Pennington also designed the Corvette 6 wheels named “Mixer,” built to look like a concrete mixer truck. He lengthened the back to add an axis; then, he placed an aluminum canister resembling a concrete mixer. What are your thoughts on Pennington’s design? Source & Image: SixMania.com

Pennington Collision began in the garage of Jerry Pennington, a determined man who had a passion for cars. He started by fixing primarily corvettes and custom work but later introduced the show car line and custom vehicles. In 1968, he opened the doors to Pennington Collision to make his work more professionally known. In 1972, Jerry took his custom car, "The Scorpion," to Detroit's Auto Rama. There he won the Ridler Award for his outstanding imagination and vision. The Scorpion went on to win the International Championship for 1971 & 1972. In 1973, he built the Devilfish, winning the Ridler Award. Jerry was the first person to win this award for two consecutive years. In 1973, Jerry built a car for John Long of Atlanta, Georgia. His latest custom creation was called "The Atlanta Phoenix," which became the 1973 & 1974 International Champion. In 1979, he tried one last time for the Ridler Award at Detroit's Auto Rama, in which he took second place. This made Jerry the only builder to win three ICAS top awards. ICAS named Jerry Pennington "Builder of the Decade" from 1970 to 1980. He has also built a custom Corvette for "The Magician" television show. In 1982 Jerry's son, Ed, began managing the family business. Since Jerry's passing in 1990, Ed continues to run the legacy of Pennington Collision with the help of his family. Source/Image: Pennington Collision. http://www.penningtoncollision.com/history2.htm Pictured Above: Jerry Pennington's 1972 Ridler and International Championship awarding winning "Scorpion."

Bradley was a designer at General Motors from 1962 to 1966 who, against company policy, continued to submit designs to Hot Rod magazine under an assumed name. Mattel poached him in 1966 to design its brand new toy line called Hot Wheels, and Bradley designed all of them except one. He only stayed at Mattel for a year because he didn't think Hot Wheels would be successful, then left to start his own design company. Among other works, he penned the most recent example of the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. Since it has a letter of documentation from GM design staff, we'll assume that GM asked the then-freelancing Bradley to work some magic on its muscle car, this being the totally Hot-Wheels influenced the result. There are 17k+ miles on its 255-horsepower, 350 cubic-inch V8. The interior has tan leather, custom bucket seats, a wood grain dash, and one of the most awkward spare tire placements. Source: @autoblog (Instagram handle) (3/26/2015) Images: @siomotion (Instagram handle)

Surfite was a genuine surfer’s car. An Austin Mini Cooper chassis was under its unique custom surfboard carrier body, powered by a 1269cc Austin Mini Cooper chrome-plated engine. Ed tried to get Surfite in a movie that he heard was being filmed in Sportsman’s Cove in Malibu, and even though it was only a split second, Surfite made a brief appearance in Beach Blanket Bingo. Source: ratfink.com Images: ConceptCarz.com

Mega Cycle started in the mid-60s to imagine what a 21st century El Camino would look like. Original concept sketches were drawn up by a guy named Ed Newton, and the car was originally designed to carry Big Daddy's custom Harley-Davidson XLCH Sportster until he traded up to a show-stopping Triumph custom. Powered by a Buick V6, Mega Cycle originally called Captain Pepi's Motorcycle, and Zeppelin Repair, which was changed by car show promoters, did the car show circuit for about a year until Big Daddy traded it to a junkyard owner for the rear clip out of a VW Bug. The car sat in front of the junkyard for a year, where it served as a sign for the yard and, sadly, a home for the yard's resident dogs. When Big Daddy came to pick it up a year later, the interior was utterly trashed. Roth traded it again, and the car changed hands numerous times throughout the 60s, 70s, and 80s. During that time, it was restored a couple of times, toured on the show car circuit again, lost its Triumph, regained its Triumph, and generally lived a hard-knock life. Source: Jason Marker (2018) via RideApart.com

The original Camaro/Firebird F-Body platform was barely off the drawing board when General Motors stylists began toying with sporty station wagon versions of the pony car package. The idea just seems natural, intuitive somehow. While this example, the 1977-1979 Firebird Type K, wasn’t GM’s first F-Body experiment in station wagons, it is by far the best known. Based on the clean second-generation Firebird body shell sculpted by famed GM designer Bill Porter, the wagon variant was styled by another accomplished GM studio man, Gerry Brochstein. The K stands for Kamm tail, a reference to the abrupt chop at the rear of the body, which reduces aerodynamic drag. While the rear glass was fixed in place, a pair of glass side hatches hinged in gullwing fashion allowed full access to the rear cargo compartment, which was nicely trimmed in carpeting with bright metal rub strips. 📚/📸: MCG on 1/4/17 via MacsMotorCityGarage.com

Darryl Starbird is an American designer and manufacturer of custom cars and hot rods, known for his innovative and futuristic space-age car designs, often with a bubble top. The Trik Truk is a futuristic pickup with 6 spoke wheels and four front wheels like the Tyrrell P34. It was designed like the Deora with a cantilever at the front. The entire cockpit electrically lifts upwards like the Lancia Stratos HF Zero. The entire interior is made of leather and velvet. There is still a major technological innovation, the steering wheel support is in the central position, and it is possible to tilt the steering wheel right or left depending on the person who wants to drive! There have been at least two versions. One with a very pointed front, headlights on the sides. Then, a newer version with a more rounded front, headlights forward. Trik Truk was built from a 1978 Chevy van. It was exhibited at the 1987 Geneva Motor Show. Source: Marc on 4/21/20 via SixMania.com

