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This was a concept Saab Viking Coupe (1982) from the Italian Carrozzeria Fissore, Italian coachbuilder located in Savigliano, near Turin. The concept was designed by Tom Tjaarda, who also designed the De Tomaso Pantera. Its based on a Saab 900 Turbo chassis and has been developed to a 1:1 model stage. It was presented at the 1982 Turin Motor Show. Engine & performance: Type: Saab 900 Capacity: 1985 cc Power: 100 hp @ 5200 rpm Torque: 162 Nm @ 3500 rpm Dimensions: Length: 4480 mm Width: 1670 mm Height: 1370 mm Wheelbase: 2515 mm Source: www.saabplanet.com Images: www.tom-tjaarda.net; www.conceptcars.it; Alden Jewell Collection

The spectacular fiberglass “Corsa Spider” concept car was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show in 1982. Cover plates were used to complete the transformation from a four-seater to a two-seater. In the same way, covering the front passenger seat gave the Spider the look of a single-seat race car. Much to the dismay of many fans, Opel did not put the “Corsa Spider” into production. Source: Opel Concept Cars at Geneva - Car Body Design. https://www.carbodydesign.com/archive/2007/03/09-opel-concept-cars-at-geneva/ Images: G.M.

This car was presented at the 1982 Geneva Motor Show. The CVT 58 had a drag coefficient of 0.28. Dimensions: Length: 4000 mm Width: 1650 mm Height: 1360 mm Wheelbase: 2455 mm Source: carstyling.ru (translated from Russian); allcarindex Images: www.conceptcars.it

The Mercedes-Benz Nafa was a concept car from 1982. The vehicle had four-wheel steering, automatic transmission, and air conditioning, all part of the package. An automotive study with front-wheel drive and two seats packaged together ideas for an innovative city car with Mercedes-Benz flair, which the manufacturer also intended to offer in an extended three or four-seater version. The study did not make it to the factory production line because it simply could not match up to the car maker’s strict safety criteria, which place occupant protection at the top of the list of priorities. To overcome this hurdle, ingenious new ideas were needed, which only materialized many years later in the sandwich concept in the A-Class and the passenger safety cell in the smart. On the plus side, however, the NAFA’s short dimensions endowed it with supreme maneuverability in even the tightest spaces, and parking would never be a problem again either. Slots of around just four meters in length were quite sufficient for its miniature proportions, with the four-wheel steering meaning that it could be guided into spaces forwards too. The NAFA boasted an array of further features which made it perfectly compatible with the demands of city driving: a low waistline, high seating position, and expansive windows affording an optimum all-round view. Source: Mercedes-Benz Nafa | Classic Cars Wiki | Fandom. https://classiccars.fandom.com/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_Nafa Images: DaimlerChrysler

Matra reappeared on the scene in 1982 with one of Jean-Luc Lagardère's ideas – the "Buddymobile." Manufactured under the legislative administration of the current larger today, it is becoming more and more possible. This car is the perfect answer to young people wanting to drive, both funny and safe. Source: matra-ms.com Image: Matra

The Lincoln Continental Concept 90 was a concept car from 1982. The car was designed for five passengers and was displayed in the Lincoln-Mercury exhibit to test public acceptance of its sleek rounded body that formed a subtle wedge shape. Based on development models, the Continental Concept 90 was rated as having better aerodynamic efficiency than any luxury car built in the United States. In profile, the sleek, rounded, pearlescent-white, two-door hardtop exhibits a subtle wedge shape that results in an estimated coefficient of drag rating of only 0.32. The aerodynamic design also is apparent when viewed from above - slightly tapered at front and rear to hold airflow tight to the body. Continental Concept 90 has a low profile, with an overall height of 1351 mm. It sits on a 2751 mm wheelbase and is 5080 inches in overall length. By comparison, the 1982 Mark VI Lincoln Continental stands 1047 mm, the wheelbase is 2903 mm, and length is 5486 mm. This concept was presented at the 1982 Chicago Auto Show. Source: Lincoln Continental Concept 90 | Classic Cars Wiki | Fandom. https://classiccars.fandom.com/wiki/Lincoln_Continental_Concept_90 Images: Ford; www.chicagoautoshow.com

The first bulletproof Popemobile was built following the first assassination attempt on John Paul II in 1981. The British design firm of Ogle crafted the first bulletproof Popemobile on a Range Rover chassis. The Rover took the precedent set in the design of the 230 G and enclosed the cabin, adding bulletproof glass for a visit to the UK. The raised “telephone booth” at the rear raises the car's overall height to 102 inches. Source: The Evolution Of The Popemobile - Jalopnik. https://jalopnik.com/the-evolution-of-the-popemobile-5054965 Images: www.oglenoor.com; landroverforums.com

