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Presented in March 1971 at Geneva Autoshow. The cooperation with Karmann comes up with the design of a roadster with low production costs, based on 1600 Beetle mechanics. Cooperation with coachbuilder Karmann began in 1969 for a project that will become the Volkswagen Scirocco in 1974. The project for the 1971 Geneva Motor Show is for an economic roadster to be mass-produced. It is based on the 1600 Beetle mechanics and platform, and after the Tapiro, it represents another step into squared shapes. Cheetah's birth is contemporary to the Alfasud Caimano's, which will be premiered a few weeks later during the Turin Motor Show. Both prototypes share the same formal layout. The front of the car is characterized by the soft-nose and overhang lights, while the roll-bar has been substituted by two strong pillars that simplify hard top mechanisms. The engine is a 1.6 liter with 50 hp. Source: www.italdesign.it Images: ItalDesign

Toyota SV-1 (a high-performance sports coupe, prototype of the Celica LB). Shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in Oct/Nov 1971, the SV-1 was the prototype for the Celica liftback released in April 1973. This was originally built in May 1971 as a Celica TA22 GT coupe. The prototype was built on a TA22 GT chassis with frame number TA22-026004. The mechanicals of the TA22 GT was retained (1600cc 2T-G twin cam engine). The front of the interior was the same as the TA22 GT except for a different fabric pattern on the seats. Electric window lifts were used (optional but rare on the TA22 GT), but the TA22 GT's optional air conditioning was not present. The rear two seats were individually reclining using the same hinges and latches as the front seats, except that the rear latches were in the middle. A center-padded vinyl console was between the two rear seats, and the seat belts clipped into it when not in use. The spare tire sat vertically at the very rear of the cargo area under a vinyl cover. The SV-1 had a rear fuel filler similar to the early coupes. Toyota changed all Celicas to side fuel fillers in mid-1972, so all production liftbacks had fuel fillers on the left rear quarter panel with a cover flap. The SV-1 rear hatch glass was a bit larger than the production version. The keyhole for the hatch was on the beaver panel (it was on the hatch on production liftbacks). The grill was an ST type - just like all 1973-1975 production liftbacks (even the GT models). Dual exhaust tips exited the rear (production Celicas had a single exhaust tip). An electric aerial was put in the left rear quarter (the TA22 had this on the left front wheel guard). The RV-1 (a prototype two-door wagon based on the Celica coupe) with the Marinetta boat and trailer was also shown at the 1971 Tokyo Motor show but did not reach production. Source: wiki Images: Stepho’s Toyota Site; www.2000gt.net

Less a forecast of future design trends than the NSU Ro-80 itself was this blocky, 1971 special-body exercise by Pininfarina. Based on the NSU Ro-80 (powered by a rotary engine), Pininfarina presented this unique concept car. Paolo Martin designed it. In 1971 it featured safety features, like shock-absorbing bumpers and extra strengthened doors to prevent injuries caused by side-impacts. Elastic bumpers without chrome give the car a modern look, even 30 years after the car was presented at the Motor Show of Torino, Italy. The car is now part of the Audi Collection. The dark-colored part of the body is the reflected image of the roofline. The roof can be folded down on the trunk lid. Source: www.madle.org Images: Concept Car Central; www.paolomartindesigner.com

This was a safety vehicle that previewed the 810 series Bluebird. The ESV had a periscope bulge on the roof and possibly ABS braking, and an airbag system. It employed a large periscope for improved rear visibility. It was displayed at the 1971 Tokyo Motor Show. Source: www.conceptnissan.com Images: Nissan

The 216X utilized a transverse-mounted 2-liter 4-cylinder power plant. While in motion, the bumpers were designed to extend automatically by just under 6 inches. The roof bulge housed the optics for a rear-view periscope. The 216X is known as Nissans experimental safety car. Source: www.conceptnissan.com Images: Concept Car Central

The Mercury Sportshauler is a concept car built by Mercury in 1971. The Mercury Montego-based Sportshauler concept vehicle was a huge attraction during the 1971 Chicago Auto Show. The Sportshauler was reconfigured to carry two passengers and their all-terrain vehicles. The car was finished in white with chrome accents around the bottom of the car and around the wheel arches Source: Public Relations Department Lincoln-Mercury Division; www.chicagoautoshow.com .Images: Ford Motor Company

