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The first Japanese all-wheel-drive passenger car was the experimental Mitsubishi PX33, built in pre-war 1936. But Mitsubishi began to mass-produce all-wheel-drive vehicles after the war: in 1953, the company bought a license to produce the legendary Jeep. The veteran car was assembled in Japan until the 90s! However, back in the 60s, Mitsubishi thought about their own SUV. Therefore, starting from 1969, a whole series of concept cars based on Willis appeared - Jeep Minica, Pajero I Concept (1973), Jeep Concept (1977). The Mitsubishi Pajero I would be presented at the 1973 Tokyo Motor Show. The first Pajero prototype was a Jeep CJ clone with a roll-bar. In 1979, the original Mitsubishi Pajero II Concept car was shown. And the serial three-door Pajero got on the conveyor in 1981. Source: Newspaper AUTO REVIEW, 2006 / No. 19 (366) Images: Mitsubishi

First shown in 1970, the Minimaxi cars (based first on the Fiat 500 and later the Fiat 126) became the mainstay of Moretti production in the 1970s. From 1973 the 126 based Minimaxi became available. The design was a jeep-like car, complete with a folding front windscreen, no roof, and no doors. A folding canvas roof and canvas doors were available as options should they be required. The design remained essentially the same, noticeable differences being the addition of a rollover hoop behind the front seats and the adoption of the square headlights from the 126 (rather than the round 500 units). For the 126 based version, there was also offered a hard-top and metal doors with opening windows. A more comprehensive instrument cluster (including revcounter) could also be specified for those who required it. Source: www.carsfromitaly.net Images: www.moretti-cars.net; ruoteclassiche.quattroruote.it

The year was May 21, 1971, and American car enthusiasts had just fallen in love with the recently introduced mid-engine Pantera sports car. Ford's joint venture with DeTomaso seemed like a sure sell for years to come with great reviews. Until the new highway safety and emissions act hit the auto industry and eventually forced Ford to pull the plug on the Pantera in 1974. Refusing to give up in the face of power-robbing emission laws, DeTomaso sought a replacement for their Pantera. The planned production Pantera II 197x (or 7x) was based on the chassis of the original Pantera. With all-new styling and a sweeping cantilevered roofline with open pillars to the rear, Ghia designers had done a great job at advancing the prototype's appearance, same time carrying over as many components as possible from the Pantera L model. Unfortunately, the Pantera II 7x production car never came to be. Penned by the legendary Ghia designer Tom Tjaarda and hand-built in 1973 in Italy by Ghia, the prototype enjoyed a tour as a show car in the spring of 1974, before the Ford venture ended late in that year. In 1975, supervised by Ghia design studio president Don DeLaRossa, the prototype was converted. The car was repainted Pearl White over Metallic Bronze, stripped of its Pantera nameplates, and fitted with new ones bearing DeTomaso Monttella. The car was then shipped off to the U.S. and titled in Michigan, where it was stored with the hopes of showing it to other manufacturers for possible production. Five years passed, and in 1981 the car was sold to a local Michigan sports car dealer that sold it to a family member of the current owner. The car with two names is often referred to as "the Pantera that almost was." It has never been restored and is presented today as when it became the Monttella – a fully functional prototype ready to be driven and enjoyed at all speeds. Source: 1973 De Tomaso Montella Concept | De Tomaso | SuperCars.net. https://www.supercars.net/blog/1973-detomaso-montella-concept/ Images: RM Auctions

The Daihatsu EV1 was a concept car designed by Daihatsu as an electric test vehicle and first unveiled at the 1973 Tokyo Motor Show. Only one unit was built. The EV1 uses two 5.6 kW (7.5 hp; 7.6 PS) electric motors, which are rear-mounted and driving the rear axle, and powered by a 21.1 kWh battery contained in a removable tray for easier charging. The combined power output is 11.2 kW (15.0 hp; 15.2 PS). It has a claimed 0–30 km/h (0–19 mph) acceleration time in 2.4 seconds and a top speed of 89 km/h (55 mph). Engine & performance: Position: one electric motor per each rear wheel Type: 4-piece battery, 96V, 220Ah/5h Power: 2 x 5.6kW Drive: RWD Top speed: 80 km/h 0-100 km/h: 130-150 km Source: wikipedia Images: Daihatsu