In 1979, the FIA announced a radical change in the racing-car classification system. With a newly created Group B scheduled to begin with the 1982 season, manufacturers were left with little time to develop cars for rally competition under the new rules. Group B homologation would only require 200 examples, so production would not present a major problem, but Lancia determined that there would not be time to start their new rally car entirely from scratch. Instead, Lancia would turn to help Abarth and Pininfarina, as they had with the endurance-racing Beta Montecarlo Turbo. Like that circuit racer, the new rally car, code-named Abarth project SE037, would be based on the central monocoque of the production Montecarlo road car, but with the engine and suspension carried on tubular subframes front and rear. Unlike the Montecarlo Turbo, the new 037 would have its engine mounted longitudinally and fitted with a Roots-type Volumex supercharger for more instant throttle response. As with the Montecarlo road cars, Pininfarina would build the body shells, and final body development took place in their wind tunnel. The new car’s official model name reflected its singular focus; it would be called simply the “Rally.” The Lancia Rally formally debuted in March 1982, and homologation was certified on 1 April 1982, by which time 207 examples had been constructed. The 037’s first competition test was the Tour de Corse in May 1982. Although the new car finished a promising 9th overall, Lancia recognized that the 1982 season would be intense development rather than a championship run. The year ended with Markku Alén and Ilkka Kivimäki taking their 037 to a strong 4th-place finish on the RAC Rally. The following year, 1983, saw Walter Röhrl and Markku Alén lead the Martini Racing Lancia team to wins at Monte Carlo, Tour de Corse, Acropolis, New Zealand, and Sanremo on its way to the 1983 World Rally Championship—Lancia’s fifth championship and the last WRC title by a two-wheel-drive car. Source: rmsothebys.com Images: Pininfarina; Archivio Storico Fiat

The Lancia Orca is a prototype car from the Italian brand Lancia. The car was developed by Italdesign, with its mechanics based Lancia Delta Integrale. It was introduced in the year 1982 at the Turin Motor Show. The Orca was a 5-door hatchback with compact dimensions. Giugiaro designed the car with smooth edges and a slippery glass surface, giving the car a drag coefficient of 0.245. The interior represents the biggest advance in technology in the car. The steering wheel was crammed full of control buttons for the radio, cruise control, and many other functions. The Ocra had the Delta's 4-cylinder turbo engine, which could generate 140 hp at 5600 rpm. The engine was positioned transversely at the front and was mated to a 4-speed transmission. Engine & performance: Position: front, transvesely Type: Lancia Delta Turbo, 4-cylinder, DOHC, in-line Capacity: 1585 cc Power: 140 hp @ 5600 rpm Dimensions: Length: 4388 mm Width: 1728 mm Height: 1375 mm Wheelbase: 2675 mm Source: classicars.fandom; allcarindex Images: ItalDesign

The Marco Polo was merely a styling exercise by Ital Design that few people know about. Not a running prototype, this Giugiaro design was only a painted plastic model for aerodynamic research. The Lamborghini badge on the car's nose did not imply any design program undertaken with the factory. Still, it was a compliment paid by Giugiaro to the famous manufacturer that became noteworthy for pushing the limits of automotive design. Although Lamborghini has a more exciting image to its products, Giugiaro decided to give this study a less aggressive line, preferring instead to focus on aerodynamic efficiency to provide a quieter passenger compartment and higher speed maintaining fuel consumption. The Marco Polo, while a four-seater, has only two doors of the gullwing style used on the Marzal and can be opened from either the front or back seats. The car stands 1300mm high, 1870mm wide, and 4575mm long, and boasts a cx of only 0.24. The Marco Polo was presented on December 3, 1982, and appeared on the 1982 Bologna Motor Show. Engine & performance: Position: intended for mid-mounted longitudinal Lamborghini engine Dimensions: Length: 4575 mm Width: 1870 mm Height: 1300 mm Wheelbase: 2750 mm Source: www.lambocars.com Images: ItalDesign

The TPC (Two-Person Commuter) was the lightest car built by General Motors., weighing 1.070 pounds. Contributing to the car's low weight were the doors, front end, and rear fenders, all of which were aluminum. There were no sharp body lines - everything was smooth and curved, including the side windows, which 'ballooned" outwards. The rearview minors were placed inside the car to keep the smooth-line theme. GM claimed that the TPC's superb aerodynamics could achieve 95 miles per gallon on the highway and 68 miles per gallon in congested city traffic. The sleek design produced little airstream turbulence, causing the car to achieve a drag coefficient of 0.31. The tires were flush with the wheelhouse, and the glass was flush with the bodywork, contributing to the car's aerodynamic success. The TPC was powered by a small 0.8-liter three-cylinder engine coupled with a five-speed manual transmission and incorporated a four-gallon fuel tank. Engine & performance: Type: 3-cylinder Capacity: 800 cc Power: 40 hp Dimensions: Length: 3261 mm Width: 1430 mm Height: 1176 mm Wheelbase: 2037 mm Weight: 485 kg Source: Concept Car Central; allcarindex Images: GM; Popular Science, Jan-1983; deansgarage.com