The Mazda RX-510 was a concept car created to promote the soon-to-be-released RX-3 / Savanna. It was first exhibited at the 1971 Tokyo Motor Show and heavily based on the RX-3. The middle section is RX-3 / 808 with custom front and rear-ends styling. The front and rear were a take on impact-resistant bumpers. In my eyes, the rear styling works well where, as the front misses the mark a bit. The interior was stock except for the seats, and it was powered by a 10A rotary engine with a four-speed manual gearbox. Check out the wheels with rotor-style cutouts. Source: Old Car Junkie Images: Mazda; auto.ultimative.org

Though often ignored in favor of more famous 1970s concept cars, the one-off 1971 Matra Laser still has styling that can grab the attention of a crowd 40 years after its maiden appearance. Matra was a French manufacturer best known for its production of aeronautics and weaponry – until, that is, it entered its first full Formula 1 season in 1968. The pinnacle of its motorsport involvement came just a year later, when the Matra-Ford team won the 1969 Constructors' Championship, with Jackie Stewart easily taking the corresponding Drivers' title. Alongside Matra's Formula 1 endeavors, the company had also begun producing sports cars for the road, following the acquisition of Automobiles René Bonnet. Matra's first car developed solely was the 1967 M530 (the name inspired by the company's R530 surface-to-air missile), which celebrated designer Giovanni Michelotti gave a subtle facelift in 1970. The Turin-born Michelotti had begun his career at the tender age of 15 as an apprentice at Stabilimenti Farina, founded by the brother of the legendary Battista Pininfarina. After subsequently cutting his teeth working for Carrozzeria Vignale, Michelotti founded his own design house in 1949, with clients who were to include Bertone, Ghia, and Ferrari, among others. The late fifties saw him take charge of all Triumph cars' designs–a responsibility he continued to shoulder for a decade while simultaneously penning the landmark BMWs 700 and 2002. The success of the former was said to have helped the struggling marque avoid being merged into the Daimler-Benz brand; you'd be hard-pushed to find a more fitting real-world summarization of the word 'fate.' Michelotti hypothesized that "a camel is made into a horse by the designer" and thus based the Laser on the M530's chassis and commended mid-engined layout (at the time, one well-known magazine described the handling as 'unbelievably neutral'). The bodywork had the wedge-shaped profile synonymous with 1970s concept cars. The doors were of the 'gullwing' variety; a feature shared with many of Michelotti's experimental cars of the same period. Sitting 1080mm tall, the Laser had chunky door sills designed to increase structural rigidity and channel cool air to the 1700cc Ford V4 engine stowed away behind the passenger compartment. The unique prototype made its debut at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show, painted in a striking shade of yellow, and later appeared at the 1972 Montreal Auto Salon sporting some subtle styling changes and a less conspicuous silver paint scheme. The Laser remained a one-off example, as was intended. It was inducted into an automotive museum collection before seemingly disappearing forever in 1999: even Michelotti's son Edgardo tried in vain to trace the car for ten years, considering it to be such an integral part of his father's legacy. Then in 2009, the Laser miraculously resurfaced at the 2nd Tokyo Concours d'Elegance, where it rubbed door handles with the likes of a Ferrari 250GTE 2+2 400SA, a Lamborghini 400GT 2+2, and a mint condition Maserati Mistral Spyder – a testament to how highly regarded the car with such humble Matra mechanicals has become. Joe Breeze - www.classicdriver.com Images: Concept Car Central; www.ultimatecarpage.com; www.classicdriver.com Photoshoot: Rainer Schlegelmilch