This concept of a four-seat luxury car was presented at the Tokyo Motor Show in 1973. The car's main features were an electric motor, large sliding doors, and plastic body parts used to reduce weight. Engine & performance: Type: electric, 8-piece lead-acid battery, 12V, 120Ah/5h Top speed: 80 km/h Range: 80 km / 60 km (city mode) Dimensions: Length: 3970 mm Width: 1620 mm Height: 1270 mm Weight: 1000 kg Source: carstyling (translated from Russian) Images: Concept Car Central

The Coggiola Sylvia was a concept car built by Coggiola in 1973. The car was a liftback coupe based on the Opel GT with a 2430mm wheelbase and designed by Trevor Fiore. It was a proposal for a replacement for the Opel GT. The car remained a one-off. The Sylvia has a length of 4110 mm, a width of 1620 mm, and a height of 1200 mm. Source: Coggiola Sylvia - classiccars.fandom.com. https://classiccars.fandom.com/wiki/Coggiola_Sylvia Images: COGGIOLA S.p.A.

In 1973, Heuliez proposed these two designs for a buggy using the underpinnings of the GS. It's unclear where this concept ended up. Comment below if anything else is known. Images: Andre LE ROUX Site

The 1973 Chevrolet XP-898 concept car was built with a frameless fiberglass foam sandwich body and chassis. This two-seater sports coupe offered a unique look at alternative engineering approaches to future techniques in design and manufacturing. The entire body consisted of four lightweight fiberglass outer body panels, the floor pan, firewall, upper front, and upper rear. A rigid urethane foam filled the designed clearance between the panels. The structure and appearance of the car were designed so that the body could be assembled using four lightweight molded outer skin sections. With the outer skin panels placed in a foaming mold, liquid urethane was injected between the panels, where it expanded and bonded the body into a single, rigid sandwich structure. Once the urethane hardened (which took about fifteen minutes), the suspension, drive train, hood, and doors were bolted to reinforcing plates bonded to the fiberglass panels. The result was a vehicle body virtually free of squeaks, rattles, and vibrations. The XP-898 was a front-engine, rear-wheel-drive design and used many components from the Chevrolet Vega. The vehicle had a 90-inch wheelbase with an overall length of 166 inches. A key consideration in the engineering design of the XP-898 was the advantage of improved crashworthiness of the sandwich construction technique. The energy absorption characteristics of the vehicle enabled engineers to simulate crash conditions for the vehicle at speeds up to 50 miles per hour without catastrophic failure to the structure. Source: http://history.gmheritagecenter.com Images: www.shorey.net; deansgarage.com

Ed Cole, president of GM, who had become an ardent rotary engine advocate, ordered up a sports car concept designed around the developing two rotor GMRCE (General Motors Rotary Combustion Engine). Coded XP-897GT, this 1973 Chevrolet Corvette concept was designed by GM’s Experimental Studio and built on a modified Porsche 914 chassis with a Pininfarina steel body. It was powered with a 180 horsepower, transversely mounted rotary engine mated to a new automatic transaxle developed for the forthcoming X-body Chevrolet Citation. The Corvette 2-Rotor made its show debut at the 1978 Frankfurt Auto Show. After its career on the show circuit, GM decided to cancel the rotary engine program due to poor emissions and mileage problems. After its British Motor Show debut, the car minus engine and transaxle were put in storage in the UK. In 1982, Englishman Tom Falconer, a car collector, heard the XP-897GT was scheduled for the car crusher and convinced Chuck Jordan, head of GM Styling, to let him save the car. He installed a four-cylinder Vauxhall Cavalier engine and automatic gearbox just to get it mobile. In 1997, it was fitted with a Mazda 13B rotary engine matched to a Cadillac front-wheel-drive automatic gearbox. Today the car is on display in Tom’s showroom in Snodland, Kent, England. source: http://history.gmheritagecenter.com Images: www.shorey.net; www.corvettes.nl; deansgarage.com

