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Subaru's concept SRD-1 station wagon dominated the Japanese automaker's exhibit scene. Called an innovative "dream machine" for the '90s and beyond," the SRD-1 featured a short nose and long 8-passenger compartment. Seats folded in different directions to make the most efficient cargo space. In addition to production cars, IAD had considerable input into other manufacturers' show cars. For example, it created the 1989 SRD-1 for Subaru, a mix of the five-door estate (station wagon) and low-slung sports car styles, which ItalDesign's Giorgio Giugiaro described as "right for the future." SRD-1 was the first concept car from Subaru Research and Design in Cypress, California. The styling was described as having "a very short nose and long passenger compartment designed to provide plenty of room for people and cargo" at the 1990 Chicago Auto Show. According to the double-sided color placard, the SRD-1 was "an innovative dream wagon concept for the '90s and beyond". The same placard stated that Subaru developed the car because the company "has long been recognized as having the most popular line of import station wagons in the US" and that "to strengthen this leadership position, Subaru Research & Design developed the SRD-1, a family station wagon concept car, with characteristic attention to the future needs of the mature wagon users in the latter half of [the] 1990s". It was equipped with a 3.3-liter DOHC 24-valve horizontally opposed 6-cylinder engine and full-time 4-wheel drive with electronically controlled center differential. Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com; TheMotor.Net - IAD - a potted history; Schreiber, Ronnie (19 April 2013). "The Encyclopedia of Obscure Concept and Show Cars: Part Five - Pontiac to Volvo". The Truth About Cars [blog]. Retrieved 30 May 2017.; "Looking Back at 1990s". The Chicago Auto Show. Retrieved 30 May 201 Images: www.subaru-impreza.de; www.chicagoautoshow.com

This car, developed in conjunction with Seat, was the proposed future mid-range car for the Spanish manufacturer: it entered production in 1991 as the Seat Toledo. Introduced as a solid epowood model at the Frankfurt motor show in 1989 named the Proto T, the car gained an interior passenger compartment at the next Geneva motor show. It became known as the 1990 Seat Proto TL by ItalDesign. Source: www.italdesign.it Images: ItalDesign

"Throw out the hubs!" exhorted Franco Sbarro at the 1989 Geneva show when he released on to the world a significant innovation: the hubless wheel. As Gordon Murray confirmed, the concept of a wheel without a center to it had a sound theoretical basis. The idea was that the wheel rotated around bearings -actually in the rim. The drive and braking applied directly to the run meant greater rigidity, less weight, less torque reaction, less axial and radial strain, and perfectly vented braking. Sbarro had experimented with such wheels on a motorcycle a few years before; however, it was obvious that much more development was required, and tills innovative scheme was left on the shelf. Nevertheless, the Osmos show car, which incorporated the hubless wheel, was popular at motor shows. Cleanly styled, somewhat soberly perhaps for Sbarro, it boasted a 12-cylinder engine. Source: www.is-it-a-lemon.com Images: Sbarro; Peter Vann

Sbarro, the Italian inventor/ engineer who designed and built the first working hubless wheels (patent now held by Globeholding, in Geneva). Sbarro has built many working rim rider vehicles and at least two working rim rider motorcycles. A rim rider wheel has no center hub, just a clean empty hole. The Wheel itself is, in essence, the outer race of a very large bearing. Source: www.burningart.com Images: Sbarro; Peter Vann