Bertone stunned the world at the 1970 Turin Motorshow with their Lancia Stratos HF Zero design. Nuccio Bertone initially wanted to call the ultra-compact wedge-shaped design Stratoline because of its space-ship-like appearance. Not much on the Stratos concept was conventional, except that the wheels were round. Fitted low and midships in the chassis was a 1.6 Lancia Fulvia powerplant. The running prototype featured an all-new monocoque style chassis custom-built for the Stratos. In the next few months, the concept appeared in magazines worldwide, and Lancia talked with Bertone to construct a purpose-built rally based on the Stratos design. This car debuted at the 1971 Turin Motorshow and resembled the previous Stratos in name only. Even though Lancia was working on a new competition engine, Bertone fitted the Stratos with a Ferrari Dino engine which he had lying about. The extremely compact design looked like the winning recipe for the twisty roads used in rallies. Nothing much happened in 1972 as Lancia was still waiting for their new competition engine. Late that year, Bertone suggested that Lancia stick with the Ferrari engine and start producing the Stratos. His suggestion received mixed reactions but works racing manager Cesare Fiorio was on his side. Finally, production of the 400 cars needed for homologation started. By October 1974, the Stratos was homologated for Group 4 rallying. Over the next couple of years, the Stratos’ dominance was total. It scored 17 world championship victories and over 50 European championship victories. Victory in the legendary Monte Carlo rally was taken four out five times between 1975 and 1979. Two were converted to Group 5 road racing specifications with a Turbocharged engine. These silhouette-racers didn’t fare nearly as well as their Group 4 counterparts. At the end of the decade, it was replaced by the Fiat 131 Mirafiori. Historically, few racing cars combined form and function and the Stratos did. Source: Wouter Melissen - www.ultimatecarpage.com Images: Mario Buonocunto Concept Cars Page

Coggiola's 1971 Dunja was intended to be produced in the near future. Based on the Lancia Fulvia, the Dunja was characterized by its large "hump" over the lower portion on the rear. The Dunja had fixed windows, but a smaller portion on the lower section of the windows could be lowered or raised. On the front, a large air scoop cooled the engine, and the bumper was integrated into the bodywork. Source: Concept Car Central Images: www.conceptcars.it; www.viva-lancia.com

Uracco is the nickname of one of the most ferocious bulls in bullfighting. The design of the Italian sports car is the work of the famous designer Marcello Gandini, who in those years worked in the Bertone studio. The car was positioned as an affordable alternative to other Lamborghini sports cars. However, the matter never reached mass production: only 788 copies were produced in six years, most of which were sold in the USA. On the market, the model competed primarily with the Porsche 911 - the Italian sports car had a practical 2 + 2 landing formula and a balanced suspension, which made it possible to use Urraco for daily trips around the city. Source: carstyling (translated from Russian) Images: Bertone Pictured Above: 1970 Lamborghini Urraco Prototype II by Bertone Pictured Above: 1970 Lamborghini Urraco Prototype I by Bertone Pictured Above: Lamborghini Urraco P250 Prototipo by Bertone

Gandini designed the Lamborghini Countach for Bertone in 1971. "Countach," in the dialect of Italy"s Piedmont, is an expression of astonishment and amazement. The car featured a V12 4.9 liter Lamborghini engine positioned longitudinally (the LP designation comes from the Italian "longitudinale posteriore"). The gearbox was mounted forward of the engine and protruded between the seats. The doors opened upwards and forwards, similar to the Alfa Romeo Carabo. The Countach was produced from 1974 to 1991, and 609 cars were produced. The clean lines of the original concept car and LP400 were short-lived, with wings and splitters added to the LP400S, LP500, and QV models. Source: Lotusespritturbo.com Images: Bertone

The Indras were produced from approximately early 1971 to mid-1974, with 127 cars completed. The breakdown was approximately 60 convertibles, 40 coupes, and 27 two plus twos. The car was a partial joint venture between Intermeccanica and Opel. Most engine power was either 327, 350 V-8 Chevy engines or straight 6 Opel engines. Most of the Indras were sold in Germany through Opel Dealers Network. The Indras have DeDion rear suspension and ZF recirculating ball power steering. They all had four-wheel vented disc brakes. It was presented at the 1971 Geneva Motor Show. Source: www.intermeccanica.org Images: www.intermeccanica.org; alt-opel.eu