The first all-aluminum bodied car, a Chevrolet Corvette study vehicle, is being shown for the first time by the builder, Reynolds Metals Company, at the annual meeting of the Society of Automotive Engineers here (Feb. 25-Mar 1). The experimental car proved that an aluminum body is about 40 percent lighter than steel while providing the same strength and saving about 400 pounds in the body alone. The XP-895 was designed by Charles M. Jordan and William L. Mitchell's staff. Two of the two rotor Wankels were glommed together into a four-rotor 420 bhp engine, and this was installed in the first XP-895 by Gib Hufstader. Mitchell's staff under Henry Haga, at Duntov's urging, designed an all-new body for the "Four-Rotor Car." It's based on the XP-882 chassis. In 1971, Chevrolet Engineering completed a running XP-895 prototype with a body of mostly steel. In March of 1972, Reynolds Metals Company, under contract to Chevrolet, began building a second body for an XP-895 Corvette prototype, duplicating the first steel body in aluminum. In June of that year, the aluminum car was completed and is fitted with a 454 V-8. Chevrolet unveiled the experimental mid-engine XP-895 Corvette at the New York Auto Show in 1973. Chevrolet general manager John DeLorean explores putting the aluminum-bodied mid-engined XP-895 into production in the US or Europe but finds it too costly and abandons it. Source: GM; Mario van Ginneken - www.corvettes.nl Images: GM; Reynolds Metals Company

Perhaps motivated by the unexpected success of the Citroën Méhari, Pininfarina set off to design a lightweight multi-purpose vehicle powered by a Fiat-sourced drivetrain in the early 1970s. The result was the Autobianchi A112 Giovani that debuted at the 1973 edition of the Geneva Motor Show. As its name implies – Giovani means “young” in Italian – the car was aimed primarily at younger buyers in the market for a fun and economical car they could commute in on weekdays and take to the beach on the weekend. Pininfarina started with a chassis borrowed from the Autobianchi A112, an affordable and efficient front-wheel-drive city car introduced across Europe in 1969. The A112 was one of the Fiat Group’s best-selling models, so parts were cheap and readily available in Italy. The coachbuilder’s designers drew a boxy body with a relatively high beltline, a roll bar integrated into the B-pillars, and large wheel arches. Stretching about 129 inches (332 centimeters) long, the car was characterized by plastic bumpers integrated into the body (a highly futuristic design cue in the early 1970s), a radiator grille shaped like the Autobianchi logo, and a removable roof panel. The Giovani’s silhouette was modern for the era, and in many ways, it resembled cars launched ten years later. Pininfarina made the A112 Giovani’s body out of composite plastics and did not fit the car with an opening trunk lid to keep the cost of producing the car as low as possible. Instead, the trunk was accessed via the passenger compartment. The Spartan theme continued inside the car, where the three-spoke steering wheel and the five analog gauges were sourced straight from the A112 parts bin. With room for up to two passengers, the Giovani’s cockpit featured a plastic dashboard and seats crafted from a combination of metal and semi-soft plastic often found on boats. Pininfarina fully intended on producing the Giovani, so it went to great lengths to make sure the concept was fully functional. Mounted transversally over the front axle was a 982cc water-cooled four-cylinder engine borrowed from the A112 Abarth that sent 58 horsepower and 54 lb-ft. of torque to the front wheels via a four-speed manual transmission. Performance figures were never published, but acceleration must have been fairly brisk considering the car’s low weight of 1,455 pounds (660 kilos). The A112 Giovani generated a positive response in Geneva from both show-goers and the press. Still, Pininfarina never took the car past the show car stage for largely unknown reasons. The only example built has survived and currently resides in a private collection in Milan, Italy. Source: A quick look at the Autobianchi A112 Giovani concept | Ran .... https://ranwhenparked.net/2013/09/25/a-quick-look-at-the-autobianchi-a112-giovani-concept/ Images: Concept Car Central; www.conceptcars.it; Corrado Lopresto Collection