The EX-7 was a 2-seater concept car made by Toyota and shown during the 1970 Tokyo Motor Show. It was an experiment (hence 'EX') to see what a supercar based on the Toyota 7 (hence '-7') race car would be like. The mid-mounted 5 L engine was similar to the Toyota 7 engine, except that EX-7 did not have turbochargers. The Toyota 7 had 800 bhp, but the EX-7 was detuned down to 450 PS for road use. The transmission was by a manual gearbox as part of a transaxle. Double wishbone independent suspension was on all four wheels, and vented disc brakes were used on both the front and rear. The body shape was similar to that of other supercars, like the Mercedes C111, with a long flat nose blended into an extended windscreen and a high rear with a vertical cutoff. The doors were shaped like a typical gull-wing door, but the hinge was at the end of the roof section of the door, and each door opened to the rear. Source: Andrew Biddle - blog.toyota.co.uk Images: www.spiegel.de; www.2000gt.net; blog.toyota.co.uk

In the 1980s, Pierre Tissier presented on the Citroën stand at the Paris Motor Show. Presented was the Citroën CX14 “Penthouse”, a prototype both very fast and livable. The interior was very complete with luxurious comfort. Also, the engine was a powerful 2400 GTI. Do you know anything else about this machine? 📸/📚: Bruno Tourmen 2/28/18 via SixMania.com

Unveiled at the November 1969 Turin Salon was the first concept by Giorgietto Giugiaro for his new firm, ItalDesign. Dubbed "Iguana", a small production run of cars was planned but never actually happened for one reason or another. The use of brushed-steel bodywork was certainly novel and Giugiaro later adopted a similar treatment for the DeLorean DMC-12. Elements of many earlier Giugiaro designs were apparent on the Iguana, everything from the De Tomaso 2000 Competizione to the three-seat Bizzarrini Manta. Source: www.italdesign.it Images: oldconceptcars

The Alfa Romeo Eagle is a concept car built by Pininfarina. The car debuted at the Turin Auto Show in 1975. Three years after unveiling their Alfetta Spider prototype built using the chassis and drive-train of the Alfetta Berlina, Pininfarina presented a new Alfa-based styling exercise. The goal was to show that it was possible to design an open car with good passive safety. Like the Alfetta Spider, the Eagle had a targa top but was built using the Alfetta GT as a base. The Eagle's wedge-shaped body was designed by Aldo Brovarone, who drew inspiration from the sports prototype cars and the Alfa Romeo 33/TT/12 in particular. The body was characterized by a prominent rearward-inclined or swept-back roll-over bar. The interior diverged strongly from the contemporary Alfa style, with soft matte plastic dashboard finishes, a mono-spoke steering wheel, and fully digital instrumentation. With a 91.0 kW (122 hp) 4-cylinder Twin Cam engine in standard GT tune, good aerodynamics, and weighing just 1,000 kg (2,204.6 lb), the Eagle was rated at a maximum speed of 198 km/h (123.0 mph) while returning significantly better consumption than the model from which it was derived. As with Pininfarina's earlier Spider proposal, the Eagle did not produce. Alfa Romeo's management instead opted to refresh the style of the Duetto. Source: wikipedia Images: ClassicDriver.Com (by Rémi Dargegen) and CarStyling.ru

Cyclone Sportshauler, Lincoln-Mercury's newest show car, carries a surprise in its trunk. The car, designed by Ford's Design Center, has a special compartment that stores an all-terrain vehicle behind the two front seats. The Sportshauler has a unique rear window and deck lid which form a rear door that opens electrically. When the rear is fully open, a tailgate drops to the ground to form a ramp and the vehicle is lowered by an electric winch. The all-terrain vehicle can be replaced by a minibike, snowmobile, or other recreation vehicles. Cyclone Sportshauler will be unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show, November 21-29 at Cobo Hall. 📸: ford-trucks.com

It turns out, John Bender of Hilliard, Ohio, who built and owns the white Ben-Dera, created and still owns the car's twin, painted gold. "I went to all the auto shows and whatnot and wanted my dream car," Bender said. "So I just decided to build one." He employed a 2.3-liter Ford Pinto four-cylinder but placed it in the center of the car's chassis. The Pinto's front sub-frame went under the front of the Ben-Dera, then a pair of leaf springs and the Pinto's rear axle kept the rear of the car from dragging. Fiberglass panels over a tubular space frame constituted the outrageous body. The second car used a 2.8-liter V-6 from a Mercury Bobcat, dismissed the three fins on the back, and added air conditioning. Bender said he started the four-cylinder car in the early to mid-1980s and spent about three years and $40,000 on it. The second took less time because he already had the molds developed. "I was going to sell them (he advertised them for $19,750 as recently as seven years ago) but wasn't able to find a buyer," Bender said. "I got worried about people suing me." Would you buy it? According to CarsThatNeverMadeIt, it was built in 1988. Source: Hemmings (Daniel Strohl from November 2005 issue of Hemmings Classic Car)