The 1971 Ford GT70 was a mid-engined GT sports car based on Ford’s GT70 rally car. It was built and designed by Ghia in Turin. Filippo Sapino designed the Ford GT70 at Ghia, head of Ford’s Turin design Studio. The vehicle featured alloy wheels from the Ford RS2000. The car was displayed at Turin in November 1971. Source: 1971 Ford GT-70 (Ghia) - Concepts. https://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1971_ford_gt_70/ Images: www.shorey.net; www.conceptcars.it

Based on the Fiat 128, the Pulsar was constructed to study passenger safety and light material construction. The Pulsar was one of the first cars to feature shock-absorbing bumpers. The shock absorber was made of special plastic, the headlights were retractable, and a body-integrated protective buffer ran around the car. The side windows were tinted, and the car was finished in bright yellow to catch the attention of other drivers. Source: Concept Car Central Photoshoot: Rainer Schlegelmilch Images: Michelotti; Concept Car Central

The American NHBS (National Highway Safety Bureau, later the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA) in 1971 announced a competition among US automakers to create a car with improved passive safety. It was assumed that all the leading automotive brands in the country would take part in the race of ideas. However, the reality turned out to be much crueler: by December 1971, only two companies had applied - American Machine & Foundry and Fairchild Hiller. Moreover, both belonged to heavy engineering and not to the automotive industry. Realizing that it was necessary to either change the rules or stop the competition, NHBS decided to extend its action to the whole world. And it did not fail - in 1972, many leading automakers entered the "friendly match," including Volvo, Opel, Volkswagen, Nissan, Mercedes ... and, of course, Fiat. Like most of the projects created for this competition, the cars were named ESV, "Experimental Safe Vehicle." Since Fiat entered its cars in three classes of the competition at once, numerical indices were added to the abbreviation, which displayed the weight of the cars in pounds. The competition was held in several stages; Fiat participated from 1972 to 1974 inclusive. During the competition, conferences were held that determined the further vector of security development: the first was held in January 1971 in Paris, then there was a conference in Sindelfingen, Germany, in September 1971; in July 1972, the board met in Washington, and a year later in Kyoto. Fiat was preparing its cars just in time for the conferences. In total, Fiat built three cars for the safety contest. The first was the ESV 1500, a compact 680-kilogram rear-wheel-drive sedan built using components from the Fiat 500 and Fiat 126. 13 prototypes (mostly in red and yellow) were assembled and shown at conferences in Washington and Kyoto. The black parts are polyurethane linings, which avoided damage during accidents at city speeds. The ESV 2000, a 1165-kilogram car based on the Fiat 128, was built according to the same scheme. Since the ESV 2000 did not differ from the donor in technical terms, it had a familiar five-door body and front-wheel-drive layout. The difference came down to weight - the prototype weighed 360 kilograms more than the production model. But that's not all - for the ESV 1500, a power body frame was developed. The largest representative of the ESV family was the 2500th - a sedan based on the well-known Fiat 124. The car with a classic layout (engine - front, drive wheels - rear) was supplemented with body amplifiers and massive rubber panels, due to which the bodyweight almost doubled. In total, Fiat built 49 prototypes for the NHBS competition. It is worth noting that only Italians offered such a variety among the contestants, and in 1981 they also continued the topic with a safe prototype Fiat VSS. As for the competition results, they are obvious - steel bumpers gave way to rubber and plastic ones, not least at the suggestion of Fiat, USA deformable bumpers have become one of the mandatory requirements for vehicle certification. Source: Mario Buonocunto Concept Cars Page; motor.ru (translated from Russian) Images: Fiat Pictured Above: 1972 Fiat ESV 1500 Prototype Pictured Above: 1972-1973 Fiat ESV Prototype Examples Pictured Above: 1973-1974 Fiat ESV 2000 Prototype Examples Pictured Above: 1973-1974 Fiat ESV 2500 Prototype Examples

