May 20, 2014 6:30 AM

Gallery: 17 of the Most Beautifully Bizarre Cars Ever Designed

Michael Furman
01
1936 Stout Scarab
The 1936 Stout Scarab was an upscale proto-mini van. It kept passengers comfortable and their flatware in place with a cushy four-wheel independent suspension.
Michel Zumbrunn/Urs Schmid
02
L'Oeuf électrique, 1942
The 1942 Oeuf électrique, French for “electric egg,” weighed just over 770 pounds, had three wheels, and could travel for 63 miles between charges.

Peter Harholdt
03
Norman Timbs Special, 1947
The work of an Indy racing engineer, there’s only one example of the 1947 Norman Timbs Special in the world.
Michael Furman
04
General Motors Firebird I XP-21, 1953
A jet fighter on wheels, the 1953 General Motors Firebird I XP-21 could top 200 mph.

Michael Furman
05
Chrysler (Ghia) Streamline X "Gilda", 1955
Designers originally intended to fit the 1955 Chrysler (Ghia) Streamline X "Gilda" with a gas turbine engine, but gave it a conventional motor instead.
Michel Zumbrunn
06
Ferrari (Pininfarina) 512 S Modulo, 1970
If you’re wondering if the 1970 Ferrari (Pininfarina) 512 S Modulo was a concept, notice that the front wheels are covered so they can’t turn.

Michael Furman
07
Lancia (Bertone) Stratos HF Zero, 1970
The 1970 Lancia (Bertone) Stratos HF Zero, the predecessor to the legendary Stratos, was so small that the driver had to climb in through the windshield.
BMW AG
08
BMW GINA Light Visonary Model, 2001
The body of Chris Bangle’s bizarre 2001 BMW GINA Light Visonary Model is coated in stretchy fabric.

Porsche
09
Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Car, 2010
The Porsche 918 Spyder Concept Car was unveiled at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show and led to the hybrid supercar Porsche on the road today.
Joe Wiecha
10
Bugatti Type 57S Compétition Coupé Aerolithe, 1935 (2007-2013)
In 2007, restorers built this recreation of the 1935 Bugatti Type 57S Compétition Coupé Aerolithe concept based on recorded specs, photographs, and an oil painting by a Bugatti engineer.

Edsel and Eleanor Ford House
11
1932 Ford Speedster
The low, long, 1932 Ford Speedster was the brainchild of Henry Ford’s son Edsel and designer Eugene Gregorie.
Michael Furman
12
1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne
The 1934 Voisin C-25 Aerodyne was a French saloon than ran on a 3.0-liter inline-6 engine that produced just over 100 horsepower.

Peter Harholdt
13
1948 Tasco
If the 1948 Tasco looks familiar, it’s because the lines on this car came from Gordon Buehrig, a design alumnus of Duesenberg.
Michael Furman
14
1951 GM Le Sabre
The 1951 GM Le Sabre was the first car to sport fins and a wraparound windshield, design elements that became standard in American cars thereafter.

Michael Furman
15
1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt
The curves on the 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolt were inspired by streamliner trains.
Michael Furman
16
1956 Buick Centurion
The 1956 Buick Centurion had a back-up camera decades before they appeared in consumer vehicles.

Peter Harholdt
17
1959 Cadillac Cyclone
The 1959 Cadillac Cyclone could drive itself using a sensor that guided it along a wire embedded in the road.

The Dumbest Hack of the Year Exposed a Very Real Problem

Last April, a hacker hijacked crosswalk announcements to mimic Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk. Records obtained by WIRED reveal how unprepared local authorities were.

Paresh Dave

AI Agents Are Coming for Your Dating Life

The developers of Pixel Societies are using AI agents to simulate social interactions. It's an attempt optimize the process of choosing new colleagues, friends, and even romantic partners.

Joel Khalili

A Lot of Shops Won't Fix Electric Bikes. Here's Why

Bike shop mechanics have lost fingers and their shirts while repairing ebikes of dubious origins. Make sure yours is repairable and third-party certified.

Stephanie Pearson

The Audacity Is the Broligarchy Takedown You Were Waiting For

AMC’s new black comedy about a manchild tech titan spinning out of control is a skewering Silicon Valley’s billionaire class deserves.

Miles Klee

It’s a Tablet! It’s a Laptop! After Testing the Best 2-in-1s, Here’s What I Recommend

Whether you want a detachable tablet or a laptop screen that spins, these 2-in-1 devices manage to balance being both a tablet and a laptop.

Luke Larsen

There’s a Secret Ingredient to Making Luxury Ice at Home

Nice ice is big business, but you can get perfectly clear cubes at home without freezing your assets.

Jeremy White

The Screenmaxxers Who Spend Every Waking Hour on Their Phones

As debates over social media addiction rage, people with extreme screen times tell WIRED they have no plans to cut back.

Miles Klee

Mammotion’s Spino E1 Pool Cleaner Isn’t Bad for the Price—It's Just Not That Good

This compact pool robot keeps its price down, but its performance doesn’t match that of more capable cleaners.

Christopher Null

The Best Coffee Mug Warmers Are Smart. But They Don’t Need an App

The first rule of coffee is that it must stay hot. After weeks or even years of testing, these are the three coffee warmers that will best keep it that way.

Matthew Korfhage