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The 1995 Mazda BU-X was a concept based on the Demio and the first B-MAV (Multi-Activity Vehicle) to arrive in the market. Source: Mazda Motor Corporation

The 1995 Auge concept was a four-seat custom body based around a Maserati 3200GT chassis. The Auge is a cold wind that blows along the Azure Coast: it's the new air that announces the change of the season. But the Auge is also a wind which pervades the boundary lands with the perfumes of the hinterland, a renewal message which takes with itself the consciousness of what we've been, to come to understand what we are now. The will to create a "GranTurismo" which could be similar to 5000 GT with a special auto body, which was made from the Italian masters on ending of the Fifties, takes to the result of a sedan car, equipped with two long doors that allow the access to the four comfortable seats, and of a recognizable shape as a Maserati that takes inspiration from the small spiders created in the post-war period which were appreciated a lot from the fans of Maserati. Unusually, the doors do not have opening handles: they open using a remote control placed in the pilot's watch, which is also provided with an insertion of a satellite alarm. Therefore, as for the realization of the auto body, two technological ways have been used, one close to the past, the other to the future. On the inside of the car, we find the development of this topic. The dashboard is dominated by the complete typical instrumentation of Maserati cars. Every passenger can approach individually or share with the other occupant's general information and functions like: audio, Television, DVD, satellite navigator, telephone, connection to the Internet, video games, portable computer, the rear television camera. It is possible to use a refrigerator in the tunnel between the two front seats during long travels. If you have left with good weather to be surprised by the rain, there are two small umbrellas in the pockets of the front panels door. Source: www.carrozzeriacastagna.it Images: Castagna

L2K stood for Lincoln 2000 and was one of several attempts to develop a convertible version of the Mark-series sport-luxury coupe. The dream precedes reality. "What should a luxury sports car look and feel like in the future?". That's a question we asked our luxury car designers. Their answer: The Lincoln L2K. The L2K is truly a luxury sports car. This 2-seat convertible is designed to offer a blend of understated elegance with sophisticated, spirited performance. The interior features luxury sports bucket seats, a sound system with a mini-disc changer in the console, an ergonomic wraparound design, and dual airbags to provide an ultra-high level of comfort and safety. Under the hood is an experimental 3.4-liter, 32-valve V-8 engine that delivers 250 hp. If you're wondering about the lack of door handles, the L2K doors are opened using an infrared signal transmitted by a keyless entry key fob. This just goes to show that at Lincoln, whatever our designers can envision, our wealth of engineering and technological resources can figure a way to build. Designed at Ford Motor Company's Concept Center California Design Studio, the L2K is a one-of-a-kind concept vehicle. Through "idea" vehicles such as this, we continue to bring exciting and innovative new products to market. Engine & performance: Position: front Type: V8, 32-valve Capacity: 3.4-liter Power: 250 hp High-tech 4-speed automatic tranny Dimensions: Length: 4023 mm Width: 1803 mm Wheelbase: 2367 mm Weight: 1323 kg Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com; Ford Motor Company; allcarindex.com Images: Mario Buonocunto Concept Cars Page

The Kayak was presented for the first time at the 1995 Geneva Motor Show, was a Bertone interpretation of a modern Lancia coupé in line with the traditions of the manufacturer. The car is a modern reworking of the style canons of the Italian coupé, of the great cars of the 1950s and 1960s. In keeping with Nuccio Bertone's characteristic desire to challenge the design ideas of the times, the Lancia Kayak was a modern reinterpretation of the past. At the Geneva show, the Kayak came to be seen as the frontier between what had made the Italian automobile great in the past and the contemporary resurgence of the cabriolet and coupé. At the Turin Motor Show in 1996, Bertone presented a working prototype on a Lancia K base, intentionally characterized by proportions that recall the classic design tenets of the Neapolitan school of styling. This marked a change in the basic design of front-wheel drive cars: a return to the long bonnet, evoking a powerful engine and high speeds, to the light, compact cockpit with four bucket seats, and to the short, sloping tail well blended with the wings. In short, this was a real Italian-style coupé, with tight, harmonious styling, the kind of car that Lancia had excelled at in the past. An Aurelia B20 for the year 2000. Source: www.bertone.it Images: Carrozzeria Bertone s.p.a.

