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Peter Monteverdi (Swiss BMW dealer) presented this car in 1968. It was designed by Pietro Frua and based on a BMW 2000Ti. Release plans at the 38th Automobilsalon in Geneva were cancelled, some say the prototype was damaged in Turin during transport, other claim it on the dispute between Frua and Monteverdi that ended their co-operation. Production never started, as BMW saw this ‘Volks Monti’ as a rival for their own brand. Later that year, Frua presented the same car with BMW badges in Paris as the 2000 Ti Coupé. The featured one-off is in the Monteverd Car Collection in Binningen Basel Switzerland. Images: www.pietro-frua.de

A dual action trunk lid based on the principle of the dual action station wagon tailgate has been applied with exciting results to a new idea car called the Mercury LeGrand Marquis. The trunk lid of the Mercury LeGrand marquis, including half the right rear fender, swings up from the rear and also swings over like the cover of a book to provide convenient, low loading height. This method also permits loading from the right side, affording the advantage of curb level access on city streets and protection from on-coming traffic on open roads. Other innovations on the Mercury LeGrand Marquis which have production possibilities include twin sun roof sections and unique interior lighting. Source: Mercury press release Images: Lincoln-Mercury

Design by Virginio Vairo and coachbuit by Vignale. In 1968 Vignale presented a prototype, designed by Virginio Vairo, and based on the platform of a Matra M530. The car made its first appearance in Geneva painted yellow. Later the car was shown at the Vignale stand in Turin with some minor body modifications and painted red and white. Images: www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au; autohistory.blog.hu

The Simun was a Ghia proposal for Maserati’s new 2 door 4 seat Coupé. Presented at the Turin Motorshow in 1968, this prototype designed by Giugiaro was a two-door sedan with retractable headlights and very special proportions, with a long hood and a reinforced rear based on the Maserati type 116 chassis. Inside there were four seats, for a 2 + 2 configuration of pure luxury. In the same years, Ghia was in competition with Vignale which created a prototype that was then chosen instead of the Simun and was produced as Maserati Indy. The Simun mounted an eight cylinder engine (4.136 cc) with 260 horses. The transmission was a five-gear manual connected to the rear wheels, as traditionally. The name had been chosen by Ghia as Simun is a strong wind in Saudi Arabia. Source & Images: carrozzieri-italiani

