Category: Auto History

It’s rare for us to see the extensive design process that goes into creating a car. Recently, Ted Ryan from the Ford Archives tweeted an image showing a row of possible emblem designs for the 1958 F-Series. The Motor1.com team was fascinated, and we reached out to him to find out if there were more photos like this. He responded with something even better than we expected. 

This 69-image gallery (below) offers a glimpse into the Ford Design Studio from what Ryan believes is the spring or summer of 1956. In addition to the F-Series badge proposals, there are a lot more design ideas. The pictures give you a taste of the creativity in the room while devising the appearance of this era of Ford models.

The Ford F-Series is an American automotive icon and a perennial bestseller for decades. A lot of thought goes into designing the truck, even when it comes to just the badge on the fender. The image on the left in the comparison below shows eight possibilities for the 1958 F-100 emblem, and they have radically different looks, ranging from angular to more rounded shapes. 

The picture on the right shows a badge in position on the ’58 F-100. It’s intriguing to note that the badge’s design in this photo isn’t one of the ideas on the left, suggesting there are even more proposals we aren’t seeing.

The whole gallery is worth checking out, but there are a few more images particularly worth highlighting. The 1957 Ford F-Series was a new generation of the truck. The updated look was more chiseled in comparison to the previous, rounder design. The photos below captured multiple proposals for the pickup’s grille design.

All of the ideas share the long slit above and below the grille. The big difference is the shape of the slots in the middle. Some of the proposals have more squared-off looks. Others have an oval shape. One of them even tops for smaller, stacked inlets.

Classic truck fans should check out the bounty of other F-Series images in the gallery, but we also want to highlight drawings of a very different vehicle: the second-gen Ford Thunderbird. Three of the drawings show it with the angular roofline from the production version. This model has the nickname Square Bird because of the boxy shape in comparison to the original.

However, check out the sketch on the left. That car has a rounder shape for the roof that gives the second-gen T-Bird a radically different look. It makes you realize that for every vehicle that you see on the road, there are so many styling concepts that never go past the drawing board.

These images come from Ford’s Styling Neg collection. Nearly every day someone snapped pictures of all of the work in the design studio. The Ford Archives has been cataloging them and recently scanned a batch of 10,000 negatives (including these).

The IAA International Motor Show will kick off in Munich for the first time next month, September 7-12, 2021. It had been held in Frankfurt/Main since 1952, but, like the auto industry, things change. What innovations will car manufacturers present there? Nothing has been decided yet, and it remains to be seen which brands will be at the show at all. For this reason, let’s take a look at the glorious IAA past.

We’ll look at those times when a novelty could cause such crowds that the police had to intervene and when the IAA was the highlight of the year for many a car fan. Many of them will remember a particular novelty that they spontaneously fell in love with. In the following list, we would like to highlight 10 special cars. The selection is purely subjective; we could also have chosen a Mercedes C 111 or W 126, a BMW 2002 Turbo or Lancia Delta. The first BMW 8 Series and the Audi A2 also attracted a lot of attention. Our order is not judgmental but purely chronological.

The IAA Mobility Open Space in the city center is free of charge. Prices for a day ticket with access to the show start at €20 for adults and €25 for weekends. Trainees, students, and schoolchildren pay €10. The family day ticket is for two adults and three children (6-14 years) and starts at €49.

1951: Mercedes 300

The brand-new Mercedes 300 quickly became the absolute star of the 1951 IAA – six cylinders, 115 horsepower (85 kilowatts), and a top speed of 160 kilometers per hour (99 miles per hour)! The expensive luxury sedan later became famous as the “Adenauer Mercedes.” For most visitors, who could at best afford a motorcycle, the 300 must have seemed like something from another star. From today’s perspective, the presentation of the brand with the star was very sober. Modesty was the key back then.

1955: BMW 507

BMW didn’t have a lot of money in its bank account in the 1950s, but it did have a highlight in its IAA luggage. At the 1955 IAA, it presented its direct rival to the Mercedes 300 SL – the 507. It cost as much as a single-family house and remained extremely rare. Only 254 BMW 507s were built. In contrast, a total of 3,258 Mercedes 300 SLs of all versions were almost mass-produced. The 507 was made legendary by Elvis, whose car now belongs to the BMW Museum.

