Gallery: 17 of the Most Beautifully Bizarre Cars Ever Designed
Michael Furman011936 Stout Scarab
The 1936 Stout Scarab was an upscale proto-mini van. It kept passengers comfortable and their flatware in place with a cushy four-wheel independent suspension.
Michel Zumbrunn/Urs Schmid02L'Oeuf électrique, 1942
The 1942 Oeuf électrique, French for “electric egg,” weighed just over 770 pounds, had three wheels, and could travel for 63 miles between charges.
Peter Harholdt03Norman Timbs Special, 1947
The work of an Indy racing engineer, there’s only one example of the 1947 Norman Timbs Special in the world.
Michael Furman04General Motors Firebird I XP-21, 1953
A jet fighter on wheels, the 1953 General Motors Firebird I XP-21 could top 200 mph.
Michael Furman05Chrysler (Ghia) Streamline X "Gilda", 1955
Designers originally intended to fit the 1955 Chrysler (Ghia) Streamline X "Gilda" with a gas turbine engine, but gave it a conventional motor instead.
Michel Zumbrunn06Ferrari (Pininfarina) 512 S Modulo, 1970
If you’re wondering if the 1970 Ferrari (Pininfarina) 512 S Modulo was a concept, notice that the front wheels are covered so they can’t turn.
Michael Furman07Lancia (Bertone) Stratos HF Zero, 1970
The 1970 Lancia (Bertone) Stratos HF Zero, the predecessor to the legendary Stratos, was so small that the driver had to climb in through the windshield.
BMW AG08BMW GINA Light Visonary Model, 2001
The body of Chris Bangle’s bizarre 2001 BMW GINA Light Visonary Model is coated in stretchy fabric.
Porsche09Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Car, 2010
The Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Car was unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show and led to the hybrid supercar Porsche on the road today.
Joe Wiecha10Bugatti Type 57S Compétition Coupé Aerolithe, 1935 (2007-2013)
In 2007, restorers built this recreation of the 1935 Bugatti Type 57S Compétition Coupé Aerolithe concept based on recorded specs, photographs, and an oil painting by a Bugatti engineer.
Edsel and Eleanor Ford House111932 Ford Speedster
The low, long, 1932 Ford Speedster was the brainchild of Henry Ford’s son Edsel and designer Eugene Gregorie.
Michael Furman121934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne
The 1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne was a French saloon than ran on a 3.0-liter inline-6 engine that produced just over 100 horsepower.
Peter Harholdt131948 Tasco
If the 1948 Tasco looks familiar, it’s because the lines on this car came from Gordon Buehrig, a design alumnus of Duesenberg.
Michael Furman141951 GM Le Sabre
The 1951 GM Le Sabre was the first car to sport fins and a wraparound windshield, design elements that became standard in American cars thereafter.
Michael Furman151941 Chrysler Thunderbolt
The curves on the 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt were inspired by streamliner trains.
Michael Furman161956 Buick Centurion
The 1956 Buick Centurion had a back-up camera decades before they appeared in consumer vehicles.
Peter Harholdt171959 Cadillac Cyclone
The 1959 Cadillac Cyclone could drive itself using a sensor that guided it along a wire embedded in the road.