In 1968, Italian automotive design was leading the world. Seemingly every auto show yielded a variety of wonderful new cars, not least among them the Maserati Ghibli. Penned by Giorgetto Giugiaro while he was working for Ghia, the Ghibli boasted incredible looks, coupled with a potent 4.7-liter V-8 engine. Perhaps the greatest testament to its styling and driving dynamics was the fact that, while it cost more than a Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona at $18,900, it outsold the Daytona. The Ghibli was an iconic car, produced during a special time in automotive history, and the only way that Maserati could have improved upon it was to build a spyder—so they did. The vehicle presented here is not only one of the one hundred twenty-eight true and highly desirable Ghibli Spyders, but its chassis and engine are also both stamped as AM115/S 1001, indicating that it is the first Ghibli Spyder ever produced and the first example ever shown to the public, as confirmed by Maserati Classiche. This is verified by a letter from Fabio Collina, the manager of Maserati Classiche, along with the Maserati-certified copies of the car’s order and delivery sheets and other official documents and receipts, all of which accompany the sale of the car. In addition to the documents from Maserati, the car is also accompanied by an original dealer sales brochure, its original Italian owner’s manual, original jack and tool roll, and a copy of the Road & Track magazine article, which features a photo of this car. When Ghia pulled the sheets off this very car at Turin in October 1968, it wowed the assembled crowd of onlookers. Nothing was lost from the Ghibli’s fantastic styling by removing the roof, and it generated the same level of electricity and excitement in the room as the coupe had upon its debut just two years earlier at the same show. At Turin, chassis number 1001 sported bright Giallo (yellow) paintwork with a Testa di moro (dark brown) leather interior, which undoubtedly helped draw in even more onlookers. While the production Ghibli Spyders that followed closely resembled chassis 1001, there are a number of subtle differences that make this prototype stand out from the rest. Perhaps the most noticeable of these are the recesses in the door panels where the door handles are mounted on chassis 1001. Also, the external fuel filler doors found on the rear deck of the production cars are not present on chassis 1001. While this enhanced the lines of the car, the filler caps can only be accessed by opening the boot. In addition, the boot lid is longer on chassis 1001 than on the production spyders that followed, and it has a character line added to stiffen the lid. Other differences include mounting the radio antenna at the rear of the fender, a trunk-lid release lever that operates inversely to that on production Ghibli Spyders, and Maserati and Ghibli badges located on the driver’s side of the rear fascia rather than split, as found on the production spyders. Additionally, the cylinder heads on the engine have extra impressions to allow for twin-spark ignition for each cylinder, a configuration found on early versions of the 4.7-liter engines, although none were ever thus equipped. Following the conclusion of Maserati’s testing and development of chassis 1001, regular production began and 1001 was sold to its first private owner, Mr. Antonio Capuano, of Italy, in October 1969. Capuano drove the car for six years before selling it in 1975 to Libero Girardi. Girardi, an Italian immigrant and Ferrari mechanic living in Rhode Island, imported chassis 1001 from Italy to the United States and sold it to his son-in-law, John Ferro. Ferro drove the Ghibli Spyder sparingly for pleasure before putting it into storage in 1986. At that time, the mileage was recorded to be just over 66,144 kilometers (41,100 miles), as documented on the period inspection sticker from the state of Rhode Island, which accompanies the car. The car would remain in static storage for nearly 30 years before it would be seen again by the public. Purchased from Ferro by its current custodian, the car was removed from storage and sent to Brian Joseph’s Classic and Exotic Service in Troy, Michigan. Joseph, a highly regarded restorer of classic cars and the owner of several Maseratis, serviced the car’s mechanical systems where necessary to bring the car back to strong running condition. Chassis 1001 was found to have been properly stored and, as a result, required little other than the rebuilding and servicing expected for a car that had not been driven in so many years. The first steps were the removal, cleaning, and replacement of the oil reservoir, a replacement of the oil filter, and the addition of 12 quarts of fresh oil. All four Weber carburetors were rebuilt, along with the brake master, clutch master, a slave cylinder, water pump, and brake calipers. The car’s belts, hoses, and wiper blades were replaced; hose clamps were re-plated; both thermostats were replaced; and the wheels were fitted with correct Pirelli Cinturato tires. At the same time, the cam covers were removed, and the camshafts and chains were found to be in good condition and were oiled before the engine was started. The original interior was found to be in exceptional condition and simply required a cleaning of the seats and carpets. According to the second registered owner, the car received a repaint in its proper shade of Giallo shortly after he purchased it in 1975, and the car retains that same paintwork to this day, showing appropriate signs of wear for having been applied some 40 years ago. Chassis 1001 has never been apart, and other than its new tires and the stereo speakers and external mirrors added at the time of the repaint, it is being sold in its original, as-delivered condition. It even retains the original factory Campagnolo stickers on its alloy wheels. After completion of the mechanical services and a cleaning of the interior and exterior of 1001, the convertible top and hideaway headlights were checked for proper functioning, and the city and country horn feature was rewired to assure proper operation. The car was then deemed ready for its show premiere. Chassis number 1001’s first public outing in nearly three decades was at the 2014 Concours d’Elegance of America in Plymouth, Michigan, where the car won the Debut Award in its inaugural concours appearance. Later that year, the Ghibli Spyder was shown at the Hilton Head Island Concours d’Elegance and received a Palmetto Award in a very competitive Maserati class, assembled to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the marque. The Ghibli Spyder is one of Maserati’s and Giugiaro’s most cherished designs, and it is an excellent automobile in all respects. With its sublime Italian styling and outstanding performance, the spyder only improves upon the Ghibli coupe’s incredible driving dynamics. Chassis number 1001 is an important car with known history and unique features that are not found on any other. For the astute collector, chassis 1001 represents a singular opportunity to acquire a very significant automobile—the first Maserati Ghibli Spyder. Source & Image: rmsothebys

