Since cars began to be produced, they have appeared in various shapes and sizes. The history of automotive design is littered with bold attempts to create vehicles that are very different in appearance and operation. While some cars received design awards, some of them were remembered with their interesting designs. We have listed the strangest cars ever produced for you.
You will not be able to take your eyes off these cars, for better or worse.
Stout Scarab- 1936
American aviation designer William Bushnell Stout modeled this car after his own 3-AT aircraft. The futuristic Scarab features a rear-mounted Ford V-8 with a smooth and surprising shape, with a tubular frame covered in aluminum panels. This unusual configuration is considered the world’s first minivan. Access to the interior is provided by a central door on the right and a narrow front door for the driver on the left.
1936 Stout Scarab
Scarab’s design was very different from other cars of the period, such as the Chrysler Airflow. The car entered the market at $5,000, which was very expensive at the time. Stout’s investors bought Scarabs, such as William K. Wrigley and Willard Dow of Dow Chemical, as well as tire company owner Harvey Firestone and Champion Spark Plug’s Robert Stranahan. At least six Scarabs hit the road.
Lamborghini LM002 – 1986
The Lamborghini LM002, often referred to as the Lamborghini truck, is an off-road truck model manufactured by Lamborghini in the late eighties. The car is an unusual design for the company, as the company is mostly known for its handcrafted performance-oriented sports cars. Lamborghini produced 328 units between 1986 and 1993 before ending vehicle production.
Lamborghini LM002
General Motors Firebird 1 XP-21 – 1953
The 1953 XP-21 Firebird 1 is the first gas turbine car built and tested in the United States. Designed as an engineering and design study, Firebird 1 aimed to determine whether the gas turbine could be used efficiently and economically for future vehicles. The idea for the Firebird 1 came about with Harley J. Earl, GM’s Vice President of Styling. The car was inspired by aircraft and designed its fiberglass reinforced plastic body. The engine was dubbed Whirlfire Turbo-Power. The engine had a capacity of 370 hp at a power turbine speed of 13 thousand rpm.
1953 General Motors Firebird 1 XP-21
BMW Isetta – 1955
The BMW Isetta is a model that attracts the attention of many people today as a micro car. The Isetta was produced between 1955 and 1962. Known as the balloon car, this car was based on the design of the Italian Iso Rivolta. Isettas typically had a four-stroke single-cylinder engine with a door at the front and a rear. A total of 161,728 Isettas were sold during the eight-year period of production. In 1962, living standards rose and production was stopped because people wanted normal-sized cars.
1956 BMW Isetta
L’oeuf électrique – 1942
L’oeuf électrique was produced decades after petrol cars were popular and decades before electric cars were on the rise. The car was running on batteries. Its designer, Parisian Paul Arzens, designed railway locomotives before designing cars. Paul Arzens had a keen interest in alternative fuels and electricity was his choice. This car was his personal vehicle, and he’s only ever built one.
1942 L’oeuf électrique
GM LeSabre – 1951
Le Saber is the first car to feature wings and a wrap-around windscreen, design elements that have become standard in American cars. The car came with a moisture detector that automatically raises the convertible’s roof when it rains. The automatic transmission was located at the back of the car. The engine had a specially designed aluminum block V8 that included a supercharger and alcohol injection to make 335 HP. The body panels were made of cast magnesium, aluminum and fiberglass.
GM LeSabre – 1951
Cadillac Cyclone – 1959
Cadillac aimed to produce the Cyclone prototype to show the world what the future of driving would look like. Numerous designers and engineers worked to improve the car’s functions. The company used a standard 325 hp V8 engine in Cadillac. The car was equipped with automatic climate control.
1959 Cadillac Cyclone
1959 Cadillac Cyclone’s radars of the car’s collision avoidance system with two black cones where the headlights should be. If the car detected an approaching object, a series of warning lights and a high-pitched beep would appear and the car would automatically apply the brakes.
So what do you think about this subject? Which of the tools on the list is your favourite? You can share your views with us in the comments section.
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