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Do you remember any of these?
Which one would you choose to drive?

Past visions of the future

Dream Cars: Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas - to give it its full name - is an exhibition at the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, which showcases yesterday’s cars of tomorrow.

In other words, the cars of the future, according to automotive designers from as far back as the 1930s right up to the present day. These are the concept cars that gave designers the chance to dream of the future and push the limits of imagination and design.

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Past visions of the future



The stunning Lancia Stratos HF Zero was first shown to the public at the Turin Motor Show in 1970. It’s the unmistakable work of Marcello Gandini, the genius behind the Lamborghini Countach and Lancia Stratos, both of which would appear a few years later.

The Zero is just 83 cm tall, with the cockpit positioned far forward and twin seats mounted between the front wheels.

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Past visions of the future



The Ferrari Modulo made its debut in 1970 - the same year as the Zero - but at 94 cm high, it was about 10 cm taller than the Lancia.

The Pininfarina-designed Modulo used a Ferrari 512 S chassis and was developed as designers raced to produce the ultimate wedge. The canopy-style roof slid forward along special guides to permit access to the cabin.

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Past visions of the future



If the Lancia Zero was unmistakably Gandini, the BMW GINA could be the work of nobody other than Chris Bangle.

GINA stands for Geometry and functions In NAdaptations, with the N signifying the mathematical symbol for infinity. Right. Anyway, the GINA study helped BMW to develop rapid manufacturing, digital tooling techniques and a robot-guided steel embossing process used in the production of the Z4 M Roadster and Z4 M Coupe.

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Past visions of the future



The Porsche 918 Spyder concept, originally unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, is powered by a 3.4-litre V8 engine producing over 500 hp, coupled to a pair of electric motors that bring the total output to 718 hp.

Thanks to its carbonfibre, aluminium and magnesium construction, the Porsche 918 Spyder concept weighed just 1,490 kg. Remarkable stuff.

Perhaps even more remarkable, it's more than just a fantasy: the 918 Spyder production car goes on sale this year. We've already driven it.

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Past visions of the future



Norman Timbs was a mechanical engineer who, in 1947, decided to create the Timbs Special for his own personal use. As you do.

It took Timbs more than two and a half years to complete the car, at a cost of around $10,000.

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Past visions of the future



Gordon Buehrig is perhaps best known for designing the Cord 810 and Duesenberg Model J in the 1930s.

But in 1948, he independently developed the Tasco, which - despite sounding like the name of a Mexican dish - actually stood for The American Sports Car Company. Those front wheel arches turned with the wheels and the T-top roof design is said to have influenced the 1968 Corvette.

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Past visions of the future



The limited-run Stout Scarab was inspired by nature, hence the name Scarab - a direct reference to the scarab beetle.

Stout’s vision was to create a living room on wheels, making this seven-seater a precursor to today’s MPVs. A true pioneer of the automotive world.

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Past visions of the future



This rather famous Special Speedster was Edsel Ford’s interpretation of a sleek continental car, based on European styles.

It’s a thing of real beauty, most notably the ‘alligator-style’ bonnet, complete with louvered side panels.

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Past visions of the future



Gabriel Voisin was a French aeronautical engineer and automobile designer who had enjoyed great success in the 1920s designing cars with long, angular Moderne-inspired lines.

By the end of the decade, the French automotive industry was in decline and - with his firm facing bankruptcy - Voisin developed a new look. This is it - the C-25 Aerodyne concept.

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Past visions of the future



Chrysler positioned the Thunderbolt as “The Car of the Future”, built to educate the public about aerodynamics and streamlining.

It was the first American car to feature an electrically-operated, retractable hardtop and disappearing headlights.

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Past visions of the future



The 1955 Ghia Gilda - commissioned by Chrysler - was named after Rita Hayworth’s title character in the film noir of the same name.

It was clearly influenced by jet aircraft and rocketry, the suggestion being it was “shaped by the wind”.

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Past visions of the future



You needn’t have a GCSE in French to translate the 1942 L’Oeuf Electrique as the ‘Electric Egg’.

It was designed during the German occupation of Paris and served as a convenient urban runabout. Not surprisingly, it wasn’t famed for its safety credentials.

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Past visions of the future



The 1951 Le Sabre XP-8 was the result of General Motors’ desire to create a new head-turning car.

It was labelled by GM as an “Experimental Laboratory On Wheels”, with the headlights hidden behind an oval grille that resembled a jet air intake. The tinted wraparound windscreen would become a signature feature of future GM cars. Oh, it also featured a rain sensor that would automatically raise the roof in the event of rain.

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Past visions of the future



Talk about being decades ahead of its time. The Buick Centurion XP-301 featured a rear-mounted camera with a wide-angle lens and a 4x6-inch screen embedded in the dashboard.

This, combined with a transparent bubble roof meant that a rearview mirror wasn’t necessary.