When Dr. Ferry Porsche turned 80 years old, he received a 1989 Porsche Panamericana concept car as a gift. Now, receiving a car as a birthday present isn't too farfetched, especially for a car manufacturing company owner. Getting one specially built to mark the occasion — now that's a tad more exciting. The 1989 Porsche Panamericana concept car was quite distinct from the Porsche Panamera. The latter is a four-door Porsche sedan — the automaker's first-ever sedan — for production as a 2010 model. The 1989 Porsche Panamericana concept car, by contrast, was a striking two-seater concept study, shown to the public for the first time at the 1989 International Motor Show in Frankfurt, Germany. Arriving without prior fanfare, the 1989 Porsche Panamericana concept car stole the show, drawing surprised and admiring sighs from ordinary motorists and industry observers alike. Neither Ferry — son of company's founder Ferdinand Porsche — nor anyone else might have had much of an opportunity to drive this wild, low-cut machine; there were no plans for production. Even so, it demonstrated once again the future-oriented thinking, creativity, and technical competence that had for the previous four decades identified the Porsche organization at Stuttgart. This was a free-spirited, free-thinking Porsche, bursting loose from the final constraints of traditionalist thought. It was a Porsche to tempt the aficionado — the driver who's seen them all, driven them all. Even more than Porsches in general, the Porsche Panamericana concept car combined the best high-tech elements while spurning faddish gadgetry. More exciting yet, Porsche advised that the racy concept car might "indicate the potential of future developments for the 911." Perhaps, Porsche enthusiasts hoped, this prototype wouldn't fade away like so many show cars, after the enthralled early observers had their fill, but could metamorphose into a 911 of the 1990s. Considering that in some well-to-do neighborhoods of the late 1980s, Porsches had become a little too popular -- indeed, almost common -- a bold two-seater guaranteed to turn the heads of the most jaded onlookers would have been sure to be snapped up in a hurry. Source: auto.howstuffworks.com Images: Porsche, Milestoned / Creative Commons

One of the most popular and best-looking show cars from the talented GM Design staff during the late 1980s was the 1989 Pontiac Stinger. It was a great design developed and created under the direction of Chuck Jordan. The Stinger was designed for both business and leisure. Ed Benson, director of marketing and product planning for Pontiac in 1989, said the following: “We looked at the marketplace and the increased interaction between small sporty vehicles, fun-to-drive, outdoor vehicles. There is an emerging interest in the young group primarily 35 and under for special sport vehicles that fully express their unique lifestyles.” Some automotive historians have called the 1989 Pontiac Stinger show car one of the long-lost concept cars. During the 1980s, demographic changes indicated the younger market wanted more driving excitement and used their vehicles to explore the country and experience fun outdoors. In response, GM designed the Stinger concept for the younger generation. Since younger buyers liked to spend time at the beach, the Stinger likely would have been very popular in Florida and California. Chrysler’s Jeep models were immensely popular during the 1980s, as sport-utility vehicles began to take a great hold on the consumer market. Pontiac’s marketing theme was “We Build Excitement” during the late 1980s and early 90s, and much excitement was designed into the 1989 Pontiac Stinger concept. The Stinger was so different from other vehicles of the era. It offered a great-looking open-top, along with a dune buggy-influenced design. The sleek nose front-end design is paired with a great-looking neon green color. The Stinger concept came equipped with an Iron Duke-based 3.0-liter four-cylinder engine. It offered a great deal of storage space, a cellular phone and a CD player, a camping table, biking begs, and a garden hose for that outdoor adventure. The interior was excellent, with many new and exciting innovations like electric memory seats, a steering wheel, and a stylish control panel. The seats were made of a new wet suit-type material and a removable cushion that could turn into great-looking beach chairs. The roof panel was removable, and new great-looking raised rear seats for the passengers. The Stinger was a great all-purpose utility design different from most comparable vehicles. While the 1989 Stinger was unique, it could still be recognized as a Pontiac model and part of the General Motors design family. The active-lifestyle concept model featured familiar Pontiac styling cues. In conclusion, the Pontiac Stinger show car was never manufactured for the consumer market. It has been displayed more recently at car shows like the POCI convention and the popular “Eyes On Design” classic car show held annually on Father’s Day. The Pontiac Stinger and its unique design will always be remembered as a great-looking sport-utility concept. Source: Keefe, Don. “The 89 Pontiac Stinger - Department X Pontiac Concept Car.” “Pontiac Designs the SUV We’re Still Waiting For.” Hot Rod Magazine. August 22, 2007. Images: Concept Car Central; General Motors Corp.

