by The automotive industry is one of the most dynamically developing sectors and has been so since the emergence of the first cars. Throughout history, there have been numerous innovative cars that were ahead of their time. We have selected the most iconic among them. Although these cars were pioneering, many of them proved to be not very successful commercially, and some were outright failures.
Cord 810/812
The Cord brand had been producing front-wheel-drive models since 1929.
However, the Cord 810/812 impressed not only with its layout. The model featured a semi-automatic transmission and the first retractable headlights in the world. There was even a 170-horsepower supercharged version. However, in 1936-38, just a little over 2000 cars were produced.
Tucker Torpedo
Preston Tucker set out to build the best car in the world.
For 1948, the Tucker Torpedo was indeed advanced: rear-mounted flat engine, independent suspension, semi-automatic transmission (from Cord, by the way). The central headlight turned with the wheels, and the safety frame protected during rollovers. However, starting mass production was unsuccessful. Only 50 Tucker Torpedoes were assembled before bankruptcy.
Mercedes-Benz 300 SL
The iconic Mercedes-Benz 300 SL is the world’s first production car with gullwing doors.
An even more important innovation was direct fuel injection. Thanks to this technology, the three-liter six-cylinder engine developed 215 hp and allowed speeds of 245 km/h.
Citroen DS
The Citroen DS of 1955 is an example of a successful innovative car. It attracted not only with its avant-garde design but also with its hydropneumatic suspension with adjustable ground clearance. Incidentally, the DS’s wheel could be changed without a jack.
Remarkably, the suspension and power assist had a common hydraulic system. The Citroen DS also received front disc brakes and a semi-automatic transmission, and later adaptive headlights were added.
Mini
The Mini is not only an iconic British car and Mr. Bean’s vehicle. This model essentially determined the layout of most modern cars.
The Mini was the first front-wheel-drive car with a transversely mounted engine.
Amphicar
Amphibious vehicles have been known since the early 20th century, but most were military or special equipment. In 1968, an attempt was made to establish the production of a passenger amphibian, the Amphicar. The car turned out to be decent – it accelerated to 11 km/h on water and 112 km/h on land. Even 3848 Amphicars were sold, although the demand for amphibians was very low.
Mazda Cosmo
The rotary engine associated with Mazda. The first such engine was received by the 1967 Cosmo coupe. Initially, its power was 110 hp, which was later increased to 130 hp. Only 1176 Mazda Cosmos were produced, but subsequent rotary Mazdas became much more widespread.
Porsche 959
The Porsche 959 is perhaps the most advanced supercar of the late 80s – early 90s.
It combined all the latest achievements of those years – all-wheel drive, turbocharging, ABS, active suspension with adjustable ground clearance. And a top speed of 317 km/h earned it the title of the fastest car on the planet.
General Motors EV1
Electric cars have been known since the late 19th century, and their modern era began with the GM EV1 of 1996. The car looked like a spacecraft, but it turned out to be too expensive, and its range was only 160 km. As a result, just over a thousand EV1s were produced, mainly leased.
At the end of the lease term, most cars were destroyed. The electric car was ahead of its time but gave impetus to the development of similar models.
Toyota Prius
The first hybrid was built by Ferdinand Porsche back in 1901, but it was the Toyota Prius of 1997 that managed to popularize this concept. Over two decades, over 4 million Priuses have been produced, and the Toyota hybrid can truly be called a successful innovative model.