Presented at the Turin Motor Show, a prototype for a convertible based on the Fulvia Sport Coupé which remained a one-off, though some owners have created their own conversions based on Zagato’s design. Source & Images: carsthatnevermadeitetc.tumblr

Created by Nuccio Bertone in 1967, the one of a kind Lamborghini Miura Spyder was intended as a design exercise, aimed at keeping demand for Lamborghini’s Miura riding high. The ‘Lamborghini Bertone Miura Roadster,’ as it was officially christened made appearances at European and North American motor shows between 1968 and 1978. After being refinished and re-trimmed in 1968 the Miura Spyder was eventually passed on to the Boston Museum of Transportation in 1981, who had it refurbished and reupholstered in the mid 80"s. From there it passed on to more than a handful of different owners, a few of which did not know the historical significance of the vehicle. Ultimately, the Miura Spyder ended up in the hands of New York property developer in 2006, who at great cost, returned the Miura Spyder to its original 1968 Salon de L’Automobile Bruxelles specification. The conversion, by the Bobileff Motorcar Company, was completed late August 2008. One-off Lamborghini Miura Spyder re-emerges after 40 years! Exclusive news from Joe Sackey, Miura expert and author of "The Lamborghini Miura Bible" to be published in November 2008 by Veloce Publishing Ltd. Purely as a design exercise, aimed at keeping demand for Lamborghini’s Miura on the crest of a wave, Nuccio Bertone assigned Marcello Gandini a styling project to create a Spyder version of the Miura, commencing in the second half of 1967. The ‘Lamborghini Bertone Miura Roadster,’ as it was officially christened, was finished in a light metallic blue with an off-white leather interior with red carpeting. The dashboard and steering remained black, and the steering wheel itself was the original avant-garde unit that was also used on the Marzal. This Miura carried chassis number 3498 (which, in accordance with its one-off prototype status, is not even listed in the factory’s original production chassis number register), and P400 engine number 1642 was fitted. For the January 1968 Salon de L’Automobile Bruxelles, Bertone pulled off another masterstroke when he unveiled this Miura Spyder to a gob-smacked Ferruccio Lamborghini, who, we are told, only saw the show car for the first time at the preview the day before. However, Bertone told Lamborghini to put any ideas of production right out of his mind: “We couldn’t make this car for production because there were untold problems with stress-tolerance issues involving the chassis and the windscreen. It’s purpose was simply that of a showcar,” Bertone confided to a GM stylist years later. With its Bertone publicity duties completed, the Spyder was sent to Sant’Agata (where it was famously photographed by both Zagari and Coltrin, and it was fettled by the service department with the idea of making it roadworthy to sell as an expensive one-off. In 1968, International Lead and Zinc Research Organisation (ILZRO) CEO, the late Shrade Radtke, was looking for something radical to showcase the zinc alloys, coating and plating systems the company promoted for the major manufacturers in the Detroit area. It was decided to purchase a standard production Lamborghini Miura Berlinetta and have it specially built using zinc-based components and trim wherever possible. Onwards then to Sant’Agata, and a meeting with Paolo Stanzani. However, Stanzani was against the idea of modifying a production Miura, and came up with the convenient solution of offering the one-off Miura Roadster, at the time at Sant’Agata for fettling. The offer was accepted on the spot. In May of 1969, the "ZN75" was completed, now adorned with much extra brightwork and painted metalic green, and Bertone arranged for a private showing at a villa in Turin, attended by the hierachy of the Italian automotive industry. It was a special day, and Bertone, was proudly pictured with the car on that occasion. There followed a globe-trotting schedule of International Motor Shows - August 1969 – Shown in Detroit, Michigan October 1969 – Shown in Montreal, Canada November 1969 – Shown in Anaheim, California January 1970 – Shown in Detroit, Michigan January 1970 – Shown in Montreal, Canada February 1970 – Shown in London, England and featured on BBC TV April 1970 – Shown in Palmerton, Pennsylvania July 1970 – Shown in Tokyo, Japan August 1970 – Shown in Sydney, Australia November 1970 – Shown in Paris, France After a final showing at the 1978 Detroit Motor Show, in February of 1981, Radtke donated the car to the Boston Museum of Transportation for an estimated $200,000 tax deduction. In the mid-1980s, it was refurbished and its interior upholstery replaced. In 1989, it was purchased by the Portman group, and has spent its life since then shuttling from auction house to temporary owner, likely because its full history and significance is unknown by most. Auctioned off soon thereafter, it spent a number of years in Japanese collection. In 2002 it returned to the USA for a brief sojourn, before finding another home with a Ferrari collector in France. In December 2006, the priceless Miura Roadster was finally purchased by a New York property developer who, at huge cost, has had the car returned to its original 1968 Salon de L’Automobile Bruxelles specification. The conversion, by the Bobileff Motorcar Company, was completed in late August 2008. Source: Veloce Books Images: Bertone; Mario Buonocunto Concept Cars Page; www.kidston.com

