Story Cars

Archiving rare concept cars, prototypes & one-offs. One story at a time.

[Story Cars @StoryCars]

@yangzuzuzhang1 We’re seeking more archived photos but believe the lights were either an uninterrupted strip or thin bars with the Toyota logo in between.

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Digitally recreating the rare 1982 Toyota MX-1 by CALTY. Only 3 reference photos exist (added in comments).

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https://t.co/e3zX8d0fzP

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Reference photos of the 1982 Toyota MX-1 by CALTY:

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Which brand had the worse glowdown?

Ferrari Luce vs. Jaguar Type 00

Comment below 👇

#ferrariluce #jaguartype00 #ev #glowdown #ferrari

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1969 Dogo SS-2000 Prototype: one of the most overlooked concept cars ever built in South America. Created by Argentine racing driver and engineer Clemar Bucci, the Dogo has gullwing doors, fiberglass construction, and powered by Porsche and Peugeot!

https://t.co/V5O4mqQyNk

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15 of the Craziest Headlight Designs in Automotive History

https://t.co/16RmdHBXV1

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2006 BMW Mille Miglia Coupe Concept

https://t.co/2EpeUzKfvE

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💭 Comment your favorite Mustang concept 👉

Story Cars just finished a complete list of 60+ Ford Mustang concepts, prototypes, and one-offs from 1962 to today! Find the article on https://t.co/ylFTO9lbDh!

#mustang #fordmustang #concept #conceptcar #conceptcars

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📏 1980 Ferrari Pinin by Pininfarina 📏
A four-door Ferrari that didn’t make it, the Pinin celebrated Pininfarina’s 50th birthday and was powered by the 5-liter flat 12 from the 512 Berlinetta Boxer. Shown at the Turin Motor Show, the positive reaction to the concept precipitated rumors that it might make it into Ferrari’s showrooms, though it never did.
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Visit https://t.co/RCmVuAvYTt
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#storycars #carpage #conceptcar #conceptcars #rarecar #rarecars #prototype #prototypes #ferraripinin #ferraripininfarina #pininfarina #pininfarinaferrari
📸/📚: Pininfarina

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1997 Chrysler Phaeton Concept • A company can use its heritage to catapult itself to a higher level. Chrysler’s Hemi is a current example. Their 1997 Phaeton is another. With a charge led by product guys Bob Lutz and designer Tom Gale, Chrysler showed a series of stunning concepts in the 1990s, beginning with the original Viper.

Inspiration came from the 1940-41 Newport Phaeton, a limited-production classic that Chrysler built only five. Just as that Viper personified power, the Phaeton oozed classic elegance. The two-cabin body rides on a whopping 132-inch wheelbase, about what you’d find under a crew cab, long-bed pickup. Wheels measure 22 inches in diameter. A proper V-12 resides under the long tapered hood, a product of melding two then-current Chrysler 2.7-liter V-6 engines.

The Phaeton is on display at the Walter P. Chrysler Museum.

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1969 Ford Ranchero Scrambler Concept 💪 Ranchero Scrambler, a show car version of Ford Division's Ranchero pickup, features a high, through-the-hood "shaker" air sсoop. These extended roof panels create a tunnel-back effect and a unique tailgate with a built-in spoiler and full-width taillights. A novel extra with this Scrambler is a set of "his" and "her" mini motorbikes mounted in the pickup box. It was displayed at the 1969 Chicago Auto Show and remained a one-off.

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🤖 1965 GE Cybernetic Walking Machine 🤖

The Walking Truck, or Cybernetic Walking Machine, was an experimental quadruped walking vehicle created by General Electric in 1965. It was designed by Ralph Mosher to help infantry carry equipment over rough terrain. It alternatively bore the name of “CAM,” an acronym for “Cybernetic Anthropomorphous Machine.” It appeared in a segment of the Walter Cronkite–hosted The 20th Century in 1968.

A human operator controlled the stepping of the robot through foot and hand movements coupled to hydraulic valves. The complex actions of the legs and body pose were done entirely through hydraulics. The hydraulic fluid and pressure were supplied through an off-board system. The walking track was one of the first technological hardware design applications to incorporate force feedback to give the operator a feel.

As of 2019, the surviving prototype can be seen at the U.S. Army Transportation Museum in Fort Eustis, Virginia. The robot weighed 3,000 pounds (1,400 kg) and could walk up to 5 miles per hour (8 km/h). It was exhausting to control, and according to program lead Ralph Mosher, who was the designer and primary driver, operators could only drive the walking truck for a limited time.

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The 1989 Toyota 4500GT concept debuted at the 1989 Frankfurt Motor Show. A 2-door, 2+2 coupe signaled Toyota’s entry into the competitive upper-level luxury coupe class. Although the show-goers almost universally disliked the car’s controversial styling at the Frankfurt show, its mechanical components were far more relevant, as they carried over much more closely to its production offspring than the styling did.

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The 1996 Fiat Enduro Raid Concept by Bertone was a bold off-road coupé based on the Fiat Bravo/Brava, aiming to blend sports car styling with 4WD utility. With high ground clearance, a 147 hp 2.0L engine, and a compact, aerodynamic body, it broke from traditional road coupé norms.

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The 2002 Dodge M80 Concept was a retro-styled compact 4x4 pickup shown at the North American International Auto Show. Powered by a 3.7L EKG V6 with a 5-speed manual, it was a fully functional prototype. The M80 remained a one-off and never reached production. Thoughts?