The Calà, introduced at the Geneva motor show in 1995, is a research prototype for a 2+2 coupé that can be converted to an open-topped car similar to the Targa. In stylistic terms, the car displays the influence of conventional Lamborghini traits, namely Miura-derived front headlights and a windscreen reminiscent of the Countach. The Calà is, however, significantly higher for reasons of comfort. The well-lit passenger compartment can, in fact, easily accommodate two adults and two children. The carbon fiber body is anchored to an aluminum chassis by adopting a brand-new technology involving folded, bonded panels. The mechanical layout was designed by Lamborghini, with a new V10, 3961 cc, 372 HP, 7200 rpm engine fitted in a mid-rear position, combined with rear-wheel drive. Source: www.italdesign.it Images: ItalDesign; ItaliaSpeed.com

From the owner (March 22, 2014) Since 2002, I have been the owner of the only existing concept car, 1995 Kia KMX3. The top color is black-metallic, bumpers, and the surrounding color is a soft pink-metallic. The interior is pink leather. The car is running, but instruments, lights, switches are all fake. It is possible to drive the car, but carbon monoxide comes through different open parts of the firewall. The windows can not be open. There is a "dashboard" placed in the front passenger's foot area to switch the lights, push the ignition, or press the horn. It's a nice car for collection or to drive on private property. Source: https://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1995_kia_kmx_3/ Images: oldcar-korea.tistory.com

The 1995 Kia KMS-II was manufactured by Kia in South Korea. It had a 2-door roadster body type and FWD (front-wheel drive) with a manual 5-speed gearbox. It had a gasoline (petrol) engine with displacement: 1793 cm3 / 109.7 cui. Supposedly, it was Kia’s version of the Lotus M100 Elan after the Lotus version ceased production in 1995. Specs: Dimensions: outside length: 3880 mm / 152.8 in, width: 1740 mm / 68.5 in, wheelbase: 2250 mm / 88.6 in Reference weights: base curb weight: 1060 kg / 2337 lbs Top speed: 200 km/h (124 mph) (declared by factory) Advertised power: 103 kW / 138 hp / 140 PS ( JIS net ), torque: 172 Nm / 127 lb-ft. Accelerations: 0- 60 mph 8 s, 0- 100 km/h 8.5 s (declared by factory), 1/4 mile drag time (402 m) 16.5 s Fuel consumption and mileage: average estimated 29.7 mpg/24.7 mpg Source: https://www.automobile-catalog.com/make/kia/kms-ii/kms-ii/1996.html

In 1995 Kia showed a range-extended gas/electric (the Kev-4 concept car) with regenerative braking and solar-powered air conditioner. It would drive on electricity alone for 117 miles. Its 880cc gas engine could stretch that farther. This was 15 years before the Chevy Volt. Source: Simon Hacker/MSN Cars; Reddit Images: Kia Motors Corp.

Billed as an urban off-roader, this Toyota RAV-4-sized mini-ute was penned by Isuzu’s European design team. It is designed to carry up to 7 passengers, which should be an easy task for the Deseo’s direct-injection gasoline-powered 3.2-liter DOHC V-6, which is claimed to provide the dual benefits of increased power under full-throttle operation and improved fuel economy at idle and low-load running. Torque is distributed by a new Torque On-Demand electronically controlled transfer case. And finally, to minimize weight, the Deseo is built on an all-aluminum frame, and it employs an aluminum belly pan to reduce underbody aerodynamic drag. Source: www.difflock.com Images: Isuzu

1986 Lancia Delta S4 Group B Rally Photo Courtesy of Bonhams Source: https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/videos/a29930/lancia-delta-s4-petrolicious/ The crazy thing about the twincharged four-cylinder in the Lancia Delta S4 is not that it makes 550 horsepower, but that it makes 550 horsepower in a mild state of tune. If you need to explain to someone the madness of Group B rally, this mid-engine, all-wheel-drive nutjob sums things up quite well. In the Group B era, which spanned from 1982 to 1986, automakers went totally overboard developing monsters that pushed the limits of what was possible. Among a field of crazy cars, the Delta S4 was arguably the craziest, and a large part of why Group B was ended after the 1986 season. In trying to offset turbo lag, Lancia bolted a supercharger to its 1.8-liter inline-four, which provided more low end power. As S4 owner John Campion says in this Petrolicious video, the motor made 550 horsepower in race trim, but was tested up to 1000 horsepower. It's theoretically always on boost, and despite its all-wheel traction, it's a hairy ride. Sadly, it was a Delta S4 that was involved in one of rally's most infamous crashes, which led to Group B's cancellation. Henri Toivonen and co-driver Sergio Cresto careened of the road during the Tour De Course rally, and the kevlar-bodied car quickly burned to a crisp after apparently being pierced by a tree, killing the two drivers. Group B was banned for the 1987 season, and some manufactuers pulled out of the championship immediately. The sport's governing body later found in an investigation that Group B racers like the Delta S4 were too fast, even for the best racers in the world. Imagine that. A car deemed to quick for anyone to handle. The Delta S4 stands as a fascinating monument, then. It represents a moment where racing lost its mind, with dire consequence.