Pininfarina was still loosely associated with British Leyland as a go-to design consultancy. In this case, with Project XJ40 taking shape, Jaguar approached Pininfarina to develop a design proposal for its upcoming executive saloon. The 1973 Jaguar XJ12-PF emerged and was presented at the 1973 London Motor Show and 1973 Paris Motor Show – ultimately passed over by Jaguar in favor of the in-house design proposals (Bertone and Italdesign presented their proposals). It made a great motor show star after returning to Italy following its Coventry analysis. It could be argued that it influenced the XJ40 program if you follow its evolution. Source: carrozzieri-italiani Images: oldconceptcars

The 1974 AMC Gremlin G-II Concept was an actual AMC concept car, a compact coupe based on the Gremlin but with the nose of the Hornet that turned out to be a prototype for the AMC Spirit which debuted in 1979. Images & Source: carsthatnevermadeitetc.tumblr

In 1974, Sbarro presented its latest creation at the Geneva Motor Show: the Stash. This three-seater coupe has been designed based on SV1 with a more harmonious design. Two body styles are offered: coupé or cabriolet (targa type), the latter being called HS. The chassis, similar to the SV1, consists of a central beam connected to a tubular frame and a reinforced roll cage doubled, all drowned in two polyester cages. Four discs provide braking. Note the presence of two luggage carriers, one in front (290 liters) the other at the rear (140 liters), offering a rare ability in this body style. Sprinklers can be fitted on request. Abandoning the rotary engine of the SV1, the Stash is available with several engines. The first comes from Volkswagen, a 4-cylinder 1.8-liter K70 developing 105 DIN hp or turbo 147 hp. The second is from Mercedes 450 SE. The 6.9-liter V8 is twice as powerful as the VW block, with 286 horses. In the latter case, the registry Stash changed and is no longer in the same category. It seems that Stash has been equipped with a Porsche engine and another for a 6-cylinder engine BMW 3 liters. I have, unfortunately, no confirmation for these two engines. Such powers could lead to a smile today, but we must remember that an Alpine A110 developed 95 horses at the time, a Ferrari 308 just 255 horses! The Stash is far from being underpowered, even in 4-cylinder version. The version 6.9 equipped with the Mercedes reached 240 km/h, from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.4 seconds. Or roughly the performance of a Ferrari 308. In 1975, the famous couturier Pierre Cardin has proposed its version of the Stash at the Salon de Paris. The changes on this model are mainly the interior (outside, only the signature "Pierre Cardin" appears on the side in a blue banner). The dashboard is now painted with rubber lamellaire, and seats and carpets are decorated with stripes. VW mechanics are unchanged. The Stash Cardin is a version for finishing different, more luxurious. But Pierre Cardin suggested that he had participated in the design of the car, not just remodeled the interior. Franco Sbarro didn't appreciate the couturier's method! Nevertheless, the Stash and Cardin are associated for many. We can not talk about the creation of Sbarro in terms of production figures. Only 5 of the Stash copies have been sold. The car has, as Sbarro said himself, "a beautiful appearance. It is convenient and relatively cheap." The Stash is unknown and did not broadcast it would have deserved. It is very difficult to know what these rare cars have become today. Source: 1978 Sbarro Super Stash - historicautopro. https://www.historicautopro.com/1978-sbarro-super-stash Images: Espera Sbarro

Made in 1974, the Banshee III was the third in the Banshee series. The front end bears some similarities to the later Trans-Ams. The 1974 Pontiac Banshee III was developed from the Pontiac Firebird platform with a long sloping front end and more aerodynamic rear styling. The front was a smooth blend of bumper sheet metal and covered headlamps for improved aerodynamics. The soft face bumper system consisted of a urethane body over an energy-absorbing foam base. The quartz halogen rectangular headlamps had a low, freeway, and high three-beam system. The side glass was fixed and flush sheet metal for improved aerodynamics and reduced wind noise. The fixed side glass design provided an electrically operated access panel or toll window. The interior had red leather upholstery. A hatch can access the trunk, the rear seats can be folded for additional luggage space, and the seat harness system was anchored in the structural seat. A 455 CID Super Duty V8 Pontiac engine powered it. The metallic maroon Banshee III made its public debut in 1974. It had four slit-style taillights, but these became twenty “high-tech, round-hole” taillights when it was updated in 1976. Source: Pontiac Banshee III Concept 1974 - ultimatecarpage.com. https://www.ultimatecarpage.com/forum/showthread.php?50243-Pontiac-Banshee-III-Concept-1974 Images: www.shorey.net

