, an audio-video center, a kitchen, a bar, and even a chill-out. But the most exciting thing is the control cabin, worthy of a spaceship: many instruments, joysticks, external cameras for a better view, radars, walkie-talkies, infrared lighting, and night vision devices. For better aerodynamics, the front part of the car is made in the form of a boat's bow - there are four seats, rotated 45 degrees relative to the vehicle's longitudinal axis to save space. The swinging 60s stoked the fire for Hugh Hefner's bathrobe and tobacco pipe aesthetic. The 70s witnessed the ascension of Playboy to the zenith of popular culture, and Hefner became the envy of every red-blooded American male; beautiful women, wild all-night parties, and a lenient attitude toward drugs. The magazine came to represent the culture of the 70s, with Hefner branding himself as a bon vivant and man about town. If Playboy became Hefner's platform for promoting his hedonistic lifestyle, then the design of the Playboy Land Yacht was his chariot. In 1975, Playboy magazine commissioned futurist designer Syd Mead to illustrate the Playboy Land Yacht, a self-driving futuristic bachelor pad on (six) wheels. Mead has thought of everything in the design of this 'great American dream machine' concept, from a rooftop padded sun deck to a retractable movie projector screen to a crushed velvet interior to a 'bar capsule' and more. If you look in the rear window, you can see a gentleman making use of the giant seven ′ X 6′ bed. Concept artist and "visual futurist" Syd Mead is most famously known for his studio work on the science-fiction films Blade Runner, Aliens, and Tron. Still, his creative career has spanned the realms of architecture, vehicle design, and interiors. Mead's emphasis on blending the unique ideals of futurism and believability helped set him apart. He attributes his success in the creative realm to asserting that imagination and the idea supersede technique. Source: www.visualnews.com; www.angieaudio.com; www.laughingsquid.com Images: www.angieaudio.com

Back in the 70s and 80s, Prototype racing was very popular, with crazy machines with tons of horsepower using sophisticated aerodynamics all in one endurance racing series. Naturally, this attracted manufacturers and famous names such as Nissan, Lancia, and Porsche, but one small Japanese company, Dome, was also very interested in prototype racing. Minoru Hayashi started the project and wanted to homologate the Dome Zero road car for racing in Japan; however, the company didn't have the funds to go through with the strict homologation process and instead went to sell the vehicle overseas in America, called the Zero P2. After the relative success of the car at auto shows and good reviews by car magazines, Minoru Hayashi decided to make a racecar called the RL (Racing LeMans) The RL was designed by Dome's head of design, Masao Ono. The car was meant to compete in the 24 hours of LeMans, so it was designed with low drag. The front of the vehicle was very narrow and around 5 meters long to reduce drag. Unfortunately, this made the car a handful to drive; it suffered from significant high-speed instability. The car also featured a narrow glass canopy which would, unfortunately, make it relatively warm inside the car on sunny days and hindered visibility at times. It also caused vibrations and turbulence around the vehicle, so it was chopped off. At its first appearance at the 1979 24 Hours of LeMans, two cars were entered; both cars used 2.9 liters Cosworth engines; however, one car ran with 450hp while the other with 415hp. The cars qualified poorly in 15th and 18th in the race; however, there were promising signs when one of the cars had gained ten positions after the first hour. however, the car didn't last particularly long. Dome ended up retiring both cars before the night. The car would be redesigned and entered again for 1980; however, a gearbox problem early on in the race would mean the car would cross the line dead last. Another entry for the 1981 event would end in a DNF for the team. After its disaster, attempts at LeMans funds would run low for the team, and the project would be stopped with Dome continuing to race Toyota built prototype cars throughout the eighties. Source: CarThrottle (2018) Images: www.dome.co.jp