The "Bonneville Boss" is a unique, Toronado-powered, lowboy transporter. Its extreme cab-forward design, dual steering front axles, center operator's seat, and hydraulically-operated ramp carries Tony Fox's prototype "Proud American" hydrogen peroxide rocket-powered Land Speed Record car. Now 88 years old, Tony Fox was a prolific inventor and entrepreneur most successful in designing and building commercial trash compactors. The Boss was designed to transport the "Proud American" across rugged terrain to reach the most remote, pristine dry lakes for its record attempts and was used only during the attempt by Fox and his driver, Ky Michaelson, to find sponsorship for the LSR attempt in the '70s. Fox Industries promoted the compactors by campaigning the "Pollution Packer" hydrogen peroxide rocket dragsters during the early '70s. The Pollution Packers set 21 FIA and national records. Its FIA Class C one kilometer standing start record of 234.778 mph set September 30, 1972, at Bonneville, still stands on the FIA record books. Images: sixmania.fr Source: GregWapling.com

Customizing legend Gene Winfield constructed Strip Star for Bob Larivee’s Promotions Incorporated show circuit, a traveling exhibition that allowed custom car makers to show their vehicles to a wide audience, gain awards and publicity for their work, and, for many, attract clients. Mastercraftsman Gene Winfield hand-built the one-of-a-kind, asymmetric body, which he designed in collaboration with Ernie Graves and mounted on a modified 1946 Ford chassis. 📸/📚: Petersen Automotive Museum

Initially discovered in the March 1978 issue of Popular Mechanics magazine, the camper was later seen in the blockbuster movie Total Recall starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. Based on a VW minibus frame that’s had some serious protracting done to it, the Phoenix converted into a 3.5 meter-wide tent for four and had space for a sink, stove, and an icebox. It was designed as a do-it-yourself alteration. Provided you can get your hands on an old VW chassis; you can build your own today by ordering the plans from automotive DIY-er Robert Q. Riley. Source: Abgefahrener Camper auf VW-Basis aus dem Jahr 1973, der in .... https://www.kraftfuttermischwerk.de/blogg/abgefahrener-camper-auf-vw-basis-aus-dem-jahr-1973-der-in-total-recall-gezeigt-wurde/

George Barris: the designer of the original Batmobile, in the 1960s designed the “world’s first x-rated car” The Love Machine. Its main characteristics were: a red velvet cushioning, a rotating circular bed, a mirrored ceiling, and a crystal chandelier. 📚/📸: UnusualInfo.com

Ed had been riding trikes for fifteen years when he decided to make the Globe Hopper (named by Robert Williams). Globe Hopper had a big gas tank, trouble-free 1800cc VW engine, and an automatic transmission that he pulled out of a Porsche 914 coupe. Ed ended up replacing the fuel injection system with two SU carburetors. Ed drove to Alaska in the Globe Hopper, fashioned a little like a ’34 Ford Roadster. Source: ratfink.com Images: Pinterest; biggasser.com

Rotar stands for "Roth Air Car." Ed used two Bell Auto Parts-built 650cc Triumph twins laid on their side. A high-pressure prop was mounted to each engine, creating a cushion of air that allowed Rotar to propel itself on land and water. Directional flaps on the bottom were plywood, and the rear fin was fashioned after Ed's '59 Cadillac. This is an excellent example of the value of Ed Roth's custom cars. This car sold a few years back for over $200,000! Source: ratfink.com Image: Pinterest

Road Agent was the first of many of Ed Roth's custom rear-engine show cars. Ed used a Corvair engine and a uniquely turned upside-down Corvair transmission. Other features include a frame made from chrome-moly tubing and a ’37 Ford suspension with a single VW torsion bar. Completed in 1964, Road Agent was displayed on the cover of the April issue of Rod & Custom. Source: ratfink.com Images: Kustomrama & Pinterest

The Institute of Development in Automotive Engineering of Turin made a futuristic version of the Cinquecento which they then developed into an all-wheel-drive version. It featured a central driving position with passengers’ seats set further back on either side. Sources: AllCarIndex.com Images: www.idea.institute.it, CarStyling.ru

It’s a Dune Buggy ATV built for Wankel Power by Justin L. Dantzler, Clark Valentine, and John A. Vernon at Santa Monica beach in 1970. It is a scale model 1, nothing about its engine. It was named The Skink after the little prairie lizard, which could have indicated the future destiny of this dune buggy at six wheels. The wheelbase is 76 inches, and it can be configured in two, four, or six-wheel drive. The pilot compartment is fully closed. Sources: ArtCenterStories (discovered on Tumblr) published December 2019, sixmania.com