Fissore 127 Scout, an open-topped “fun car” similar to the Citroën Méhari with Fiat 127 underpinnings. Originally named the Gypsy, this was developed by a small company called MAINA, but as they lacked capacity, Fissore took over the production and marketing of the vehicle. It was debuted at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. Originally it was built entirely in fiberglass over a tubular metal frame, but self-supporting pressed metal bodywork was employed from 1974. A metal hardtop version was also available. Fissore made a smaller version in the same mold but based on the Fiat 126, called the “Poker. “ Production in Greece was planned. Source: Carrozzeria Fissore. https://ipfs.fleek.co/ipfs/QmXoypizjW3WknFiJnKLwHCnL72vedxjQkDDP1mXWo6uco/wiki/Carrozzeria_Fissore.html Images: www.hoechegg.ch

To accompany the 1973 Fiat 126 Minimaxi by Moretti, also in 1971, Moretti introduced the Midimaxi, based on the Fiat 127. This followed the same idea as to its smaller brother, with a completely open, doorless car. A rollover hoop was present behind the front seats, as on the 126 based Minimaxi, and the options were similar to the latter car, with doors, canvas roof, and hardtop all being available. The front end of the cars followed the development of the Fiat cars, with first, second, and third series versions being built. Source: www.carsfromitaly.net Images: www.moretti-cars.net; www.automobilrevue.cz Pictured above: Fiat 127 Midimaxi (Moretti) from 1972 and being presented at the 1978 Turin Motor Show.

"Styling prototype of a history-making car which marked Enzo Ferrari's conversion to the technical solution of the mid-engine. Low and flowing line with a groove along the flanks ideally divides the body into two parts, so they appear superimposed". Sergio Pininfarina Ferrari Berlinetta Boxer by Pininfarina. The first Boxer was the 365 GT4 BB shown at the 1971 Turin Motor Show. Designed to answer rival the Lamborghini Miura, it was finally released for sale in 1973 at the Paris Motor Show. Specifications. Introduced: 1971 (Turin Motor Show) Manufactured: 1971 Body Type: prototype for production, two-seater berlinetta Wheelbase: 2500 mm Length: 4360 mm Width: 1800 mm Height: 1120 mm Technical Specifications: mid-rear engine, 12 horizontally opposed cylinders, 4390 cm3, 360 hp at 7500 rpm, five-speed gearbox, rear-wheel-drive Units Produced: 929 Source: Pininfarina Images: Pininfarina; Concept Car Central; RM Auctions; www.ferraridatabase.com

1971 surprised everyone with a new chapter in the collaboration between Ferrari and Zagato. More than twenty years after the first Zagato-Ferrari, the two big names again appeared on the 3Z built for Luigi Chinetti on 250 SWB chassis #2491 GT. Designed by Giuseppe Mittino, who had been in charge of projects and design at Zagato since 1970, this 12-cylinder model was decidedly angular and aggressive. It featured several original solutions, such as the mobile lids with slits like those on the helmet of an ancient suit of armor that hid the front light clusters and the position of the rear lights recessed into the body. The car reflected Zagato’s philosophy of the moment – styling with clean, strong lines on geometric volumes – which had already been adopted successfully on the Alfa Romeo Junior Z, the first wedge-shaped car of its day. type: Limited Production Car engine: Tipo 168, Colombo, Aluminum Alloy 60 Degree V12 aspiration: Natural valvetrain: SOHC, 2 Valves per Cyl fuel feed: 36 DCL Carburettors displacement: 2953 cc / 180.2 in³ bore: 73 mm / 2.87 in stroke: 58.8 mm / 2.31 in compression: 9.7:1 power: 186.4 kw / 250 bhp specific output: 84.66 bhp per litre body / frame: Steel Body over Steel Tube Frame driven wheels: RWD wheel type: Borrani Wire Wheels front brakes: Discs rear brakes: Discs steering : ZF Worm & Wheel front suspension: Double Wishbonesw rear suspension: Live Axle length: 4430 mm / 174.4 in width: 1980 mm / 78.0 in height: 1130 mm / 44.5 in transmission: 4-Speed Manual Source: 1971 Ferrari 3Z Spider | Ferrari | SuperCars.net. https://www.supercars.net/blog/1971-ferrari-3z-spider/ Images: Zagato; www.ferraridatabase.com; www.photogaleria.pl; www.classicdriver.com