The 1989 Magna-Vehma Torrero was an SUV, sedan, and sports car all in one. It was built by Vehma International, an independent engineering company that builds specialty cars for Detroit manufacturers. A mammoth of an engine powered this four-wheel-drive luxury vehicle. It was powered by an all-aluminum 8.1L V8 Eagle engine producing 532hp and 150 mph. It featured a mobile phone, VHS TV, fax, and four cameras in every corner for more vert visibility. The interior also featured pivoting seats, satellite navigation, and a carousel of switches. It was presented at the 1989 Geneva Motor Show. Source: GT Planet; allcarindex Images: flaviendachet.blogspot

The single seater vehicle is a "lean" machine in the true sense of the word as it leans into corners like a motorcycle while keeping the stability of a normal car. The GM Lean Machine was developed by Frank Winchell of General Motors (USA) in the early 1980s as a concept car. The original model was powered by a 15 hp 2-cylinder engine that produced a maximum speed of 80 mph with a fuel economy of 80 mpg at 40 mph. Shortly afterward, a second model was produced, a larger 38 hp engine powered that. With a total body weight of 159kg, this gave the vehicle outstanding performance, and the Lean Machine was able to reach 60 mph in just 6.8 seconds with a fuel economy of over 200 mpg. For the futuristic 1993 movie "Demolition Man" starring Sylvestor Stalone and Wesley Snipes, the GM Lean Machine was one of seventeen concept cars produced by General Motors to be featured in the film with an insurance value of $69 million. Source: www.3wheelers.com Images: Concept Car Central; www.lostepcot.com

The GM Aero 2000 was a concept car built in 1982. The car had no steering wheel or brake/acceleration pedals. Instead, the driver used a vertical video-game-style stick mounted on the center console. The stick controlled braking and accelerating depending on how far it is pushed or pulled and controlled steering by moving sideways. The driver didn't have to look down at the dashboard to read information. The car's holographic heads-up display system reflected all the car's vital information onto the windscreen. Instead of using a rearview mirror, General Motors put a television screen in front of the control stick, which displayed a 180-degree view of the area behind the car. The wheel skirts could extend outward or be removed to allow the car's front tires to move freely while turning at low speeds. There was also a navigational system and radar-assisted brakes. The doors opened by sliding along on guided rails to allow easy entry and exit to the rear seats. The power windows and air conditioning/heating system could be activated by spoken commands using electronics that could recognize and respond to the voices for which they were programmed. There was also a unique experimental design for lap-shoulder seat belts. The reels taking up the belts were built into the seats, and the belts needed to be slipped into a slot in the center console. Source: GM Aero 2000 | Classic Cars Wiki | Fandom. https://classiccars.fandom.com/wiki/GM_Aero_2000 Images: GM; Concept Car Central; www.lostepcot.com

Mini Max is a Ghia platform concept for a two-door sport wagon with a commodious rear compartment and an immense, vertical glass rear hatch. Attractively styled with a sloped nose that leads directly into the windshield and covered headlights, the Ghia Mini Max concept is undoubtedly aerodynamically efficient while at the same time accommodating a large internal volume within a small footprint. Ghia Mini Max appears to have been constructed in fiberglass. Glazing is Plexiglas, and the side windows are fastened to the frames with exposed screws. Only the driver's door is functional. A full interior upholstered in red velour with grey carpet and trim. A single-spoke steering wheel is fitted, and a formed clear plastic dummy panel is mounted to the steering column. 12" cast alloy wheels are fitted with 155SR-12 tires. Ghia Mini Max has two comfortable and reasonably bolstered bucket-style front seats. Bench-style rear seating is provided, and it is likely the rear seat back folds for access to and expansion of the cargo area. The date of Ghia Mini Max's creation is not known during cataloging. However, its livery and aerodynamic cues suggest it may have been when Ghia was creating the highly aerodynamic Probe series. Ghia Mini Max is another design concept of interest; perhaps it could be used as a schoolroom educational tool for the potential young designers of tomorrow to explore? Source: www.scottgrundfor.com Images: Ford

The Mustang-based Topaz was unveiled at the 1982 Congress of the International Society of Automotive Engineers in Detroit. The Topaz featured a sleek 65-degree windshield and engine cooling via a ducted opening beneath the bumpers with flush-glazed windows. Soft plastic headlight covers were used to mount the lights forward without the risk of glass breakage. The fixed side windows incorporated the car's customized logo, and a single taillight ran the car's width. Source: Concept Car Central Images: Ford; Concept Car Central