On a raised platform is the Plymouth Voyager III concept vehicle, which separates the front and back modular units. Three passengers could ride in the smaller car powered by a 1.6-liter propane-fuel engine. The 4-wheel rear section was equipped with a 2.2-liter 4-cylinder, and when the front and rear units were connected, there was room for 8-adults passengers. It also appeared in the TV series, Viper, from 1994-1999. Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com Images: Chrysler Corporation

The Plymouth Speedster concept vehicle represents the mating of high-performance motorcycles and open sports cars. It's designed to appeal to 18-25-year-olds who embrace these vehicles and are also a primary buyer target for Plymouth. Front fenders and hood are combined to form a motorcycle-type faring that wraps around the vehicle's front to the doors. Within the faring are pop-up upper and fixed lower light bars. Speedster's low wraparound windscreen suggests a cross between a motorcycle air deflector and a down-sized roadster windshield. The interior design furthers the motorcycle/sports car theme. A molded plastic tub forms a fixed seating surface upholstered with removable foam pads covered in a unique "wet suit" material. Conceived to withstand the weather elements, Speedster's rugged interior can be hosed out for cleaning. Adjustable driving positions are built into Speedster. Both steering and foot controls move for and aft. All major controls and instruments are mounted to the movable steering control fork. Speedster. The name itself fills your senses with the kind of engineering excitement you'd expect from Plymouth. Using advanced computer designs, Plymouth created Speedster to reflect what the future may hold in automotive concepts. Take a good look. Speedster represents a fantastic blend of high-performance motorcycles with open sports cars. Front fenders and hoods are combined to form a motorcycle-type fairing that wraps around the car's front to the doors. Inside this faring are pop-up upper and fixed lower light bars. The low wraparound windscreen consolidates the looks and functionality of a motorcycle air deflector and a cut-down roadster windshield. Driving this car is like stepping into a high-tech dream! Speedster's interior further exemplifies the motorcycle/sports car inter-crossing. A molded plastic tub forms a fixed seating surface upholstered in a skin diver-type "wet suit" material with removable foam pads. Specifically designed to take on the elements, Speedster's interior can be cleaned quickly and easily with a water hose. And then, you're ready for the road again! Driver and machine become one with steering and foot controls adjusted forward and backward. The interior is so pleasing and "tuned" to driver control that you could easily forget your destination and keep cruising! For a superior ergonomic environment, all major controls and instruments are mounted on a movable steering control fork. Features/Engineering Highlights: Normally aspirated 2.0-liter four-cylinder Mitsubishi-built engine Independent four-wheel suspension Wheels and tires specially made with three-spoke vented fins for cooling Four-wheel ventilated disc brakes Three-speed automatic transmission Power-assisted steering with a high response turning ratio Dimensions: Overall Length: 130.2 inches Overall width: 61.2 inches Overall Height: 45.2 inches Wheelbase: 81.7 inches Track: 53.5 inches Engine & performance: Type: Mitsubishi-built, 4-cylinder Capacity: 2.0-liter Dimensions: Length: 3307 mm Width: 1555 mm Height: 1148 mm Wheelbase: 2075 mm Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com; auto.howstuffworks.com; Chrysler; allcarindex Images: Chrysler Corporation; www.motorstown.com; storm.oldcarmanualproject.com

The bright blue Agades, based on Peugeot mechanics, was a four-wheel-drive passenger car/van intended for urban use. The 1900cc gasoline-powered engine was connected to an integral transmission. Two broad doors opened conventionally, revealing an interior with four seats upholstered in Jean and leather. In 1990, a second prototype was produced, with a slightly different appearance and a spare wheel on the back. The bright blue Agades, based on Peugeot mechanics, was a four-wheel-drive passenger car/van intended for urban use. The 1900cc gasoline-powered engine was connected to an integral transmission. Two broad doors opened conventionally, revealing an interior with four seats upholstered in Jean and leather. In 1990, a second prototype was produced, with a slightly different appearance and a spare wheel on the back. Source: Concept Car Central Images: Andre LE ROUX Site; PicClick; FavCars.com