1985 Lancia Delta S4 Stradale Photo Courtesy of Bonhams Source: https://www.motor1.com/news/144741/lancia-delta-s4-stradale-sale/ Another day, another 1980s rally legend heading to the auction block. After learning about an Audi Sport Quattro en route to Villa Erba in Italy for RM Sotheby’s May 27 sale, today we get to talk about the iconic Lancia Delta S4 aka “Stradale” set to be sold at the very same event. As it was the case with the Sport Quattro, Lancia had to build at least 200 road-going cars for homologation purposes to take part in the fascinating Group B. Precisely 200 were made and now is your chance to own one. Built in 1985 and driven for less than 1,600 kilometers (994 miles), this Delta S4 is in exquisite condition and it’s highly unlikely you’ll find one in a better shape. The metallic red example with a beige Alcantara interior was actually registered for the first time in 1989 and it hasn’t been used much since then given its extremely low mileage. It comes bundled with a significant amount of documents, including all of the original manuals, service books, and Lancia’s certificate of authenticity. The road-going model remained pretty much faithful to its track-only sibling and featured the same 1.8-liter turbocharged and supercharged inline-four engine. Needless to say, the mid-mounted unit was de-tuned for the street model and produced 250 horsepower (184 kilowatts) and 292 Newton-meters (215 pound-feet) of torque. The track car was officially rated at 450 hp, but in reality the race-spec engine pushed out somewhere in the region of 550 hp. As a side note, legend has it Henri Toivonen drove an 800-hp version of the race car back in 1986 for two test laps in Portugal at the Estoril track and was only a few seconds slower than the pole position time of an F1 car. Featuring a fiberglass body over a chrome-molybdenum steel spaceframe, the Lancia Delta S4 ‘Stradale’ was a wonderful piece of engineering and came with a five-speed manual gearbox sending the twin-charged engine’s power to a four-wheel drive system. It tipped the scales at a low 1,200 kilograms (2,645 pounds), so you can easily imagine it was an absolute rocket and it's still very fast even by today's standards. RM Sotheby’s estimates this pristine example will be sold for at least €450,000 ($495,000) or as much as €550,000 ($605,000).

1974 Porsche 935 K4 Photo Courtesy of Herr D. Sadlowshi of PS Automobile GmbH From the listing for this Classic 70’s Porsche 935 K4 Race Car for sale: Porsche 935k4 race car, this was a 79 K3 that was re-shelled in 81 to be a K4. The car is a tube framed K4 race car, which could be homologated as a Moby dick replica. The work was carried out by DP who make the bodies for Kremer . The car has the correct flat fanned 935 engine producing 680BHP in a car that weighs under a ton, everything about the car is correct, including the titanium drive shafts, It has air jacks, centre lock wheels, spare springs and BBS wheels. Not been raced since last rebuild and in very good order. From Wikipedia: 935 K3 and K4 by Kremer As Porsche hesitated to sell their Evolution models, some teams developed their own ideas, especially Kremer Racing from Cologne, Germany. Parallel to the factory in 1976, they had built a 935 K1, and in 1977, modified their customer 935 to the K2. For 1979, they introduced the 935 K3 (for “Kremer Type 3”; the derivative of the successful K2). Driven mainly by Klaus Ludwig, it won the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 1979, beating all prototypes, in heavy rain, which is usually considered a disadvantage for race cars with windshields. Coming in second was a factory spec model, driven by Rolf Stommelen, and supported by team owner Dick Barbour and actor Paul Newman. Facing strong competition in the 1980 DRM by the big Zakspeed Ford Capri, the K4 was introduced in mid 1981, for 400 000 Deutsche Mark. Porsche supplied an 3,1L engine with 750-800 hp at 1,5 bar boost for 91 000 DM in total.