Like the Ghia AC of 1981, the Quicksilver was based on the AC ME 3000 chassis, lengthened by eleven inches. Five passengers could be seated within the car's 116-inch wheelbase. The interior consisted of analog gauges clustered into "segments," continuing throughout the dashboard. Presented at the 1982 Turin Auto Show and powered by Ford's 3-liter V6 engine connected to a 5-speed manual transmission, the Quicksilver featured an updated version of flush-mounted glass and retractable headlights. Built for Lincoln, the Quicksilver first appeared in metallic silver but was later reworked in dark black. Source: Concept Car Central Images: Ford; Concept Car Central

Probe IV was, in fact, the third example of the Probe series. Probe II never appeared, and Probe III was a concept created for Ford Europe which saw some of its features incorporated in the Merkur XR4Ti. Probe IV advanced the state of aerodynamic art at Ford to a new level, going to great lengths to make its surfaces as smooth as possible and present the minimum frontal area. A low ride height minimized under-car airflow, and the Probe IV went to the extent of creating a speed-sensitive ride height and attitude system. Probe IV could assume a pronounced nose-down attitude at speed. The back of Probe IV could rise six inches while at the same time the nose dropped four inches at high speed, improving its stability and air penetration. The front air dam was also electrically controlled, compensating for attitude changes and driver-controllable to compensate for rough surfaces. Headlights were under plastic covers. Side windows were flush in their frames with small power-operated panels at the bottom for ventilation and paying tolls. The radiator and air conditioning compressor were located at the rear to eliminate a high drag radiator opening in the front (or nose). A full belly pan smoothed the limited undercar airflow that the air dam and attitude control let through, and the tires were specially-developed for Probe IV, skinny P155/75R-16 LDC Goodyear tires that even had a low drag tread pattern. Even the identification and emblems were flush with the Probe IV surface. The only interruption to exterior airflow was the outside mirrors, which were faired-in and sharply swept-back enclosures. To meet Probe IV requirements, mechanical innovations were required, including a highly sophisticated short MacPherson strut front suspension. Its front-engine, rear-drive chassis was powered by a 1.6-liter 4-cylinder turbocharged engine canted 70 degrees to the side to lower the hood. Probe IV's most distinctive features are its fully-skirted wheels and tires, which utilize membranes between the outer covers and the body. The membranes flex when the front wheels are turned and allow Probe IV to be driven normally, but drastically reduce wheel well turbulence and resulting aero drag. The occupants of Probe IV sit in specially designed grey velour 'sling-style seats designed to provide lumbar and thigh support in a semi-reclining position which saves 1½ inches in roof height. Instruments are placed directly in front of the driver with other controls in elaborate black panels with white legends on each side of the wheel. The top of the single-spoke steering wheel is transparent. The transmission shifter and additional controls are placed on the center console. Probe IV achieved a drag coefficient of 0.152, the same as the F-16 fighter, an extraordinary accomplishment, particularly in view of its comfortable internal accommodations for four. Every Ford Probe Concept: 1979 Ford Probe I Concept by Ghia 1980 Ford Probe II Concept by Ghia 1981 Ford Probe III Concept by Ghia 1982 Ford Probe IV Concept by Ghia 1985 Ford Probe V Concept by Ghia Source: 1983 Ford Probe IV Concept | conceptcarz.com. https://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z2023/Ford-Probe-IV-Concept.aspx Images: Ford; Concept Car Central

A plastic-bodied targa-roofed coupe based on the Ford EXP. This concept was by ASC and intended for the American market. It was a design exercise on what a mid-80s Ford Mustang could have been. Source: Ford Motor Company

In response to the gasoline shortage of the late 1970s, Ford Motor Company developed this 2-passenger design concept study vehicle. It is a rendition between a full-sized clay model and a running prototype. Although it will roll, it has no engine, steering, or suspension system; it does have an entire interior with non-operating instruments and controls. This "Econocar" was a design proposal for a very inexpensive, high-mileage student/commuter car using a small gasoline engine — and potentially a 100 mile-per-gallon vehicle to cope with the threatening fuel crisis. Planned as a 1982 model, by the time the Econocar concept was developed to this stage, the gas shortage had subsided, and Ford saw no market for such a small specialized vehicle. Painted in orange and trimmed in black, this "fiberglass property" was donated in 1988 to the Henry Ford Museum. Source: Ford R. Bryan - Henry's Attic: Some Fascinating Gifts to Henry Ford and His Museum Images: Collections of The Henry Ford - www.thehenryford.org