For 1989, GM had two futuristic concept trucks that we assume they hoped would stir enough interest to guide them in their product-making decisions. One was the youth-oriented Pontiac Stinger compact SUV. Though it wasn't particularly powerful — its engine was only good for 170 HP — it had a high level of utility, including features such as a removable picnic table and portable radio. These features weren't put to use, as Pontiac wasn't going to build an SUV in the near future. Ironically, many of these ideas found the ill-fated and poorly designed Pontiac Aztec home. The other concept truck was the Chevy XT-2 concept, which stood for the Chevy Experimental Truck #2. This futuristic-looking, the performance-oriented vehicle featured a Corvette suspension, a front-engine/RWD layout built on a platform similar to the F-body Camaro, and a 4.5-liter V6 good for 360 horsepower 315 lb-ft of torque. For quarter-mile acceleration in about 13 seconds flat and a 0-to-60 mph time of 6 seconds. The XT-2 was designed as a pace car to be used in what was then the CART PPG Indy Car World Series, which is now a weird mix of words to see together. The truck went through two designs before engineers landed on the final one. The first version was fairly wild and had the engine mounted under the bed. The second version was a based on a passenger-car platform with a FWD/AWD layout and a smaller V6 engine, a concept not unlike the crossovers that would follow in the mid-2000s. So how did they end up with the final version? According to a press release provided by GM, "Given the consumer preference to small, sporty trucks, the evolution of the Chevrolet PPG XT-2 Pace Truck was natural." So, in 1989, you had the Pontiac Stinger and the Chevy XT-2 from GM as the radically futuristic vehicles. But that wasn't what happened. The designers and planners clearly understood that crossovers and sportier car-based trucks were the way forward after the previous gas crisis. Source: Cliff Gromer "Trucks Dream Haulers" - Popular Mechanics, Sep 1990; Matt Hardigree - jalopnik.com Images: Concept Car Central; Custom_Cab's photostream; www.pickuptrucks.com

The White Elephant is a one-off TVR prototype powered by a Holden V8 5 liter 440hp engine with a Borg Warner T5, 5-speed manual transmission. Peter Wheeler, Managing Director of TVR, commissioned the prototype based on a Tasmin 350 FHC bodyshell designed by John Ravenscroft and a modified SEAC tubular race chassis designed by Neil Anderson. The nose was modified from another prototype, the 420 Sports Saloon. It was eventually decided that this 170mph car was too dated for the 1990s and that the Holden engine logistics could also be a problem. So the project was canceled in favor of the TVR Griffith, and it laid dormant in the TVR 'graveyard' at the factory. In July of 2004, just before the TVR factory closed, the car was rescued by Howard Bryan and has undergone a nine-year restoration. Sources: @drivetribe & @classiccarsmagazine (Instagram)

Looking at the photos of this behemoth of an automobile, it’s very easy to dismiss it as a photoshopped creation that does not exist in reality – there’s a helicopter parked on the car’s boot area. However, it’s not a fake and rather is the world’s longest car ever built. Called the “American Dream,” this massive limousine was built by California custom car guru Jay Ohrberg. It measures in at a stunning 100 feet long, which earned it the title of being the longest car, certified by Guinness World Records in the mid-'90s. Ohrberg chose a golden 1970s Cadillac Eldorado as the starting point for his mega project, which he began working on in the late 1980s. The 100-foot long stretched limo has a whopping 26 wheels and two separate driver’s cabins. To make the American Dream even more special, Ohrberg decided to give it some of the most outrageous amenities, which include a helipad. In addition to that, the stretched limo has a Jacuzzi, diving board, king-sized water bed, as well as a small lace and candelabra-festooned living room. The American Dream was a show car that was trailered on flatbed trucks from location to location. It was leased to a company that used it as a promotional vehicle until the lease ran out. It was left abandoned in a New Jersey warehouse for many years before it resurfaced in 2012 at a salvage auction in a very bad state, which seemed like the end of the road for the American Dream. However, New York’s Automotive Teaching Museum acquired it in 2014 and used it to teach their students about customizing, designing, and fixing vehicles. We hope it’s restored to its old glory someday. Sources: Luxury Launches, @motortrend

The Mercer 35J Raceabout was considered to be America’s first sports car. Back in the day, a Mercer Raceabout could be taken from the showroom to the racetrack where it could generally beat all competitors. Mercer built approximately 150 J-35 models between 1911-1914 in Trenton, NJ. In 1914, the car sold for $2,600. Today the remaining Mercer Raceabouts are considered among the most desirable of all brass-era cars. This car is powered by a side-valve, T-Head, smooth running, 4-cylinder engine coupled to a four-speed transmission. The surprisingly quiet four-cylinder engine was the work of Finlay Robertson Porter, a gifted automotive engineer with a need for speed. An oil-immersed multiple-disc clutch enabled unusually smooth gear-shifting for this era. The 300 cubic-inch engine developed 50 horsepower and has a top speed of 75 mph. To improve the vehicles handling characteristics, the drive was placed low in the frame. Sources: (text from) CarStyling.ru, (images from) www.vintageweb.net

The Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost was introduced in 1907 when horses were still the preferred mode of travel and automobiles were considered loud, smelly and unreliable. The hand-built Rolls-Royce Silver Ghosts were reliable and whisper quiet. In fact, they were arguably the quietest, most reliable and most technically advanced cars in the world at the time. The cars were so reliable in fact, that one Silver Ghost was run for 15,000 miles without stopping. The Silver Ghost was the choice of the rich and famous across the globe. Kings, queens, maharajas, tsars and emperors owned them. The demand for the Silver Ghost was so high, in fact, that in 1921 a plant was built in the United States. That factory produced “Springfield” Rolls Royce models until 1925. Source: www.jaylenosgarage.com; www.kolesa.ru; CarStyling.ru