The Opel OSV 40 was a crash test safety vehicle built by Opel in 1974. The car's name stands for 'Opel Safety Vehicle' and was designed to resist a crash up to 40mph (65 km/h) on a frontal impact. The car was fitted with a 1196cc engine capable of producing 65bhp at 5,600rpm. The OSV 40 fenders were filled with polyurethane foam, giving them their absorbing capacity. Foam-filled side members that break in a controlled way at impact speeds above eight kilometers per hour were used at the front. The foam structure absorbed enough energy that frontal impacts below this speed only resulted in a small deformation. The engineers also filled the cavities of the sills and doors with polyurethane foam to create increased safety reserves for a side impact. Reinforced roof rails and backrests of the front seats that were fixed to the roof via a belt construction (the seats could still be adjusted) increased the stability of the passenger compartment considerably. Furthermore, the windshield was made from laminated glass glued directly to the bodywork. Source: Opel OSV 40 - Fandom. https://classiccars.fandom.com/wiki/Opel_OSV_40 Images: Opel; www.autozeitung.de

The Lem (Laboratorio Elettrico Mobile) was introduced at the 1974 Geneva Auto Show. Designed by an Italian journalist, Gianni Rogliatti, the Lem seated two people, had two large gull-wing doors and was intended for use in urban cities. A monocoque in aluminum sheets glued and riveted, a chopper controls the engine, 48 volt lead batteries. With an ample glass area and a striking yellow (later orange) paint finish, the Lem had partially-movable windows, with the rest of the glass fixed. Source: "Dream, cars of the future since 1950" exposition, Turin, 2008; Concept Car Central Images: Concept Car Central; Damiano Garro

The 1974 Mazda CVS Personal Car Concept showed how Mazda looked ahead to transportation possibilities outside the realm of driver-controlled vehicles. ‘CVS’ stood for Computer-controlled Vehicle System, and the CVS was a wheel at each corner with sliding doors and a spacious interior including big leather chairs and even a telephone! Tested on a Mazda-designed rail track, this self-driving pod looked like the futuristic fantasy in 1973. Today, though, it may be less unusual as it resembles the transit carriages you see at airports. It was presented at the 1973 Tokyo Motor Show. Source: Mazda Motor Corporation; piston.my Images: Mazda Motor Corporation

With coachwork designed by Bertone, who had utilised all his skills to achieve a design that was 'clean' with proportionate dimensions, the Quattroporte II gave one the impression of being elegant and "leggera." The well-finished interior oozed luxury (all four-door widows had individual retractable sun blinds), the digital instrument panel, á la Citroën, being particularly sophisticated. Particular attention was paid to the sound insulation of the engine bay, and wind noise was kept to a minimum by its aerodynamic exterior profile. The second-generation Quattroporte was developed during an obscure period in Maserati’s history when the marque was under the ownership of Citroën. Technically identical to the Citroën SM, the Quattroporte II featured front-wheel drive and hydro-pneumatic suspension. Performance was not on par with the first-generation Quattroporte, and Maserati purists did not well receive the car. Nevertheless, the Quattroporte II was comfortable, well equipped, and offered an excellent ride. Its Bertone-designed body was modern, and the build quality was very good. Unfortunately, the early end of the agreement with Citroën in 1975 hampered the launch of the Quattroporte II. Only 12 units were produced in its three years of production, and they were all sold to customers in the Middle East. Source: Maserati Images: Bertone; www.automania.be

Based on the Lancia Beta 1800 and debuting at the 1974 Turin Auto Show, the Lancia Mizar was built by Michelotti’s carrozzeria company with safety concerns and passenger comfort in mind. The Lancia Mizar by Michelotti seated four people and had four separate gull-wing doors for easy access. To make other drivers alert, the exterior was painted light orchid. Source: Lancia Beta Mizar (1974) - Old Concept Cars. https://oldconceptcars.com/1930-2004/lancia-beta-mizar-1974/ Images: www.conceptcars.it; www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au; Concept Car Central