Back to the future: 10 cars ahead of their time

The automotive industry is one that faces disruptive changes on multiple fronts. With the rise of electric and autonomous vehicles, connected services and so on, the automobile as we know it today could be completely transformed in the future. 

That said, it’s worth taking a step back and looking into the past, at the most visionary and innovative car designs that took the world by surprise. Even though these vehicles never made it off the drawing board, their designs provide valuable insight into the creativity and innovation that has always been a part of the automotive industry.

Below are ten such examples of imaginative and futuristic vehicle designs, as compiled by CNN.

1) Buick Y-Job

Unveiled in 1938 and designed by Harley J Earl, the Buick Y-Job concept car featured an electric roof and windows, and a sculptural body that subsequently inspired future car designers.

2) Buckminster Fuller’s Dymaxion

Architect and design visionary, R. Buckminster “Bucky” Fueller, presented his idea of the car of the future at the 1993 World Fair in Chicago. The Dymaxion is a three-wheeled vehicle resembling a blowfish, which boasted impressive fuel efficiency and high speeds despite its curious design.  Although the car never went into production, architect Norman Foster recently brought one of the prototypes back to life.

3) GM Firebird

Top automaker General Motors unveiled the first of three Firebird prototypes in 1953. The concept car was powered by a gas turbine and looked more like a rocket on wheels, owing to its wings and fins.

4) Alfa Romeo B.A.T. 7

Bertone’s aerodynamic B.A.T. prototypes were based on the baroque-shaped Alfa Romeo 1900s that littered the streets of Italy in the 1950s. Combining American Jet-Age shapes with Italian “grandezza” and an impressive drag co-efficient, the Franco-Scaglione designed “Batmobiles” were perfect examples of form following function.

5) Lamborghini Marzal

A one-off prototype concept car, the Lamborghini Marzal was conceived by Bertone’s designer, Marcello Gandini, and revealed at Geneva in 1967. The ultra-low, gull-winged, mid-engined coupe is still considered one of the most stunning concepts in automotive history.

6) Ferrari Modulo

Designed by Pininfarina's Paolo Martin during his holiday break in 1968, the Ferrari Modulo was only 37 inches high and equipped with a V12 engine. Considered a UFO-on-wheels, it was said to exceed speeds of 350kph, although the missing wheel arches made it almost impossible to turn any corners.

7) Maserati Boomerang

Giorgetto Giugiaro unveiled the Maserati Boomerang concept in 1971. It was soon considered the ultimate wedge-shaped prototype before the oil crisis hit the industry and forced car designers to return to earth.

8) Audi Avus

German manufacturer Audi showcased its all-aluminum Avus Quattro concept in Tokyo in 1994. While the quicksilver-like concept car never went into production, Audi's new look inspired future icons such as the TT.

9) Ford 021C

Designed by Marc Newson, the Pantone-coloured tiny Ford 021C resembled a child’s drawing of a car and hence featured a playful interior. While Newson’s Concept remained a one-off, it inspired many futuristic cars of the new millennium.

10) United Nude Low Res Car

One of the most daring concept cars in the last decade, the United Nude was inspired by Marcello Gandini’s Lamborghini Countach. The reduced wedge-like body resembled a vector shape and demonstrated endless possibilities of 3D printing and DIY prototyping.

Photos Courtesy of CNN