In principle, freak concept cars are timeless, but during the ‘Space Age’, which started in the 50s, manufacturers revealed very startling models. These cars were clearly inspired by space travel and science fiction and were definitely ahead of their time. In this edition of De Vluchtstrook: five sensational concept cars from the ‘Space Age’!
In the 1950s and 1960s, both the Cold War with its nuclear threat and the emergence of the space age had an impact on industrial design. In the concept cars of that time, this was mainly reflected in the futuristic looks. Round shapes, extravagant flukes and large glass areas were omnipresent. The American brands in particular eagerly applied the design style to their concept models, but also to production cars from the 50s and 60s. The Cadillac DeVille is one of the most famous examples of this with its iconic tail fins. Yet in Europe people also participated to a certain extent in the ‘Space Age’. The Alfa Romeo BATs below are a good example of this.
Alfa Romeo BAT (1953, 1954, 1955)
No, the Alfa Romeo BAT was not meant to be the new Batmobile, even though the fictional character Bruce Wayne could do just fine with it. The abbreviation stands for Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica. You don’t need to be able to speak Italian to find out the meaning of this. Alfa Romeo wanted to use the study models to investigate how it could achieve the lowest possible Cw value. Ultimately, Alfa Romeo, in collaboration with design house Bertone, built three BATs in consecutive years: the BAT 5 in 1953, the BAT 7 in 1954 and the BAT 9 in 1955. The extravagant design of the three cars, with tail fins, sealed wheel arches and sloping side windows, thus did not merely serve an aesthetic purpose. In the end, the BAT 7 achieved a Cw value of 0.19. Especially for its time, this was an absurdly low value. To illustrate, the ultra-efficient 2009 Volkswagen XL1 had about the same level of aerodynamic efficiency.
Ford La Galaxie Concept (1958)
The Ford La Galaxie was one of the first Ford concept cars to be designed in the ‘Space Age’ style. The study model was without a doubt startling, although the real Ford Galaxie has little to do with it in appearance. At the front there are two large round headlights, but somewhere it looks like you are looking at the back of the car. The roofline is also special, with a rear window that appears to be tilted in the wrong direction. In addition, the styling of the rear side windows immediately catches the eye. Inside the La Galaxie beats science fiction clear the clock as well. The dashboard (photo 4) seems straight from an episode of Star Trek.
Ford Seattle-Ite XXI Concept (1962)
A small nuclear reactor that powers your car? It doesn’t get much more ‘Atomic Age’ than that. At the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle, Ford unveiled the Seattle-Ite XXI Concept, a six-wheel symbol for the future of the American auto industry. The car’s name is a play on words of ‘Seattle’ and ‘Satellite’. Nuclear propulsion has not yet made its way into the auto industry, but the Seattle Ite was ahead of the curve in a number of other areas. Technologies that can no longer be ignored from cars today, such as navigation and an on-board computer, were already on the unusual concept car. In addition, Ford was already talking about fuel cells in addition to nuclear power at that time. The Seattle Ite looks extremely spectacular. Its large glass hood hinges open upwards and when viewed from behind it seems as if four turbines are driving the car. It is a pity that this vision of the future never fully matured.
Cadillac Cyclone Concept (1959)
Three years prior to the Ford Seattle-Ite XXI, Cadillac released an aerospace-inspired concept car: the Cyclone. Thanks to the two sharp points at the front and the round openings at the back, it almost looks like missiles have been mounted on either side of the Cyclone. The large tail fins only enhance that effect even more. These sharp points are obviously not very favorable for pedestrians, but they still had to contribute to safety. A radar system was hidden in the points that is comparable to the current brake assistants. Another striking style element is the large glass hood, which could be stored in the trunk if desired. In this way, the Cyclone was both a coupé and a convertible.
Corvette XP 700 (1960)
Most of the styling elements of the above cars did not eventually or only to a limited extent find their way to the production stage. However, that kite does not apply to the Corvette XP 700, which was unveiled to the public in 1960. This concept car was based on the Corvette C1 and a personal project of Bill Mitchell, the then chief designer at General Motors. The XP-700 distinguished itself from the standard Corvette, among other things, by the nose, which was much more forward, and the large glass hood above the interior. The latter in particular is typically a style element of the ‘Space Age’. Incidentally, the XP-700 was short-lived. According to the website GM Authority the later XP-755 ‘Mako Shark’ was built on the chassis of the XP-700, so the space Corvette has not been preserved.