The Curved Dash Oldsmobile is credited as the first high-volume mass-produced automobile. It was introduced by the Oldsmobile company in 1901 and produced through 1907. It is believed that 425 examples were produced the first year, 2,500 in 1902. A total of 19,000 units were built during the six years. During its run, it was the top selling car in America. With the prominent curved dash, tiller type steering, and the side-spring chassis, this car was very identifiable when compared to other cars of the era. The leather top and dos-a-dos seating were factory supplied accessories that could be purchased with the car or added later. A flat-mounted water-cooled single-cylinder engine, is situated at the center of the car, producing 4 hp, and relies on a brass gravity-feed carburetor. The transmission is a semi-automatic design with two forward speeds and one reverse. The car weighs 850 lbs. Sources: (context from) CarStyling.ru, (images from) General Motors Corp. & RM Auctions & Library of Congress Oldsmobile Curved Dash, 1901 Oldsmobile Curved Dash, 1902 Oldsmobile Model R Curved Dash (Pie Wagon), 1904 Oldsmobile Curved Dash, 1905

In the Old World, they were the first to produce a rigid closed body for a car, which was installed more than a hundred years ago on a Renault chassis, which served as the basis on which the architecture of an automobile body as such began to develop. Sources: (images from) Renault, (text from) CarStyling.ru

Chevrolet dubbed the XT-1 a truck, while it appears as a van intended to attract buyers who enjoy being outdoors. The four-wheel-drive XT-1 dropped down for ease of entry and shifted into a four-wheel-drive automatically when needed. The entire top half of the vehicle was glass, mating it appears as a greenhouse or a long glass tube. The car "s thirty computers checked the operations and transferred information to a single display screen in front of the steering pod. Four-wheel long-travel independent suspension allowed each of the wheels to travel up to 10.5 inches to individually adjust to changes in the road, surface, preventing loads from shifting and providing the passengers with a smoother ride. The driver could also set the suspension characteristics and trim heights differently depending on the terrain. The vehicle could drop up to one inch for easy entry and could be set up to four inches higher for rough off-road exploring. Four-comer leveling compensated for uneven load distribution. The transfer case included a self-sensing four-wheel-drive operation that automatically shifted the XT-1 into a four-wheel-drive when it sensed that a wheel was beginning to slip. A computer maximized performance by sensing slip and shifting torque fore and aft as much as 30 percent to the other axle in four-wheel-drive. Source: Concept Car Central Images: GM; Concept Car Central

More than just another aerodynamic concept vehicle, the Chevrolet Express, initially shown in 1987, was the latest iteration of General Motors' long-running experimentation with the gas turbine. Powered by a mid-mounted GM AGT-5 turbine, the Express was designed to be capable of running at a constant 150 miles per hour. It was not a toy for the hot rodder. It was part of a system of federal limited access highways where high-speed travel was the norm. The four-passenger, the two-door car, was accessed with a hatch raising the roof. The coefficient of drag was terrific at .195. Ground effects built into the carbon-fiber body-covered wheels and engine location were part of the speed package. Electronic gadgetry abounded, including drive-by-wire controls, instrumentation, and three dash-mounted screens and cameras replacing mirrors. The car is also seen in Back to the Future Part II upon Marty's arrival in the year 2015. Source: carstyling.ru

Subaru's colorful Jo-Car was one of several automotive fashion statements at the 1987 Tokyo Motor Show. If you look past the colours, it used a clever three-value-per-cylinder 544cc engine allied to a super-smooth CVT gearbox. Source: Subaru

Following several rejections, where its designs stayed close to Jaguar’s design DNA of the time, Bertone changed its approach. By 1977, Gandini was in his full wedge-era prime, having designed the Alfa Romeo Carabo, Lancia Stratos Zero, and Lamborghini Countach, and applied his signature style to a four-seater Jaguar coupé, the Ascot. The Ascot was based on the XJS’ platform, albeit shortened in the wheelbase by around 200mm. The right-hand drive concept also used the Jaguar’s 5.3-liter V12 and automatic transmission, and was unveiled at the Turin Motor Show in 1977. Sources: carthrottle.com (photos), (context from) CarolinaJaguarClub.com

This 1994 Range Rover was commissioned by the Sultan of Brunei for his brother, Prince Jefri. At a reputed cost of around £135,000 ($163,500 USD), Townley stretched the chassis and body by 40 inches, incorporating two additional fixed Range Rover doors in the center and a roof raised by 8 inches. They also installed a laminated sunroof together with darkened windows and a one-piece opening tailgate. Interior features include a full electric center division with glass panel; three rear seats (two electrically operated); full air conditioning; stereo/CD player and two remote control 8-inch television monitors with a VHS recorder. Sources: Via Range Rover Owner (Facebook) and discovered from @rangeroverphotoalbum, context from @rangeroverphotoalbum (Instagram account)