Evolved from Bertone’s Marzal show car, the Lamborghini Espada was long, low, and somewhat “geometric” inside and out. The Lamborghini Espada arrived during a period of success for Lamborghini. Though a mere five years old in 1968, Lamborghini was booming. The Sant’Agata factory was teeming with activity, and Ferruccio Lamborghini was ready to tackle Ferrari on all fronts. His first car had been a front-engine coupe, his second the amazing mid-engine Miura. Now it was time for a full four-seat GT, which arrived that year as the Lamborghini Espada. The Lamborghini Espada’s distinctive styling was inspired by the Bertone-designed Marzal show car of 1966. The one-off’s all-glass gullwing doors, honeycomb dash and backlight sunshade motif, and rear (not midships) engine positioning were abandoned, but the basic shape was retained. Like the Lamborghini Miura, the Lamborghini Espada was penned by Marcello Gandini. Also like Miura, the Lamborghini Espada was engineered largely by Giampaolo Dallara, who stuck to the formula established with the 400 GT 2 + 2: front-mounted quad-cam V-12 bolted up to a 5-speed Lamborghini gearbox directly behind, all-independent wishbone coil suspension, four-wheel disc brakes. Automatic transmission was conspicuous by its absence in a car of this type, but Sant’Agata belatedly corrected that with optional 3-speed Chrysler TorqueFlite beginning in 1974. Despite basic similarities with the Lamborghini 400 GT and its Lamborghini Islero successor, the Lamborghini Espada went its own way in several respects. Its chassis, for example, was a cheap but strong fabricated pressed-steel platform supplied by Marchesi of Modena. Compared with the 400 GT, the Lamborghini Espada engine was tuned for “only” 325 bhp (DIN), and the entire power package rode 7.9 inches further forward. This and an extra 3.8 inches between wheel centers permitted a larger, four-seat cabin despite a half-inch decrease in overall length. The Lamborghini Espada also spanned wider tracks (by 4.2 inches) and, with its many amenities, was inevitably heavier -- by no less than 1000 pounds. Again like the Miura, the Espada was a real head-turner, another feather in Bertone’s -- not to mention Lamborghini’s -- cap. A simple nose with circular quad headlamps announced a very wide hood with twin NACA ducts to feed the 4.0-liter V-12’s six twin-throat Weber carburetors. Front fenderlines blended seamlessly into the belt, which curved up at the rear to meet an almost horizontal roofline terminating in a chopped tail with a full-width glass panel below the backlight (presumably to give the driver a better view of those trying to keep pace). Once more, hood and upper fenders formed a forward-hinged unit for easier access to a very full engine bay. Inside were four bucket seats and decent space aft (so long as the front seats weren’t pushed all the way back). Initially, the Lamborghini Espada presented its driver with a functionally correct, if aesthetically messy, dash with full instrumentation and a wide, downsloped center console housing shifter, various minor switches, and “eyeball” vents (the last borrowed from Ford of England; the indicator stalk came from the Austin Mini). The original three-spoke steering wheel was rather ugly, but nicer ones appeared later. Only 37 Lamborghini Espadas were built during 1968, but volume soon rose to a steady, albeit low, level. The Espada made an excellent stablemate for the mid-engine Lamborghini Miura (and, later, the Lamborghini Countach) and its basic chassis would be used for the Jarama (see entry), which replaced the Lamborghini Islero in 1970. In fact, the Lamborghini Espada was advanced enough to last a full decade with only detail alterations. Series II models arrived in early 1970 with the aforementioned nicer steering wheel, plus a cleaner dash, revised grille, vented brakes, and 25 more horsepower. Two years later, Jarama S-type alloy wheels were specified. The Series III bowed at Turin in late ’72 showing another minor grille rework and steering wheel, as well as a redesigned “cockpit” instrument panel with inward-curved center section. Toward the end of the run, Lamborghini claimed 365 bhp. Though production tailed off rapidly in the aftermath of the first Energy Crisis, the last Lamborghini Espada wasn’t built until 1978. Significantly, Lamborghini has yet to field a direct replacement, perhaps because it would be tough to top this exotic Latin flyer. Collectors, take heed. Source: auto.howstuffworks.com Images: Bertone; www.flickr.com/photos/peter_kabel; lamborghiniespada Pictured above: 1968 Lamborghini Espada First Prototype by Bertone Pictured above: 1968-1969 Lamborghini Espada Series I by Bertone