1963: Mercedes 600

As with the 300 12 years earlier, Mercedes again put an exclamation mark on the 1963 IAA. The mighty 600 with a 250-hp (186-kW) V8 demonstrated what was technically feasible in the luxury segment. For example, the trunk lid closed automatically by vacuum – an unbelievable feature at the time in the land of the Beetle hordes. The rush for the 600 was so great that the Mercedes stand needed police protection.

1963: Porsche 901

Still under the designation 901, Porsche showed a sports car at the 1963 IAA that was to go down in history – the later 911. In the picture, we can still see it as the 901 at the Geneva Motor Show in spring 1964. It was only shortly after the sales launch in November 1964 that the designation had to be changed due to pressure from Peugeot.

1965: Opel Kadett B

The real hits often come in inconspicuous garb. The Opel Kadett B presented at the 1965 IAA was a home run because it became a sales hit. Here we see it in a later version. The brand confidently advertised the Kadett with the slogan “The Car.” Not entirely without reason, as by 1973, more than 2.7 million units had been built.

1967: NSU Ro 80

A sensation at the 1967 IAA was NSU, until then better known for small cars, as it shocked the competition with the Ro 80. Its futuristic design and 115-hp) Wankel engine captivated visitors to the show. However, the sedan only sold around 37,400 units in ten years. When the Ro 80 was discontinued in 1977, debates about fuel consumption and safety dominated the IAA.

1983: VW Golf II

Like the Opel Kadett B, the second-generation VW Golf almost 20 years later was not a visual street sweeper. But thanks to its solidity and longevity, the conventional compact car mutated into a myth. The model range extended from the 54-hp (40-kW) naturally aspirated diesel to the 210-hp (156-kW) G60 Limited. By the end of 1992, more than 6.3 million Golf IIs had rolled off the production line, many of which can still be seen today. 

1989: Opel Calibra

A truly worthy successor to the Opel Manta was the Calibra that caused quite a stir at the IAA in 1989 after it had a whirl in the wind tunnel during development. 0.26 was the drag coefficient world record at the time. In addition to the fabulous design, visitors were amazed at the very narrow ellipsoidal headlights. The “Cali” was built until 1997, and unfortunately, there was never a true successor.

1997: Mercedes A-Klasse

When world premieres were still real surprises, visitors to the 1997 IAA were amazed at the new Mercedes-Benz A-Class. No car with a star had ever been so small. The Vision A 93 study had already tested the public’s reactions to it at the 1993 IAA. Shortly after the world premiere in 1997, a moose ran across the path of the Mini-Benz.

2019: VW ID.3

The last IAA in Frankfurt held another exceptional highlight – VW showed there the ID.3, the brand’s first entirely newly developed electric car, including its own platform. It was clear signal from the giant from Wolfsburg as VW has invested many billions in electromobility to date. This is the powertrain that will dominate at the 2021 IAA International Motor Show in Munich.

During the presentation of the BMW Concept i4, the German manufacturer updated its logo for online and real-world communications, rather than actually appearing on the front of vehicles. For us, it is an occasion to look back at this famous emblem around which a legend persists.

Before starting, it’s worth knowing that before BMW, there was Rapp Motorenwerke. This company dating from 1913 was specialized in the manufacture of aircraft engines. In July 1917, the name of the company changed to Bayerische Motoren Werke, or simply BMW.  

At the very beginning, BMW did not have a logo because the business did not consider it necessary to have an emblem for the public to identify the brand. Not long later, BMW developed an identifier by tweaking the Rapp Motorenwerke badge. The business kept the black circle with the company name on the inside.

Over the years, the company changed the original gold rings and letters to white. In 1997, the logo took on a skeuomorphic appearance that made it appear three dimensional. Other than on the i4 Concept, BMW suggests the new, simplified logo isn’t a badge for future vehicles.