Land Rover preserves its SVX moniker for more offroad focused vehicles. It was first used on the Project SVX concept vehicle, based on a ‘Land Rover Defender 90 Topless’. Project SVX was presented at the 1999 Frankfurt Motor Show and featured an upgraded TD5 engine (375Nm), hill descent control, loads of then-fashionable checker plate in the interior, and huge tires. It is said that the tires were too big to properly steer the car. Note the half doors with pull-up handles, first seen on the 1958 Land Rover Series 2 and last fitted to the first runs of the mid 90’s Defender 90 NAS. The idea was that they were detachable, but anyone who has ever tried to remove and re-install those door hinges might argue. The 20-inch wheels and tires scream ‘concept car’ and made it nearly impossible to round a normal bend. The lack of a windscreen, side windows, or roof added to the “offroad toy” image of the project. The chassis is galvanized, the added bumper is made of aluminum The original brochure for the car showed a disclaimer stating ‘Project SVX is a concept vehicle and is not currently available for sale.’ The ‘currently’ makes it interesting, as there is a promise of a ‘maybe in the future’, but the SVX did not make it into production under BMW ownership. Sources: by Ronald Janus, published 11/23/2020 (via De Autoboerderij), photos from Land Rover (discovered from CarStyling.ru)

A sports coupé prototype with the mechanical characteristics of the “beautiful” Alfa Romeo 166. Alfa coupés are a recurrent theme for Bertone, stemming from its deepest and strongest roots stretching back into the past. Names that immediately spring to mind include the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Sprint of the Fifties, the Alfa GT coupé of the Sixties, and the Alfa Montreal coupé of the Seventies, models that marked the start of Italian-style Gran Turismo. With BELLA; Bertone wanted to explore a new formula that makes it possible to optimize the space of the so-called 2+2 coupés. BELLA is an elegant coupé full of zest, for grand tourism driving on long trips. A coupé that adapts with great versatility to all requirements and situations, with a forceful personality and dashing appearance. BELLA is designed for the Alfa Romeo 6-cylinder 3000cc and 166 KW engine. Sources: www.concorsodeleganzavilladeste.com, @motor1com

The concept GTO pays homage to Pontiac's muscle car of the 1960s and 70s. GTO styling cues include a side profile with hints of the famous "Coke bottle" shape introduced on mid- to late-60s' models. The rear quarter windows are reminiscent of 1968-69 GTOs. A hood-mounted tachometer pod like the one that first appeared in 1967 is part of the package. However, the large, 19-inch-diameter front wheels, 20-inch rear wheels, and ultra-low profile, 40-series tires are much different from the 14-inch bias-ply US Royal Red Line tires included in the original GTO option package. The car's computer-generated interior uses high-tech materials such as aluminum, and the center section of the dashboard is an extension of the hood and painted to match. Sources: www.seriouswheels.com; www.sae.org

The Korean company Daewoo has developed a radical modification of its Matiz city car. The Daewoo DMS-1 concept car is characterized by the developers as a "tough and muscular" SUV for young people with an active lifestyle. It is easy to turn it into a kind of convertible by removing the top, and if necessary (for example, to hide from the sun), a light roof can be pulled over the driver's and passengers' heads. With the rear seat folded out, the DMS-1 can carry bulky goods. For a sense of real adventure, the car is significantly elevated from the ground, equipped with an all-wheel-drive transmission and large 16-inch wheels. But despite such an energetic look, the fantastic Daewoo, whose design, according to the press release, is made in the style of "shaved nape", is an ordinary small car with a 796 cm3 three-cylinder engine and a power of only 63 hp. The semi-automatic transmission, of little use in off-road conditions, finally breaks the "legend" of the DMS-1 SUV, which comes standard with a stereo surround sound system, TV, front and side airbags. If desired, for complete driving comfort, the car can be equipped with a satellite navigation system. Sources: (context from) Autoworld, # 28, July 14, 1999 (images from) Concept Car Central

Until auto restorer and customizer, Bob Hoshiko purchased the October 1966 copy of Car and Driver at a literature swap meet, the Mustang station wagon idea was all but forgotten. The owner of two Shelby GR350s and specialist in Mustang restorations, the station wagon intrigued him. In 1983, Hoshiko pulled the old Car and Driver off the bookshelf and decided to build one of his own- a project, that, unlike Clark and Cuberford's 66 prototypes, would take him more than several years to complete! He started with a basket-case 66 coupe purchased for $200. Over the years he added new doors, had a Shelby-style fiberglass hood built, and following the basic design Cumberford had penned, made a similar cut in the body. The similarities end there, however. Rather than having new rear quarter windows made, as Reisner did in Italy, Hoshiko adapted the glass from an import wagon and brought the Mustang backlight and roof section rearward. Cumberford's design called for a traditional folding tailgate, while Hoshiko's car offers a more contemporary approach with a one-piece hatch, made from the original deckled. This design also allowed the trunk lip to remain intact, as well as the Mustang taillights. Sources: Pinterest, mustangandfords.Com, ClassicCars.com