Initially in the automotive tuning kit business, Construzione Automobili Intermeccanica was founded in 1959 in Italy's automobile manufacturing capital, Torino. The man behind the company was Frank Reisner, an entrepreneur who would later move the company to Canada. The first cars produced were Formula Junior racers, fitted with Peugeot engines, but Reisner had bigger plans and soon started to import American V8 engines for installation in his road going chassis. These cars were the Apollo GTs that would ultimately pave the way for their successor, the Omega, and then the Italia. The first Italia's came to the US in 1968. The cars were unlike anything else on the market and quickly gained the attention of discerning American sports car enthusiasts. Expensive for the time, few could hope to own one, and to many car lovers, the Intermeccanica Italia Spyder was an automotive masterpiece. The car's "prancing bull" badging was a gracious nod to Torino's coat of arms. Its styling, which was classic Italian with vintage Ferrari undertones, was striking yet elegant. Its performance was equally impressive, as it could reach 0–60 in 6.2 seconds and had a top speed of 155 mph, which was attained through a powerful and proven Ford V-8 engine. The Italia's steel body was hand-formed, and its chassis was made from tubular steel. With fewer than 400 of these models built during its production run from 1967 to 1973, the Italia has since taken on an appealing mystique as a rare automobile from one of the most exciting eras of Italian car manufacturing. The Intermeccanica Italia Spyder was among the most attractive and potent Italian-American hybrids of the 1960s and 1970s, and its sleek styling and sophisticated chassis made for a great combo. Source: bonhams.com 1967 Torino by Carrozzeria Intermeccanica 1968–1972 Italia by Carrozzeria Intermeccanica

The Serenissima Ghia (also known as the Aghema) was a mid-engined GT concept car designed by Tom Tjaarda and displayed at Turin in 1968. The car featured a 3 litre V8 engine. Scuderia Serenissima was a successful auto racing team in the early 1960s. Funded by Giovanni Volpi, Serenissima used Ferraris to much success until the founder financed the exiled Ferrari company, ATS. Thereafter, Enzo Ferrari would no longer sell his cars to Serenissima, so the company turned to De Tomaso, ATS, and Maserati. The company also developed Formula One cars, using McLaren and Lola chassis. Another V8, developed by Jaguar, found its way into a single-seat closed sports car built by Carrozzeria Sports Cars in 1969. The final Serenissima car was designed by Ghia that same year. Using the same Jaguar V8, the Aghema GT featured modern sharp styling, but never reached production. Volpi, and thus Serenissima, halted automobile operations before 1970. Source: Lotusespritturbo.com; wiki Images: www.shorey.net; Lotusespritturbo.com; www.tom-tjaarda.net

Torino Machete is a racy new idea car from Ford Division. A modified version of the 1968 Fairlane Torino GT Fastback, the show car was created at the Ford Design Center in Dearborn, Mich. It has a special two-tone "pearlescent" white and silver finish. The unusual grille features twin horizontal black air scoops. Headlamps are concealed behind electrically operated doors. Roof pillars have been widened to provide additional privacy for rear seat passengers. Machete's taillights are flush with the lower portion of the deck panel, and concealed by white coated lenses. With light off, the taillamps are hidden, blending smoothly into the white rear panel. From the News Bureau FORD DIVISION of Ford Motor Company 2/20/68 Images: Ford Motor Company