As the logo evolved, a legend persisted for several decades. Many of you think that the BMW emblem represents the spinning propeller of an airplane. The blue and white section is a reference to the flag of the German state of Bavaria. However, the colors are reversed (if one reads the roundel clockwise) because the law there prohibits the use of national emblems for logos.

Before producing cars and motorcycles, BMW was in the aviation business. It entered the motorbike business in 1923 with the R32. The company’s first car was a licensed copy of the Austin Seven, but by the early 1930s, it was producing internally designed vehicles.

The myth that the BMW logo represents the propellers of an airplane was born because of … BMW. In 1929, an advertisement to promote a new engine showed an airplane with the brand’s logo on the rotating propellers. Since then, many people believed in this meaning.

“BMW has long done nothing to dispel the myth,” explains Fred Jakobs of BMW Group Classic. “The interpretation has been commonplace for 90 years, which somehow legitimizes it.”

Few automotive stories are as captivating as Ford’s battle against Ferrari at Le Mans. In 1966, that battle was ultimately won by Ford in a dramatic 1-2-3 finish at the legendary 24-hour endurance race, and the GT40 would see the checkered flag three additional times at Le Mans to close out the 1960s. As for Ferrari, 1965 was its last overall Le Mans win.

That initial GT40 Mark II victory and the saga leading up to it is now world-famous beyond the automotive realm thanks to Ford v Ferrari, the Oscar-nominated film starring Matt Damon and Christian Bale. The picture focuses on legendary builder Carroll Shelby and racing driver Ken Miles tweaking and preparing the GT40 for its 1966 Le Mans run, with no small amount of drama coming at them from all sides. But how much of the film is true to what really happened that day, back in June 1966?

It’s safe to say timelines are exaggerated, and Hollywood always ups the drama factor. But did Ken Miles really throw a wrench at Shelby at a race in California? Did Ford really try to interfere with the team to such an extent? Were there other companies involved in getting the GT40 race-ready? And was Enzo Ferrari actually at Le Mans to see it all first hand?

Join owners and enthusiasts discussing this topic at FerrariChat.com!

Find out in this documentary produced by Motorsport Network, featuring exclusive interviews with experts along with archive footage and photos from Motorsport.tv’s extensive library. It’s narrated by nine-time Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen, and special guests include Miles’ son Peter.

The Hollywood movie is riveting, but as you probably expect, it doesn’t share the whole story. From Shelby and Miles to other key players like Lee Iacocca, Roy Lunn, and the finish line drama with Bruce McLaren, the documentary goes flat out to share the true story of this infamous moment of motorsports history

Additionally, don’t miss over 80 years of 24 Hours of Le Mans: The Great History archives on Motorsport.tv.

Name: Alfa Romeo 33 Navajo Concept
Debut: 1976 Geneva Motor Show
Engine: 2.0-Liter V8
Specs: 230 Horsepower

In the world of obscure one-offs, we’d argue few are as interesting as the Alfa Romeo Navajo. The Bertone-designed, spaceship-inspired supercar debuted in 1976 at the Geneva Motor Show. It was the last of a handful of concept cars built on the bones of the iconic 33 Stradale by various Italian design firms, a list includes other oddballs with equally odd names like the Carabo, Iguana, and Cuneo.

Inspired By An Icon

Production of the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale ended in 1969. The rare sports car – of which just 18 were made – ended an era of one of Alfa Romeo’s most signature design languages. Noticeably different-looking (though, still iconic in their own right) vehicles like the GTV and Montreal arrived in the 1970s, shedding the svelte profile of the 33 Stradale and others for a more angular look.

But long after production of the 33 Stradale ended, Nuccio Bertone got its hands on the chassis (specifically chassis no. 750.33.11) and took it the styling in a strange new direction. One of six one-offs – including the Carabo, Iguana, Cuneo, and others designed by Bertone, Giugiaro, and Pininfarina – the Navajo concept sported a never-before-seen look inspired by the future rather than Alfa’s iconic past.