Interesting was the 1966 Banshee Show Car code named XP-798. This was JZD's concept of a "Mustang Fighter" with all-wheel independent suspension, a 421 V8, and fold-down rear seats. The doors have flip-up panels on the roof augmented the passenger doors. The Banshee was never shown to the public: GM President Cole thought it would eat into the Corvette's market share, and Chevrolet was developing the F Car, which became the Camaro/Firebird. One could guess that the doors of the Banshee made their way into the design parameters of the DMC-12 in 1975, but there was no mention of this. Note that in 1988 the Banshee name was revived by Pontiac into a Show Car to demonstrate a Firebird for the 90s, so any references may get confused here since the 1966 Show Car was never shown. Source: Eric Friedebach

The Ford Mustang II is a small, front-engined (V8), open "two-plus-two" concept car built by the Ford Motor Company in 1963. Although bearing the same name as the first generation production Mustang, the four-seater Mustang II which closely resembled the final production variant that would appear in 1964, was intended primarily for the auto show circuit. After debuting at the 1963 Watkins Glen Grand Prix, the Mustang II had a short lifespan as a show car before being relegated to the task of "test mule". The sole example still exists, albeit in storage at the Detroit Historical Museum. Sources: Wikipedia, OldConceptCars.com

The 1965 Ford Mustang is unquestionably an automotive design icon, and nearly every generation of Mustang has some connection to that original car. Because it's such a universally-known vehicle, we were amazed to see all the different designs that were being considered. Head of Ford's archives Ted Ryan recently shared photos of design proposals for the original Mustang on Twitter that he and Jamie Myler found, and we reached out to them to find out more. The photos were taken on August 19, 1962, and they are proposals for the Ford Mustang. Ford had committed to doing a Falcon-based youth-oriented car at this point, and it did have plans to launch the car in 1964 for the 1965 model year. But after having little success with early design proposals, the company asked all of its design studios — the Advanced Studio, Lincoln-Mercury Studio, and Ford Studio — to submit proposals. With only about two years before the planned launch, Ford was understandably short on time, and it's believed that the studios only had a month to create and present these designs. Sources: Ford Archives (images), autoblog.com (context)

In 1986 Porsche and German aftermarket shop AMG built a prototype custom 928 four-door saloon. One cannot help but conjecture that this variant may have been a prototype for a new 928 that would have created a completely new market niche, further distancing it from the 911 but probably ended as the basis for the Panamera launched in 2009. According to current Porsche designer Harm LaGaay, this rare and unusual car was delivered to Heinz Prechter, founder, and chief executive of ASC (American Sunroof Corporation), whose large automotive aftermarket firm, headquartered just south of Detroit, enjoyed a close relationship with Porsche. The workmanship of this conversion is impeccable, being equal or better of the legendary fit and finish of a new Porsche. The entire cabin, for instance, is lined in sumptuous burgundy leather to match the exterior paintwork. This unusual factory custom Porsche was offered at no reserve at the RM Monterey auction, Aug. 16, 2002, and sold for $44,000, nearly four times the going rate for same-vintage 928s. It wouldn't be the last time the 928 would be used for a four-door, either. In the late 1980s, Porsche itself tested a four-door. Under the direction of Porsche's design director Ulrich Bez, stylist Harm Lagaay penned the 989, which was much more of a true four-door than any of the one-offs that preceded it. While the prototype never made it to production, many of its design elements did: the canted headlamps were used on 1993 to 1998 "993" generation of the 911, and the wraparound tail lamps certainly influenced those of 1998 to 2005 "996" 911. Sources: @motor1com @classicdriver, Collectible Wheels (2018)

The Porsche 989 was a 4-door performance-oriented touring sedan developed by Porsche between 1988 and 1991. This vehicle was never produced, after development was halted in late 1991 and canceled in January 1992. Sources: OldConceptCars.Com, @autoblog, Wikipedia

In 1986, Kevin Verduyn designed a concept car model for Chrysler called the Navajo. The concept never went beyond the clay model stage. Still, when Chrysler acquired Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. in 1987, the design was resurrected and, with some fairly minor tweaks, turned into the Portofino. The Portofino was built by Coggiola of Turin, Italy, on a lengthened Jalpa chassis, giving the car a mid-engine rear-wheel-drive layout. It also used the Jalpa's 3.5 L V8 water-cooled engine and 5-speed manual transmission. The engine could rev to 7,000 rpm, with 64.6 bhp/liter. The most interesting feature of the Portofino was the dual scissor doors enclosing a pillarless passenger compartment. The front doors pivoted forward, as in Lamborghini's Countach. The rears were also scissor-style but pivoted upward to the rear. The logo on the hood featured the Lamborghini bull inside the Chrysler Pentastar. While the Portofino was a one-of-a-kind concept and Chrysler ownership of Lamborghini would not survive, the concept's design would inform and influence Chrysler cars for the next two decades. The wide low stance and open plan interior would become the hallmark of the Chrysler LH body vehicles and their "cab-forward" design standard. The triangular headlights and dual notched rear indicators would find their way directly to the first-generation Dodge Intrepid and serve as key design points throughout that vehicle's existence. Sources: OldConceptCars.com; @motor1com; Wikipedia Images: Chrysler Corporation; Concept Car Central; www.kimballstock.com