The original prototype's failure to achieve Japanese market homologation led to the development of the Dome Zero P2 prototype, a car made specifically for export and sale in countries such as the United States. At the time, it was relatively simple for Japanese buyers to obtain "export only" vehicles via grey market re-imports. Hayashi believed this would also allow sales to the Japanese market without regulatory approval. The P2 had large front and rear bumpers added (for the US market) and various other structural modifications that altered the car's appearance. The P2 used the same Nissan L28E engine as the first prototype, but the press reported that turbocharged Nissan or Toyota straight-6 engines were being considered for production cars. The car was shown at the Chicago and Los Angeles motor shows in 1979 and was positively reviewed by Road & Track magazine. When introduced, the Dome Zero P2 was estimated to have a retail price between US$30,000 to US$60,000. Efforts to homologate the P2 for sale in Japan and overseas failed, and it was never produced for commercial sale. Source: Wikipedia Images: www.dome.co.jp

Design work on the Dome Zero began in 1976, and the prototype was completed in 1978. The creation of the car was motivated by Hayashi's desire to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, a prospect that had full support from his employees, most of whom had professional backgrounds in auto racing. In addition to developing Zero into a race car, Hayashi intended to fund entry into the Le Mans competition by selling vehicles to the public. The Dome Zero represented a technological leap forward for small-scale Japanese automakers. The unusual design of the Zero required an extensive engineering process, incorporating newly designed components and off-the-shelf items from other Japanese auto manufacturers. It had a strikingly modern wedge-shaped exterior reminiscent of the Lancia Stratos Zero, Lamborghini Countach, and Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer. It was rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive layout with a chassis of square-section steel tube. The 2.8L Nissan L28E SOHC straight-six engine produced 143 hp (107 kW; 145 PS). This engine was also used in the Datsun 280Z and 280ZX. With this engine and a curb weight of 920 kg (2,028 lb), the Dome Zero offered a power-to-weight ratio that matched contemporary Porsche models. The prototype also incorporated a ZF 5-speed transmission, independent double-wishbone suspension, and four-wheel disk brakes mounted in the rear. The Dome Zero prototype was completed in time for the 48th Geneva Motor Show in 1978, where its striking design received a lot of attention from various investors and buyers. Despite this interest, the manufacturer could not achieve Japanese road certification for the prototype. This led to more energy being committed to a second prototype road car for the international market, the Zero P2. However, homologation rules were stringent in Japan, and Dome did not have the funds to sustain the lengthy and costly homologation procedure routine for well-funded mainstream Japanese automakers. It is not clear what the exact reasons were for Zero's failure to achieve Japanese homologation. The Zero's appearance at the Geneva Motor Show resulted in Dome signing several deals with toy manufacturers to license the car's appearance. The funding from these deals enabled Dome to expand its headquarters and continue to develop road and racing cars. Source: Wikipedia Images: www.dome.co.jp

Engineer Peter Giacobbi teamed up with stylist Tom Tjaarda to build the one-of-a-kind 1970 Sinthesis 2000 Berlinetta, their idea of a better GT. The Giacobbi Sinthesis 2000 was designed by Tom Tjaarda in 1970. The car was based on a Lancia Flavia with a front-mounted Flavia engine and chassis. The car was a one-off. Source: lotusespritturbo.com Images: lotusespritturbo.com

The Panther 6 was a British six-wheel convertible produced by Panther in 1977. The car is powered by a mid-mounted 8.2 L (500 cu in) Cadillac V8 engine with twin turbochargers and a three-speed automatic transmission. Only two cars were made (one in white, one in black), both of which are still known to exist. One is in Saudi Arabia, and the other was shown at the 2008 NEC Classic Car Show by the Panther Car Club and the 2015 Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este by Albert Fellner. The six-wheel configuration was inspired by the Tyrrell P34 racing car. The layout consists of one pair of larger rear wheels with Pirelli 265/50VR16 tires and two pairs of smaller steerable front wheels with Pirelli 205/40VR13 tires. The specification included a detachable hard top and convertible soft top, electronic instruments, air conditioning, an automatic fire extinguisher, electric seats and windows, a telephone, and a dashboard-mounted television set. Claims for the top speed of this vehicle suggested it was capable of over 200 mph (322 km/h). Source: Wikipedia Images: www.shorey.net; www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au; www.bonhams.com