Extending the 33 Stradale’s base and using fiberglass for the body almost exclusively, Bertone debuted the 33 Navajo concept at the Geneva Motor Show. A 2.0-liter V8 producing 230 horsepower sat behind the driver. And inside, a reworked cabin assured more room to fit two passengers. Of course, the angular edges, pop-up headlights, and orange accents, complete with appropriate Bertone branding on the embedded wing, gave the Navajo a futuristic look unlike any other. Even the other 33 Stradale concepts that came before it looked tame by comparison.

Unfortunately, like a lot of concept cars of the day, Bertone built just one example of the 33 Navajo. Reports suggest it has a price tag of around $3 million when new, but it’s unclear if the one-off even sold, or Bertone ever intended to sell it. Nevertheless, the Alfa Romeo 33 Navajo by Bertone was an interesting look at what could have been.

Name: Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione
Debut: 2007
Engine: 4.7-Liter V8
Specs: 444 Horsepower / 354 pound-feet
Price: $301,600

Today we know Alfa Romeo as a mainstream, luxury manufacturer responsible for cars like the Giulia sedan and Stelvio crossover. But 13 years ago, the company returned to the U.S. following a notable 22-year absence with a stunning, limited-production coupe known as the 8C Competizione.

Worth The Wait

The first 8C debuted as a concept in 2003. But the final production model didn’t show up in Europe until 2007. Limited to just 500 units worldwide, the production 8C barely strayed from the concept that debuted four years prior. It still had the same shapely body lines, dramatic triangular grille, and rounded taillights. Only, the road-going 8C bore new wheels, updated Xenon headlights, and a rear-hinged hood.

Hiding under the rear-hinged hood was a Ferrari-sourced 4.7-liter V8 good for 444 horsepower (331 kilowatts) and 354 pound-feet (480 Newton-meters) of torque. With its standard six-speed transaxle gearbox, the 8C Competizione could sprint to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in just 4.2 seconds, and on to an official top speed of 181 mph (292 kmh).

But there was one slight problem: the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione was exceptionally pricey. The coupe started at $301,600 in the U.S. when new. And it only offered two standard colors, red or black. Buyers interested in additional hues would have to pay extra. Notable celebrities like James Glickenhaus and New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes both owned one.

Top-Down Thrills

Following the success of the 8C coupe in 2007, Alfa Romeo released a convertible version just a year later. Like the coupe, the company limited production of the 8C Convertible to just 500 units – and just 35 made their way to the States. But unlike its hardtop sibling, the droptop 8C offered a slightly more reasonable price tag. The convertible sports car started at – wait for it – $299,000 in the U.S. Chump change, really.

Of course, the 8C Convertible used the same 4.7-liter V8 from the coupe good for 444 hp and 354 lb-ft. Only now with the removable roof, the car’s top speed dropped from 181 mph to 180 mph (289 kmh). A small price to pay for such a stunning droptop.

Name: Porsche 959
Debut: 1986
Engine: Twin-Turbo 2.8-Liter Inline-6
Specs: 444 Horsepower / 369 Pound-Feet
Price: $800,000+

Despite the misuse and abuse of the term supercar, some vehicles truly deserve the title. One of them is the Porsche 959, built between 1987 and 1993. Conceived and built as a World Rally Championship Group B racer, this masterpiece of 1980s technology was teased by the 1983 Porsche Gruppe B concept car shown that year in the Frankfurt Auto Show. Notwithstanding the use of the existing 911 platform and basic body, the concept was equipped with technologies that, 33 years ago, were regarded as automotive science fiction – things like adjustable height and variable all-wheel drive controlled by computer. 

1983 Porsche Gruppe B Concept

1983 Porsche Gruppe B Concept

Homologation to compete in the Group B, however, required production of 200 street legal units. This gave Porsche the perfect opportunity to create a true technological powerhouse on four wheels. 

The Porsche 959 arrived after a gruesome and long development process, but the result was well worth the wait. The car, considered the most technological advanced automobile of its day, was powered by a 2.8-liter twin-turbo six-cylinder engine that could generate 444 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. Power was delivered to all four wheels through a special manual transmission with five forward speeds plus an extra all-terrain gear and of course, a reverse gear.