The 1968 Thunderbird Saturn Show Car started as a design exercise at the Ford Design Center in Dearborn, Michigan, and when approved for assembly, began its life as an ordinary 1968 Thunderbird Tudor Hardtop. The modifications to the stock car were done in California, and the car was kept under lock and key until it debuted at the 45th Annual Southern California Automobile Show, which was held at the Pan Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles. The changes it underwent from stock to show car were fairly simple, especially when compared to other show cars. Ford lowered the roof two inches, and in a preview of things to come, added a sloping fastback roofline which would appear on the 1970 Thunderbird two door models in a slightly toned down form. The hood was extended four inches to emphasize the long, low look of the car. The grille section remained mostly stock, but the head lights were concealed behind clear covers, which gave them a European look. Door handles were removed and concealed up near the beltline. To open the door, pressing on one side of the panel that concealed the handle allowed the panel to open, revealing the handle. One of the most unique features of the show car was the concealed back up lights. When not in use, they were flush with the rear quarter panels. When the transmission selector lever was moved to "Reverse," the light assemblies popped out from their housings to illuminate the area behind and to the side of the car. When the tranny lever was moved out of "Reverse" the lights swung back to a concealed position in the rear quarter panels. These lights were mounted just below the mid-body line, under the stock 1965-1967 Thunderbird script, which was mounted just above the mid-body line. A Saturn nameplate was also affixed to each rear quarter panel, next to the Thunderbird script. Up front, the slender front turn indicators wrapped around the outboard edges of the hood. The exterior was finished in an iridescent Candy Apple Red finish. Inside, individually contoured front bucket seats with built-in head rests appeared, another preview of things to come in 1970. The interior was upholstered in a red knitted vinyl, sewn in a wide waffle pattern. This same vinyl material was also used in some production Mustangs at the time. The custom center console between the front seats contained a Trip Programmer, another peek into the future! Although many show cars are doomed to destruction when they've served their duty, it is believed that the Saturn may have actually survived. Ford released the 1969 Thunderbird Saturn II for the 1969 season. Source: automotivemileposts.com Images: Ford; www.conceptcars.it

Triple-Jointed The Techna, a functional engineering experimental car of the future unveiled by Ford Motor Co., features new ideas in safety, body, and technology. The Techna, an experimental engineering car with more than 50 new ideas in safety, electronics, powertrain layout, and body and chassis design, has been unveiled by Ford Motor Co. Harold C. MacDonald, engineering vice president, explained the car's doors push straight out instead of swinging on hinges and overall it gives engineers "an opportunity to evaluate innovations realistically and to decide which ones have the most promise for future products." New passenger convenience and safety concepts are featured in the Techna, Ford Engineering's experimental car. The spacious interior is enhanced with a swept-away instrument panel and a small driveline tunnel located between the left and center occupants rather than in the car's center. A structural windshield eliminates the front corner posts, providing sweeping vision. Improved access to the car is provided by two six-foot-long power-operated, parallel-hinged doors, which allow easy entry to both front and rear seats even when the Techna is parked within 18 inches of another vehicle. The experimental car has served as a testbed for more than 50 technological innovations being considered by Ford engineers for possible future incorporation in production cars. Images: Ford; Custom_Cab's photostream; Boss Mustang's photostream Sources: The Deseret News - Jul 3, 1968 & TUESDAY, JUNE 25, 1968 Public Relations ENGINEERING STAFF Ford Motor Company Dearborn, Michigan

Completed in April of 1990, the Dodge Viper RT/10 Concept was the second Viper concept produced. It was the first Viper to have a V10, although VM02 had a cast-iron block. The Dodge Viper RT/10 concept car was a huge hit at both the 1989 and 1990 Chicago Auto Show, so much so that it went into production for the model year 1992. Spokespeople at the show explained the spiritual ties to the ''60s AC Cobra 427. This brute-force sports car boasted a big-block 8.0-liter V-10 engine and a strictly functional open cockpit. Length 4369 mm / 172.0 in Width 1920 mm / 75.6 in Height 1173 mm / 46.2 in Wheelbase 2443 mm / 96.2 in Transmission 5 Speed Manual Engine 8.0L OHV Cast Iron V10 Power/Torque 300-HP @ 450-LB.FT Source: automobile.fandom Images: DaimlerChrysler