1967 De Tomaso Vallelunga Berlinetta Photo Courtesy of Bonhams Source: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/24625/lot/34/ 1967 De Tomaso Vallelunga Berlinetta Coachwork by Carrozzeria Ghia Chassis no. 807DT0115 * One of approximately 50 made * Present ownership for nine years * Offered from a select De Tomaso collection * Registered in Italy Alejandro De Tomaso began racing in his native Argentina in 1951 before moving to Italy to drive for Maserati and OSCA, the latter firm having been founded by the Maserati brothers after they sold up. This experience inspired him to form his own company - De Tomaso Automobili - in Modena, Italy in 1959. Racing was the order of the day to begin with, the fledgling firm building cars for Formula Junior, Formula 3, Formula 2 and Formula 1. De Tomaso's first road car - the Vallelunga - did not appear until 1965. A pretty, mid-engined coupé, the Vallelunga was built in small numbers and would contribute its short-wheelbase, backbone chassis - extensively re-engineered - to the Mangusta, the arrival of which in 1967 established De Tomaso as a serious automobile manufacturer. Styled and constructed by Carrozzeria Fissore, the Vallelunga prototypes - an alloy-bodied spider and a couple of closed coupés - first appeared around 1963/64. Named after the Italian circuit where De Tomaso had raced with some success, the Vallelunga featured a Chapman-esque backbone chassis frame and was powered by a 1.5-litre Ford Kent four-cylinder engine. Unusually, the latter acted as a stressed chassis member, a practice that has since become commonplace for competition cars but remains rare among passenger vehicles. De Tomaso's background as a manufacturer of racing cars was reflected in the Vallelunga's running gear, which consisted of all-round independent suspension by means of wishbones and coil springs, rack-and-pinion steering, and four-wheel disc brakes. It had been De Tomaso's hope that a major motor manufacturer would take on the project, but when no approach was forthcoming he decided to go it alone, turning production over to Carrozzeria Ghia, a company he would later acquire. The production Vallelunga featured striking glassfibre coupé bodywork - styled by Giorgetto Giugiaro - with more than hint of Ferrari 250LM and Dino 206 about it. Compared with the Fissore cars, there were numerous detail differences, the most obvious concerning access to the engine bay, which was by means of a glass hatch rather than the hinged rear body section of the prototypes. Although a humble pushrod unit, the Ford Kent engine was robust and tuneable, and when installed in the Vallelunga was fitted with Weber carburettors. Power was transmitted via a Hewland transaxle. Approximately 50 production Vallelungas were made during 1965/66 before De Tomaso moved on to the Mangusta. Currently forming part of a select de Tomaso collection, this Vallelunga was bought nine years ago by current owner and has been used sparingly since then. In working order mechanically, the car is believed never to have been restored and is presented in original condition – even the paintwork is believed to be original. Offered with a recent Revisione (roadworthiness certificate) and the original Italian libretto, this ultra-rare Vallelunga represents an exciting opportunity to acquire a limited edition Italian coupé eligible for entry into a wide variety of the most prestigious historic motoring events.