Cadillac’s Evoq two-seat luxury roadster is meant to convey a style inspired by high technology. The retracting hardtop is power operated, there is NightVision head-up display, AutoPC with Internet connection, voice recognition, neon rear lights and rear-view cameras that replace mirrors. Power to the rear wheels is provided by the 4.2-liter, 32-valve, supercharged V-8 that is teamed with a four-speed automatic transmission. Sources: www.chicagoautoshow.com (discovered from CarStyling.ru) Images: DieselStation.Com (Published On : Dec 30, 2010) © Cadillac @cadillac

The design of the 1989 Chevrolet California IROC Camaro concept car offered several surprises to Camaro fans who had thought they knew the car inside and out. The concept Camaro was given quasi-gull-wing doors that pulled upward and hauled part of the glass roofline along with them. They also shifted forward at a 45-degree angle, so you didn’t have to be a contortionist to slip into the driver or passenger seat. Seating was 2+2, just like the contemporary Camaro, and more than likely was just as cramped in the back, though the three-inch stretch in wheelbase helped some. Formula One racers inspired the layout of the Chevrolet California IROC Camaro. Once inside, the driver faced a full set of analog instruments (and a digital speedometer) in a cockpit that felt more like that of an airplane than an automobile. Just in case you forgot where to sit, the swiveling driver’s seat was red upholstery while the passengers rested on black. The red seat could even be custom-fitted to a single driver -- which might have caused a bit of discomfort and irritation when the spouse or youngsters took the car out for an evening. Maybe not, though, because the interior was designed to offer a precise relationship between arms, legs, steering wheel, and pedals -- handling a broad variety of (human) body types and sizes. So maybe everybody would be relatively comfy. That same precise relationship extended to the nearby, high-mounted gearshift lever, which traveled with a mercifully short throw from one ratio to the next. There is no need to reach halfway across the front passenger to snick into top gear. Performance fans loved it. Nobody liked to settle their designer jeans onto dusty upholstery, so Chevrolet thoughtfully included a little vacuum cleaner in the console, with the urging that the driver better wait until standstill, for safety’s sake, before switching on the suction. With both Camaro and IROC monikers attached to the car, it was a sure bet that performance wouldn’t be ignored, though the folks at GM weren’t ready for some time to name a specific powertrain for any production version. However, the prototype carried a dual over-head cam V-6, leading observers to believe that if a readable version of the California Camaro appeared, horsepower might run in the neighborhood of 250. All Camaros in the past had come with a choice of engines, so at least one smaller powerplant was sure to be offered. Not every customer demanded the sensation of being rudely shoved back when tromping hard on the gas pedal. Thankfully, hefty 17-inch tires (P235/50R17 at the prototype’s rear) handled the top end of the engine spectrum without flinching. Source: auto.howstuffworks.com Images: Concept Car Central; Publications International, Ltd.

Chevrolet's original Nomad between 1955-57 was such a powerful design that it had spawned numerous concepts, two recently. The 1999 version is built on fourth-generation Camaro/Firebird mechanicals. Reminiscent of previous Camaro and Firebird "wagons," the Nomad features a practical tailgate, generous cargo room, and performance an SUV can only dream of. Looked at from the front, more than a hint of first-generation Corvette puts a pure Chevrolet face on the car. Timing for this Nomad couldn't have been worse, as rumors of the Gen IV F-Bodies (Camaro/Firebird) death were all but confirmed. At the 1999 Detroit Auto Show where the car debuted, the car was virtually ignored by GM's PR staff, who didn't want to give the concept too much play as its chance for production was zero. View the World's Largest Shooting Brake Archive Here (Sources Included)

In late 1966, Ford designers prepared a Mustang concept to preview some of the design updates for the 1969 model. The Mustang Mach I was a two-seat fastback with a very aggressive-looking chopped roof profile. The rear pillars featured a flip-open racing-style gas cap while larger than normal air scoops dominated the flanks. The sloped rear end included a hatchback, a feature that wouldn't appear on a production model until the 1974 Mustang II. Several of the images show conceptual drawings. One of the images states a '427 engine prepared for SHOW with four double choke Weber carbs.' It goes on to say that the front 'hood raised by remote control and electric motors.' Another image showing the rear of the trunk lid with spoiler acts as air brake: operates in 3-second cycle with two vacuum service from Cougar.' From the drawings to the actual concept, it is clear that some of the ideas were not implemented. Other design ideas that made it onto the concept, such as the quad exhaust in the rear or the side mirrors on the windows, did not make it onto production models. Source: ConceptCarz Images: Ford

Designed by Bill Thomas, the Cheetah ultimately didn’t have the market success the Cobra did, but the Cheetah’s performance was superior to Cobra at Daytona in 1964. With its fuel-injected Chevrolet Corvette engine, the Cheetah set a record-breaking 215 mile-per-hour lap at Daytona. Not too shabby on 1964 tires! So why haven’t most people heard of this car? Well, as much as Chevrolet wanted a Cobra beater, corporate shifts in management shelved the Cheetah racecar project, which resulted in only approximately 23 of these cars being produced from 1963 to 1966. One of the Cheetahs was famously driven by Elvis Presley in the film Spinout. Sources: Turnology.Com (Rob Krider 2018), Mecums Auction