Early design work on what would become the Aurora began as early as the late 1980s and manifested itself with a 1989 engineering concept known as the Oldsmobile Tube Car. Beyond the overall similar shape, the Tube Car featured many detailed elements that were later found on the production automobile, including a full-width taillamp, wraparound rear windshield, and frameless windows. Unlike the eventual production car, the Tube Car was of a pillarless hardtop design with suicide doors. Source: wiki Images: GM

Oldsmobile’s Aerotech II stood only 48 inches high and featured a glass-covered rear deck. The rear panel was split and opened from either side for access. The interior held a color navigation monitor that was programmed with compact discs. The 2.3 liter Quad 4 engine supplied power. Featured: Inflatable restraints, color visual information center, navigation system by CD, digital heads up display, ceiling-mounted holographic device projected a red 3-D warning on the rear glass when brakes applied, 230hp 2.3L engine with electronic traction control, and antilock brakes. Type: Oldsmobile Quad 4, 4-cylinder, DOHC, 16-valve Capacity: 2260 cc Torque: 233 hp Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com; www.outrightolds.com Images: ConceptCarCentral

Presented at the 1989 Frankfurt Auto Show was the UV-X concept. This vehicle featured a 110-inch wheelbase and a high-deck design allowing a low .25 coefficient of drag. A special characteristic of the UV-X was the use of liquid crystal glass, which could be darkened at the touch of a button. A camera was installed in the rear bumper to provide rear vision via a dashboard-mounted monitor. Engine & performance: Position: front, transversely Type: 4-cylinder, DOHC, 16 valve Capacity: 1998 cc Power: 150 hp @ 6400 rpm Torque: 181 Nm @ 4800 rpm Top speed: 230 km/h Dimensions: Length: 4520 mm Width: 1785 mm Height: 1365 mm Wheelbase: 2800 mm Source: www.conceptnissan.com Images: Nissan; Concept Car Central

The 1989 Tokyo Motor Show turned out to be rich in novelties: Honda NSX, Suzuki Cappuccino , Subaru Alcyone SVX were presented here ... However, according to the Chicago Tribune, visitors called two other cars show stoppers. In a newspaper for November 19, 1989, it was written: "The most interesting, in terms of design, cars of the show were the Nissan Neo-X and Mitsubishi HSR-II - prototypes that give an idea of ​​what the cars of the XXI century will look like." But let's leave the Mitsubishi concept for a better occasion and look at the Nissan Neo-X, a concept executive sedan with a neoclassical design. Simple lines, a short overhang in the front and a large one in the back, a voluminous dome of the roof that slopes smoothly towards the stern. Vehicle length is 4980 mm, width - 1870 mm, height - 1350 mm. As befits a large limousine, the car is equipped with a large engine. In the case of the Neo-X, it was a 4.5-liter V8 producing 270 hp. The estimated maximum speed is 250 km / h, but the dynamic characteristics, such as the acceleration time to 100 km / h, were not announced even at the level of theories. However, everything was on the level here - the Neo-X received four-wheel drive. Moreover, the car had a fully steerable chassis (like the Nissan Skyline GT-R). Of course, a manual transmission is not required for a futuristic flagship sedan (a five-speed automatic is installed here). But what such a car, according to Nissan engineers, definitely needed a powerful computer that monitors the operation of all systems of the car: engine, transmission, air suspension, steering and brakes. Based on the data obtained, the Neo-X computer adjusted the electronic systems in real time for the most efficient and comfortable movement. But this was far from all the electronics of the car. Infrared cameras were integrated into the front bumper of the car to track the distance to the vehicles in front. If the distance became critically small, an alarm was triggered. Doesn't it look like anything? The Neo-X also had a head-up display, a holographic instrument panel, and a touch-sensitive center display (with a cathode ray tube!) - all very much reminiscent of a modern Tesla. The central screen could display climate control settings, a navigator, as well as a picture from a night vision camera. For the comfort of passengers in the concept, four bucket seats were responsible, which had the function of automatically pumping the side rollers (hello Mercedes!). And here they used "smart glasses" - almost like in Maybach: at the push of a button, the light transmission of the side windows was reduced, replacing the traditional tinting or curtains. The Neo-X concept was not ready for mass production, but many of the solutions used in it can be found in more modern Nissan models, for example, in the Primera, which was also equipped with a center screen with wide functionality. It was an interesting concept that earned accolades from visitors to the 1989 Tokyo Auto Show and most of the world's media outlets. Engine & performance: Position: front, longitudinally Type: Infiniti Q45, V8, DOHC, 32-valve Capacity: 4494 cc Power: 280 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque: 400 Nm @ 4000 rpm Drive: 4WD, 4WS Dimensions: Length: 4980 mm Width: 1865 mm Height: 1350 mm Wheelbase: 2880 mm Source: www.conceptnissan.com; motor.ru Images: Nissan