1965 Abarth Simca 2000 GT Corsa 'Campionissimo Europa Montagna' Photo Courtesy of Bonhams Source: https://www.bonhams.com/auctions/21907/lot/217/ Rumours of a collaborative agreement between Abarth and the French company of Simca began to circulate in 1961. The French company had begun to assemble assorted Fiat models under licence in France, intending to provide the French motoring market with low-price utility cars. Upon Simca's establishment in 1935 a plant producing Fiat 508 Balillas was set-up at Nanterre, and the Simca Cinq began production the following year, exactly replicating the contemporary Fiat 500. Late in 1961 the Simca company – which had been founded by Italian entrepreneur Enrico Teodoro Pigozzi, launched its most successful model – the Simca 1000. This was its first rear-engined car and a neat four-door saloon which became the direct competitor of the contemporary Renault Dauphine. The power unit was Fiat 600 derived, emerging as a 944cc 4-cylinder providing 35bhp in standard form. The Simca 1000 was larger, more roomy, more powerful and faster than the contemporary Fiat 600D, and after its launch at the 1961 Paris Salon its production mushroomed into 1962 to reach 160,000 units for the year. Carlo Abarth's old Viennese sparring partner, Rudi Hruska, had become a technical consultant with Pigozzi's French venture, and regularly brought Abarth's successes with its Fiat-based cars to the company boss's attention. The powerful promotional platform of competition success reflecting credit upon the source-vehicle manufacturer really appealed and in effect Abarth was then invited to become a test and promotional partner of the French company. Abarth was to produce a Gran Turismo car using Simca 1000 components as its base, and hence the 'Abarth Simca' 1300 emerged. Carlo Abarth's team designed a completely new engine for the new venture, using the tried and tested broad architecture of the twincam 1000 Bialbero -bore and stroke dimensions of 76mm x 71mm to displace 1288, compression ratio cited as 10.4:1 and induction via two twin-choke Weber 45DCOE carburettors. The twin overheadcamshaft head disposed its two valves per cylinder at an included angle of 80-degrees. The new model's floor pan, transmission, steering and suspension were drawn from Simca 1000 production, while the body matched the latest Fiat Abarth Coupé configuration. The Abarth Simca 1300 was launched in February 1962 at a list price of Lire 3,300,000. Pending its homologation by the FIA as a Gran Turismo the Abarth Simca 1300s contested the sports category and immediately became dominant within its International category. The model's early victories –particularly in hill-climbs – persuaded Carlo Abarth to invest in further development of the Simca-based theme. In February 1963 the Geneva Salon saw the Abarth Simca 1600 launched with a completely in-house Abarth 1591cc engine with 68.5mm cylinder bore, five-main bearing crankshaft, and – for the first time in Abarth history – twin-plug per cylinder ignition sparked by two distributors driven off the forward ends of the overhung rear-mounted power unit. Technical Director Mario Colucci provided the car with an upturned tail extremity to the engine cover, creating a spoiler device far more subtle in appearance than Ferrari's contemporary finest on the 250 GTO. The Abarth Simca 1300s proved capable of running rings around the rival Alfa Romeo Giulietta during the 1962 season, and the 1600 with 138bhp at 7,800rpm and with Girling disc brakes all round was capable of 240km/h – 149mph. These were rocket ships, indeed. But still there was a further step that the Abarth Simca series would take. Abarth's 1963 racing record included a staggering 535 victories, of which 90 were scored by the Abarth Simca 1300s alone. The definitive Abarth Simca 2000 was then previewed at the 1963 Geneva Salon, with the avowed objective of the company building 100 to have it homologated as a 2000cc Gran Turismo contender in 1964. The twin-cam engine with five main bearings and twin-plug ignition proved extremely effective, and reliable, while gearbox adaptations of four, five and six speeds were introduced to handle the unit's ever-increasing power and torque. Massive twin-choke Weber 58 DCOE3 carburettors were adopted – resulting in the new 2-litre Abarth engine producing some 204bhp at 7,200rpm. Top speed was quoted as 260km/h – fully 161mph. These Abarth Simca 2000 GTs were rocket ships, plus, plus... The model as offered here proved blindingly fast in competition, most notably with new young works star driver Franco Patria at the wheel – winning the Division 2 Gran Turismo class at the Freiburg - Schaunsland mountain climb and placing second overall to Edgar Barth's works Porsche. The model also won the Enna Cup race around Lake Pergusa on the island of Sicily, works team veteran Hans Herrmann victorious. At Sierre-Montana-Crans mountain climb it was Patria's turn to win again in the Abarth Simca 2000 GT, again at Trieste-Opicina and yet again at Cesana-Sestriere. Patria won again in the Coupé de Paris at Montlhéry, only to lose his life there in the subsequent Paris 1,000Kms when rammed by a crashing E-Type Jaguar while waiting to rejoin the track at the pit-lane exit after a routine stop. The surviving Italian road registration 'libretto' for this particular Abarth Simca 2000 GT offered here – chassis serial '136.0056' – is difficult to read but it survives within the documentation file accompanying this Lot. The car was first registered, apparently as '68753 PT', on April 2, 1965, but it was subsequently re-registered in Arezzo under the serial 'AR 104614' on June 4, 1970, its owner being listed as Bruno Veggenti of San Giovanni Valdarno. On September 22, 1977, the car was sold to Bellancauto SpA – Fabrizio Violati's company – for Lire 300,000. Later, upon the foundation of Fabrizio Violati's Collezione Maranello Rosso museum in San Marino, '0056'as offered here became one of its absolute star Abarth exhibits. An interesting note preserved within the file reads baldly "J. RINDT – 11/4/65 ASPERN: GP VIENNA 1st Assoluto GT" and "10/10/65 INNSBRUCK 1st Assoluto GT". This refers of course to none other than the legendary Karl Jochen Rindt, the later-1960s outstanding uncrowned 'King of Formula 2' in Brabham cars who also shone as one of the legendary Formula 1 drivers of the period. In 1965 he was serving his first full Formula 1 season as a Cooper-Climax works team driver, No 2 to team leader Bruce McLaren. He went on to excel in Cooper-Maserati, Brabham-Repo and ultimately Lotus-Cosworth works team cars, until in 1970 he tragically became the sport's only posthumous Formula 1 World Championship Driver after crashed fatally in the Lotus 72 during practice for the Italian Grand Prix at Monza. He had previously won that year's Monaco, French, British and German GP races in his works Lotus cars – but on his 'weekends off' back in 1965 he had also driven Abarth works team cars. At the Viennese aerodrome circuit at Aspern on April 11, 1965, Jochen Rindt had beaten senior works team-mate Hans Herrmann to win the 20-lap 52km Gran Turismo race, with Karl Foitek's Lotus Elan third and Manfred Abels' Porsche 904GTS fourth. On October 10 in the Preis von Tyrol 25-lap, 70km race at Innsbruck aerodrome in Austria, Jochen Rindt then drove his works Abarth Simca 2000GT to beat no fewer than three Porsche 904GTS Coupés, driven by no less than future Porsche works stars Rolf Stommelen and Udo Schutz, with Sepp Greger fourth, and the very quick Alfa Romeo TZ2 of works driver Roberto Businello fifth. These Abarth Simca 2000GTs were indeed in-period Porsche 904-beaters... Also included within the accompanying documentation file is a photocopy of the extensive Scheda di Omologazione for the model, date-stamped January 13, 1964, together with some correspondence from the Abarth factory, and the car's original 'AR 104614' registration plates.