With an official top speed of 197 miles per hour (317 Km/h) the Porsche 959 was the fastest street legal car in the world when it arrived, excluding the U.S., where it was never approved for circulation in public roads. Its 0 to 60 mph (97 Km/h) time was 3.6 seconds, and the 959 ran the quarter mile in 11.8 seconds at 126 mph (202 Km/h). 

Porsche offered the 959 in two trim levels Sport and Komfort, being the latter the more road-oriented car while the former was the ultimate track machine of the duo. In 1988 Porsche also built 29 units of the 959 S, a version of the 959 Sport with modified turbo chargers that increased the power to 508 hp and top speed to 211 mph (339 Km/h), according to independent testing.  

Ironically, the 959 was never ready on time for Group B racing, which was cancelled for the 1986 season. But it still managed to have an illustrious motorsport career. During its development the 959 entered the Paris-Dakar Rally obtaining first, second and fifth places. Also, in 1986 the 959 entered in the 24 Hours of Le Mans winning its category and obtaining the 7th place over all. 

The road version of the 959 debuted in the Frankfurt Auto Show in 1985, and even though its production was supposed to begin in 1986, the first units didn’t emerge from the assembly line until the next year at a price of $255,000, which reportedly was about half of what Porsche spend building one of them.  At the end its run in 1988, Porsche built 337 cars, including all test units. But Porsche wasn’t done with the 959 yet, in 1993 the automaker built eight more units made of remaining inventory parts. These last 959s were sold at around $455,000 each.  

Name: New Stratos
Debut: 2010
Engine: Twin-Turbo 4.3-Liter V8
Specs: 540 Horsepower / 383 Pound-Feet
Price: $800,000+

Introduced in 1973, we all know the Lancia Stratos as one of the winningest World Rally Championship cars of all time. By taking home WRC trophies in 1974, 1975, and 1976, the Bertone-designed coupe cemented itself as one of the best cars to ever do it on dirt and an icon among enthusiasts. Production of the road-going Stratos, though, lasted just five years. And the FCA-owned Lancia brand hasn’t looked back on the project since.

But in 2010, rally fan and German billionaire Michael Stoschek helped fund a startup project known as “New Stratos.” An homage to the original, this New Stratos promised a modern, production-ready take on the iconic rally car… but not without a few roadblocks in-between.

From The Beginning

The first prototype of the New Stratos debuted in 2010. But with an F430 Scuderia as its base and a look penned by Pininfarina, Ferrari wasn’t all too keen on the idea. The Italian powerhouse brand shut down production of the New Stratos temporarily, citing intellectual property concerns.

But after nearly eight years of back and forth between the two brands, and not to mention plenty of additional engineering in the meantime, Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT) and its backers announced a limited run of the New Stratos for production. The car officially went on sale in 2018.

The Nitty Gritty

Still using a heavily modified Ferrari F430 Scuderia as its base, the New Stratos lobs 7.9 inches (200 millimeters) off of the Ferrari’s wheelbase, as well as sheds a few hundred pounds in the process thanks to a lightweight steel frame. Underhood of the New Stratos is a modified version Ferrari’s 4.3-liter V8, here good for 540 horsepower (403 kilowatts) and 383 pound-feet (519 Newton-meters) of torque. Some customers can even get a 600-hp (447 kW) option.

But even with its base powertrain, the New Stratos sprints to 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) in just 3.3 seconds, and to 124 mph (200 kmh) in 9.7 seconds. The car’s top speed on the street is limited to 170 mph (270 kmh). All that power comes paired to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Pricey Proposition

In 2017, the company New Stratos GbR gave Manifattura Automobili Torino (MAT) of Italy the rights to produce the New Stratos. That same company builds James Glickenhaus’s SCG003C supercar. But customers interested in taking home the New Stratos won’t get it for cheap. The cost of the New Stratos is $618,000… Ferrari 430 Scuderia not included.

Name: Mazda Furai
Debut: 2008 Detroit Auto Show
Engine: Three-Rotor Wankel
Specs: 450 Horsepower / 278 Pound-Feet

In the mid to late 2000s, Mazda proved it wasn’t giving up on the rotary engine yet. The company still found success in the RX-8 sports car, a sort of not-so-direct successor to the beloved RX-7. And in 2008, Mazda debuted a jaw-dropping, Wankel-powered concept at the Detroit Auto Show known as the Furai, meaning “Sound of the Wind.”