The Figaro was introduced at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show under the slogan "Back to the Future." It was built by a Nissan special projects group called Pike Factory, producing other niche automobiles such as the Be-1, Pao, and S-Cargo. Only four colors were available: Topaz Mist, Emerald Green, Pale Aqua, and Lapis Grey. The least popular was Topaz Mist, which has become the most sought-after version. This popular design was released in 1989 and garnered such support Nissan built 10,000 units for 1991. Due to great demand, Nissan utilized a lottery to help determine who could purchase one. Source: Wikipedia; www.conceptnissan.com Images: Nissan Pictured Above: 1989 Nissan Figaro Concept Pictured Above: 1991 Nissan Figaro Production

This box-shaped, asymmetric concept van was presented at the 28th Tokyo Motor Show. Chapeau is French for "hat." While some referred to it as a "Luxurious phone booth," the interior design was quite capable (if you like pink). It included a sizeable semi-circular speedometer with two small gauges on each side. Engine & performance: Position: front Type: 4-cylinder Capacity: 1497 cc Dimensions: Length: 3780 mm Width: 1670 mm Height: 1950 mm Wheelbase: 2400 mm Source: www.conceptnissan.com Images: Nissan; Concept Car Central

Capable of seating five adults, the Boga was created to interpret a 1990’s city vehicle with driver comfort and convenience in mind. The interior features spacious front and rear bench seating, auto-closing doors, and a solar-powered ventilation system. A 1.5-liter engine powers it. The Boga was a bit of a show-off from Nissan at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. Japan was way at the upper reaches of its bubble economy back then, and it had recently finished a new exhibition center for its top car companies to show whatever the damn hell they wanted. Japan's carmakers went nuts and built all kinds of cars that never made production, all probably million-dollar exercises just to show off, as a book on the period, Comeback: The Fall & Rise of the American Automobile Industry remembers. So the Boga never went into production, and as the most insignificant of the one, two, three, four, five concept cars Nissan debuted at the '89 Tokyo show, it has been quickly forgotten. First of all, look at it. Look at it! The thing looks like a dachshund puppy. It's all long in the middle with its minute wheel-legs at its corners. The Boga was supposed to be a city car of the 1990s, so it was small. The Boga did come with a truly minute 1.5-liter engine so that the whole car couldn't have been much bigger than a modestly-sized rabbit enclosure. The interior was unbelievably minimalist. I mean, shockingly minimal. There are retro-patterned seats, a simple digital set of readouts ahead of the blank steering wheel, and a set of audio and air/con system controls between the seats. This is something you'd see in a current concept car. That's all. It looks like a furniture store in the hipster part of town. It looks like a fancy playground. It looks like someone stabbed an art gallery. Nissan wanted the standout feature of the car to be its doors, which is something of a major plot point in today's concept cars. The Chrysler Portal that debuted yesterday was designed around its doors, suicide in the back and unbroken by a b-pillar. The Boga had the same feature, using a fingerprint scanner to open without a key, recognizing the driver individually, and needing no standout door handles. Engine & performance: Position: front Type: 4-cylinder, 12-valve Capacity: 1497 cc Power: 97 hp @ 6000 rpm Torque: 129 Nm @ 4400 rpm Dimensions: Length: 3720 mm Width: 1760 mm Height: 1330 mm Wheelbase: 2600 mm Source: www.conceptnissan.com; autoutro.ru Images: Nissan; Concept Car Central