Presented at the 1995 Tokyo Motor Show, the 1995 Isuzu Aisance was a concept SUV with 4WD capabilities. Engine & performance: Type: 4-cylinder, 16-valve, DOHC Capacity: 3100 cc Drive: 2WD, 4WD Dimensions: Length: 4250 mm Width: 1695 mm Height: 1795 mm Wheelbase: 2600 mm Source: allcarindex.com Image: Isuzu

Besides being presented at the 1995 Seoul Motor Show, little is published about the 1995 Hyundai HRV-21. Comment if anything else is known. Images: www.ust.co.jp; oldcar-korea.tistory.com

The California Design Studio completed the technical and artistic design work for the HCD-3 after a year of research. Hyundai engineers made a radical departure from conventional automotive design concepts to craft a bold styling statement. The 4-seat HCD-3 has dual airbags in the front and comes with an anti-lock brake system. Placed in the center of the gauge cluster, the computer-controlled Navitac displays the driver's desired destination on-screen with the press of a button. It is also equipped with an advanced car audio system, CD player, heater, and air conditioner. The HCD-3 is powered by a 2,000cc, 16-valve DOHC turbo engine that can generate up to 240 horsepower. A switch adjusts the suspension system height and cushion strength to fit the road conditions. Thus, the ride remains equally enjoyable on paved roads and rugged off-road terrain. Features Adjustable height suspension Navigation system Convertible top 5-speed manual transmission Folding rear window Source: Hyundai Images: Hyundai; oldcar-korea.tistory.com

The 1995 Hyundai FGV-1 was presented at the Seoul Motor Show in 1995. Supposedly, it would have a top speed of 120 km/h and weighed 1100 kg. Comment if anything else is known. Source: https://www.allcarindex.com/concept/korea-south/hyundai/fgv-i/ Images: oldcar-korea.tistory.com

Honda proudly displayed a new Pininfarina sports car concept called the SSM (Sport Study Model) during the 1996 Chicago Auto Show. The SSM’s power was supplied by a 2.0-liter five-cylinder VTEC engine, driving through a new electronic sequential-shift automatic gearbox derived from the NSX. It used NSX-style aluminum construction and ensured sharp handling through its front-engine/rear-drive layout: Honda claimed a perfect 50/50 weight distribution front-to-rear. One novel feature on the car was a central “spur,” which separated the driver’s and passenger’s compartments and significantly improved rigidity. The 2-seat cockpit had a wraparound instrument cluster, contoured bucket seats, and body-colored roll bars. Importantly, the SSM roadster predicted the shape of the future (2000) Honda S2000 production model. Sources: www.chicagoautoshow.com; Auto Lemon Images: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Davide Arcangeli did this design and technological research prototype in 1995. This emotional two-seater convertible was based on Honda's high technological mechanicals, which adopts sophisticated solutions in the aluminum space frame, rear-wheel drive, and fully retractable hardtop moved by a system of electric motors hydraulic actuators. The technology combines with the warmth and the fascination of the interior, originating a sporty but, at the same time, romantic car. Source: Pininfarina spa. Images: pininfarina spa.