Likely, you have never heard of Officine Stampaggi Industriali (OSI) or the Bisiluro (Silver Fox). But in the 1960s, the OSI was one of the premier coachbuilders in Italy, founded by former Ghia President Luigi Segre. Like many coachbuilders, they built low-volume unique models for manufacturers like Innocenti, Ford, Alfa Romeo, and radical show cars like the Alfa Romeo Giulia Scarabeo and Built in 1967 to compete in the 24 Hours of Le Mans, the Silver Fox debuted at the Turin Motor Show. Designed with aerodynamics, the Silver Fox was essentially a wing with wheels. Powered by a 1000cc Renault Alpine 4 cylinder mounted in the left pod to counterbalance the weight of the driver in the right pod, the car could reach a top speed of 155mph, not bad for 1967. To give you an idea, the fastest car in the world in 1967 was the V12 Lamborghini Muria with a top speed of 173mph, so OSI had worked its magic using aerodynamics instead of raw power. The aero on the car included three individual spoilers that connected the two pod-like cabins. The front and middle spoilers could be adjusted depending on the amount of downforce/drag required for different race tracks. Sadly other than a few test runs, the Silver Fox would never see the track as OSI closed and went out of business in early 1968, making this winged wonder a one-of-a-kind. Source & Images: TheGentlemanRacer

Ford Fiera is a modified version of the 1968 Ford XL Fastback. The one-of-a-kind Ford Division show car features a youthful GT-oriented design and custom interior trim. The deeply recessed grille features auxiliary driving lamps; headlamps and parking lamps are hidden. Wheels are cast aluminum in a new trident design. Twin air intakes, located ahead of the rear wheels, provide additional brake cooling. The Fiera is distinguished by a full-width band of bright accent lines and recessed taillamps from the rear. Fiera was created at the Ford Design Center in Dearborn, Mich. Source: From the News Bureau | FORD DIVISION of Ford Motor Company | 11/13/67 The 1968 XL-based Fiera featured several styling modifications. Among these was a lowered roofline which altered the angles of the front and rear windshields, resulting in a very sleek-looking car. The mostly stock-looking grille was deeply recessed and had auxiliary rectangular driving lights positioned on either side of the stock grille divider. Under the louvered hood was a 428. Vent windows, side moldings, front side marker lamps, and rear side reflectors were deleted. Racing-style outside mirrors replaced the stock units. The rear wheel openings were enlarged slightly, and a pair of brake cooling vents were installed just ahead of the rear wheels. Wide-oval whitewall tires were fitted to a set of custom wheels. A wide trunk molding extended to the taillights; the extensions replaced the stock backup lamp assemblies. Source: dwtauthor.blogspot.com Images: Ford Motor Company; www.gslchampionship.org

The Michelotti Shellette results from a collaboration between yacht designer Phillip Schell and famed automotive stylist Giovanni Michelotti. Michelotti was one of Italy's most important and influential stylists, servicing Vignale, Maserati, Lancia, BMW, etc. Based on a Fiat 850, the Shellette has been substantially reworked to the point where it bears little resemblance to the Fiat. The styling is dramatic and aero, reflecting the design trends of the mid to late '60s in Italy. Unlike the much more common Fiat Jolly, the Shellette is a more refined and better-equipped machine. Featuring a drive-train capable of comfortably moving the car along at 60mph, it also has heat and a stereo system. The more luxurious Shellette was produced in low numbers – only 80. Of the 80 built, one found its way to Jacqueline Onassis, who used it on the Island of Skorpios, and an early DAF-based Shellette was used by the Dutch Royal Family at their summer residence in Porto Ercole. Today, of the less than ten known to survive, at least three reside in museum collections. Source: www.bonhams.com; amonov.livejournal.com Images: www.bonhams.com; www.ccarshow.net

