Lamborghini’s Marzal
GM’s Buick Y-Job and other
Unique Concept Cars of Their Times
The 2024 New York Auto Show recently showcased many concept car models. While the
Genesis X Gran Turismo concept car and Lamborghini LM002 captivated the public’s attention, and there were concept cars from the past that offered even more unique designs.
Concept cars with all-glass sides allowed a clear interior view; some resembled small airplanes. These numerous concept cars seemed to narrate the history of automotive evolution.
General Motors’ Buick Y-Job
Known for its futuristic design
The Buick Y-Job, unveiled by General Motors in 1939, is often called the world’s first concept car. It was futuristic, featuring hidden headlights, power windows, and a power-operated roof. This vehicle gave a preview of the design of American cars that would emerge after World War II.
Bertone, an Italian car design and manufacturing company, produced various groundbreaking concept cars in the 1950s. The most striking was the Alfa Romeo BAT 5, released in 1953. The BAT 5 pursued an extreme aerodynamic design, boasting a drag coefficient of just 0.23Cd. Efforts were made to keep the car as light as possible, and as a result, the 2,425-pound BAT 5 could achieve a top speed of 120 mph while producing 100 horsepower.
The Firebird I, which looked like a small plane
Known for its single-stick control system
The Firebird I, the first of General Motors’ three Firebird concepts, was released in 1954 and resembled a small airplane. It featured a single-stick control system that eliminated the need for a steering wheel, accelerator, and brakes. The single stick was located in the center of the car, allowing the driver and passengers to control the vehicle. The power for this vehicle was reportedly generated from a gas turbine through an onboard generator.
Best known for its appearance in the original Batman series, the Lincoln Futura had a unique look that was incomparable to anything else, thanks to its front and rear fins and two Plexiglas domes. Ford reportedly spent approximately $250,000 to build the Futura, equipped with a 300-horsepower V8 engine.
The Lamborghini Marzal with all-glass sides Released in 1967, the Lamborghini Marzal
featured a body with all-glass sides, providing a clear view of the interior. Because the sides were all glass, the car had a more powerful air conditioning system than regular cars to prevent the interior from overheating in warm climates. The power came from a Lamborghini V12 engine, reportedly producing 175 horsepower.
Many people referred to Mercedes-Benz’s C-111 as a concept car, but Mercedes-Benz itself called the vehicle a research car. Unveiled in 1969, the C-111 was equipped with a 3-liter Wankel engine producing 280 horsepower. In 1970, it was newly released with a four-rotor power unit. By 1978, it had transformed into a completely new automobile with a diesel engine. Boasting an aerodynamic design, the vehicle set a speed record of 321 km/h (199 mph) in 1978, and astonishingly, a year later, it reached a speed of 403 km/h (250 mph) with a 4.8-liter gasoline V8 engine.