Race Ready

Mazda never intended to build a production version of the Furia. The company created it as a race car from the start, destined to compete in the American Le Mans series. The Furia wore outrageous red and silver aero work and the number “55” as a nod to the Le Mans-winning 787B. But a few issues kept the project from ever reaching the track.

The Furia used a complicated tri-rotary Wankel engine. The engine, essentially a modified version of the 20B found on previous road-going Mazdas, ran on E100 ethanol fuel. The Furai was fully functional, sure – the company tested it on various tracks, including Laguna Seca and Buttonwillow. But the car ended up acting as a rolling testbed for things like future design and aerodynamic testing, rather than racing. And then the accident happened…

Death By Furai

In 2008, soon after the debut of the Furai in Detroit, the company handed over the keys of its beloved prototype to test drivers at Top Gear. During a photo session at Bentwaters Park Air Force base in the U.K., driver Mark Ticehurst noticed smoke from the engine bay. Ticehurst escaped unscathed, thankfully, but the entirety of the Furai went up in flames in a matter of minutes before crews could extinguish it.

After learning of the incident, Mazda brought the charred remains of the concept back to its Advanced Design Studio in Irvine, California where the company created it, but never went back to the project again. In a 2013 interview with Road & Track, then senior designer, Carlos Salaff, had this to say about the accident:

“It was sad for me. I poured my heart and soul into that car. When you pour your heart and soul into something, it becomes your baby. And then I saw it destroyed like that and it really hurt. It hurt.”

Name: Kode 0
Debut: 2017
Engine: 6.5-Liter V12
Specs: 690 Horsepower / 507 pound-feet
Price: $1,500,000+

Before we talk about the car, we first have to talk about the man behind the car: Ken Okuyama. If that name sounds familiar, Okuyma is a career automotive design pro who spent much of his career at Pininfarina. He’s credited in helping create vehicles like the original Acura NSX, Ferrari 599 GTB, Ferrari Enzo, Maserati Birdcage 75th Concept, and even the fourth-generation Chevrolet Camaro. Yes, that Camaro. 

But in 2006, Ken Okuyama left Pininfarina. And after a quick stint starting his own eyewear collection (dubbed Ken Okuyama Eyes collection), he created his first self-titled concept car: the K.O 7 Spider. He debuted the slinky, open-top two-seater in Geneva in 2008, kickstarting a lineage of impressive concepts and one-offs, including the one pictured here.

Code To Success

The Kode 0 debuted at Pebble Beach in 2017. The fixed-roof successor to the equally stunning Kode57 Enji uses “dream car proportions” from classics like the the Lancia Stratos Zero in its design. Okuyama implemented a “one motion” technique to create the Kode0’s svelte profile. But aggressive details like the edgy front splitter, sharp LED headlights, triangular-shaped exhaust, and 21-inch wheels embody a stark contrast to the otherwise streamlined silhouette.

Hiding under that sleek contour is a 6.5-liter V12 good for 690 horsepower (515 kilowatts) and 507 pound-feet (690 Newton-meters) of torque. With it, the Kode0 sprints to 62 miles per hour (0-100 kilometers per hour) in just 2.9 seconds. The Kode 0 also weighs in at just 3,417 pounds (1,550 kilograms), making it much lighter than the vehicle on which it’s based (4,085 pounds / 1,852 kilograms).

One And Done

The Kode 0 was a hit at Pebble Beach. And it got even more attention visiting Jay Leno’s Garage just a few months later; the video has garnered nearly 1.2 million views on YouTube. But Okuyama never intended to produce the Kode 0 on a mass scale. The lone Pebble Beach example cost its owner $1.5 million atop the cost of a donor car (about $400,000), and surprisingly, hit the classifieds soon after in 2018 with just 1,368 miles (2,201 kilometers) on the odometer. Though its retailer never revealed the final selling price, our best guess is that it went for more well over one million dollars considering the original allocation cost. It is an Okuyama design, after all.