In 1989, the original vehicle with the Nissan logo on the front was released. It was the 300XM, also known as NTC IF. Today we will take a closer look at it. It was designed by Satoshi Wada and featured butterfly doors. Interestingly, the car has never been in Nissan's official plans. The vehicle was created as a design for an internal competition organized by the design center of the Japanese manufacturer. The purpose of the internal competition was to promote creativity among employees. Source: https://blog.pgd.pl/1989-nissan-300xm-ntc-if-zapomnianekoncepty/ Images: www.swdesign-office.com

This recreational concept was presented by Mitsubishi at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show. This unique design has several notable features being it's open cab, roll bar, sloping front windshield, bar doors, amber headlights, and sleek wheel cover. Source: Mitsubishi

The 3000GT or 3000GTO, depending upon where you live, was truly a masterpiece of art and engineering. The beauty of this car put it in a completely different category from all other Japanese autos. Following the successful showing of the Mitsubishi HSX concept car at the 1989 Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi developed the new GTO as a technically advanced sports coupe to compete with the Mazda RX-7, Nissan 300ZX, and Toyota Supra. They resurrected the GTO name, and the car went on to serve as Mitsubishi’s flagship for the remainder of the decade. It was known as the Mitsubishi 3000GT outside Japan; the company was concerned that connoisseurs would object to the evocative nameplate from the highly regarded Ferrari 250 GTO and Pontiac GTO used on a Japanese vehicle. Source: www.3000gt.us Images: Mitsubishi; www.3000gt.us

The Mitsubishi HSR (Highly Sophisticated-transport Research) is a range of concept cars exhibited by Mitsubishi Motors through the late 1980s and 1990s. Six distinct iterations of the vehicle were released biannually to coincide with the Tokyo Motor Show, with each model after the original identified by a Roman numeral suffixed to the name. The 1989 Mitsubishi HSR concept car body design was first seen in public at the Tokyo Motor Show, and the fully drivable car proved to be a virtual show-stopper. Audiences at American exhibitions in 1989 cast a similarly excited eye at the bubble-topper's organic, functional shape. Near-future drivers, they learned, might be "enclosed in a reinforced, space-age skin, with expansive visibility all around." Better yet, they would revel in a "solid sense of confidence and well-being." Aerodynamics had been the buzzword in the auto trade for several years already, so the Mitsubishi HSR concept car appeared to be the next logical step forward. Even showgoers who knew (and cared) little about a car's coefficient of drag, not to mention the coefficient's impact on high-speed stability and fuel efficiency, could imagine a vehicle like this barreling down tomorrow's open highway — and probably without having to stop at every other gas pump along the way. Sounded great, in theory. Onlookers might be excused for temporarily forgetting the traffic jams and crazed drivers they might have encountered on the way to the auto show. Dreams can't be bothered by such tiresome realities. What Mitsubishi created was not quite as futuristic as it appears. Many of its elements and features weren't "maybe" devices but real technological developments that were close to completion. Several already existed in some form on modern cars. Several HSR's powertrain and suspension components were shared with the company's Galant and Eclipse models. Mitsubishi's Eclipse coupe, for instance — built at the new Diamond-Star plant in Illinois — benefited from the same research that produced the HSR. According to the company, the Eclipse gained a startlingly low drag coefficient of 0.294, along with the lowest frontal-lift coefficient of any production car. The Mitsubishi HSR concept car's drag coefficient dropped to an unheard-of figure of 0.2, an amount more appropriate in an airplane than a road vehicle. Moreover, the flowing form created a useful down-force that increased road-hugging capabilities at high speeds. It held tighter as speed rose, maneuvering as precisely at 200 miles an hour as at more modest velocities. Source: auto.howstuffworks.com Images: Mario Buonocunto Concept Cars Page; Publications International, Ltd.; eye-love.jp