The City Taxi project started from an analysis of urban traffic conditions and the practical qualities of a public vehicle; he identified a set of basic requirements. It would have to be as compact as possible (but with a favorable ratio between overall volume and cabin space), offer good visibility, and at the same time be accessible, manageable, safe, and easily recognized. The prototype built in 1968 was presented to the public at the Turin Motor Show. Produced by Fiat’s Centro Stile, on the platform and mechanicals of the mass-produced 850 Special Idroconvert (equipped with semi-automatic gearbox and torque converter), it had a body with reduced overhang and asymmetrical sides. It had a large sliding door on the right giving access to the passenger seat, and a normal-sized door was provided for the driver. Its dimensions were: overall length 3250 mm, width 1450 mm, height 1600 mm. The City Taxi remains one of the first cars specially designed to transport passengers and luggage in an urban context. It incorporated numerous innovative ideas: an extra tilt-up seat next to the driver; a system of straps to fix the luggage on the roof rack; a pocket for holding maps embedded in the roof; a padded deformable dashboard with a built-in radio-telephone and taxi meter; a windshield wiper with a double arm structure and vertical blade; a forced ventilation system and adjustable steering column. The prototype built had original and conspicuous orange paintwork. Manzù’s research into new appliances and technical solutions, which began with the City Taxi, was paralleled by his studies of sports cars. He developed two projects that both went as far as constructing complete models but without the mechanicals. Source: Enrico Leonardo Fagone - autodesign.socialblog.us Images: Fiat; www.piomanzu.it; www.manzonidesign.com

Carrozzeria Francis Lombardi was founded in 1947 in Vercelli by noted racing driver Carlo ‘Francis’ Lombardi. The company was originally involved in aeronautical design but soon moved on to building cars. From 1950 they focussed on coupes based on the Fiat 1100 and 1400. Station wagons complemented these models with wood-paneled bodywork based on the Millecento. Lombardi also built six-seater limousines by extending Fiat 1400 and 1800 saloons for ministerial use. Famously, in 1963 they built a Fiat 2300-based limousine with a glass roof for Pope Paul VI in 1963 – this was the first Popemobile. The carrozzeria’s greatest commercial success was the luxuriously appointed Fiat 500 ‘My Car,’ with an annual production of about 6000 cars. Its most significant model was the Grand Prix, which was also marketed until 1972 under various other names such as O.T.A.S. and Abarth Scorpione. Francis Lombardi also developed its own four-door ‘Lucciola’ versions of the Fiat 600, 850, and 127. Francis Lombardi focused on modifying cars and building coupes on Fiat and NSU platforms. In the 1970s, they made special versions of the Fiat 128 and Lancia 2000, The company closed in 1973, and Carlo Lombardi died ten years later. Carrozzeria Lombardi built numerous cars based on Fiat chassis. The most elegant and sporting model was the Lombardi Grand Prix, with production starting in 1968. The Grand Prix was created on the Fiat 850 chassis, including the rear-engined configuration. The Grand Prix was fitted with the 850s 843 cc, four-cylinder engine that produced 34 hp. Lombardi claimed a top speed of 160 km/h for the 630 kg sports car. It was sold through Fiat dealerships and was covered by the standard Fiat warranty. Source: www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au; drive-my.com Images: www.cinquino.net; auta5p.eu; ruoteclassiche.quattroruote.it; www.autolit.eu

Unlike Pininfarina, Touring, or Vignale, Savio's atelier in Turin has never been particularly well known, although it dates back to 1914. In the sixties, the company was closely associated with Fiat - it built bodies for buses, produced ambulances based on Fiat vans, and in 1965 launched the Jungla utility open car on the Fiat 600 chassis, developed by the engineering department of Fiat itself. In addition, the Turin atelier built single samples of sports bodies for Fiat cars. So, at the 1968 Turin Motor Show, Carrozzeria Savio presented a nice 2 + 2 coupe on the Fiat 124 chassis, created in collaboration with the OTAS bureau. The car stood out with an unusual silhouette with a concave rear pillar and was built in a single copy. Source: motor.ru Image: Savio