Most Revolutionary Concept Car Designs of the Last 100 Years

Concept car design is one way that car makers keep the auto enthusiast interested in new cars and technologies. There have been numerous revolutionary concept car designs throughout the years. Some of these concepts dealt with body styling. Others dealt with engine and drivetrain mechanics. Still others were in the realm of safety.

Body Styling

The ability to stamp large metal pieces allowed auto makers to add intricate angles and body lines. In the mid 1950s, Mercedes-Benz first showed the revolutionary body design of gull wing doors. Gull wing doors swing vertically instead of horizontally. There are a few different varieties of gull wing doors now.

When new on the market, electric door locks and windows were quite revolutionary. Now most of us wouldn't know what to do without them. Another innovation that gained momentum in the 1950s was the use of fiberglass and other lightweight materials in the construction of cars.

The last major innovative concept in car design is the convertible top. There are three types of convertibles. These are the soft top, the hard top and the folding panel. Both soft tops and folding panels are more traditional types of convertibles. The soft top is a canvas, nylon or leather top stretched over a frame which folds back into a storage boot. Folding panel types of convertibles have multiple hinged fiberglass or metal frames or panels which fold into a storage compartment. There are two types of hard top convertibles, the full hard top and the t-top. On a car with t-tops, the portion of the roof just over the front seat unlatches and stows in a special trunk compartment. With a hard top, the whole top is lifted off completely.

One of the most all-pervading innovative concepts in car body styling occurred when a designer decided to isolate the body and passenger compartment from the road with a sprung and dampened suspension.

Engine and Drivetrain

There have been a number of revolutionary concepts in engine and drivetrain designs. One of the most notable is the automatic transmission. Another is the hemispherical head design for combustion chambers. Another major innovation that has become commonplace is the fuel injection system. Multiple and overhead cam timing systems were revolutionary when they were introduced. The introduction of more durable gaskets allowed the increase in operating temperatures and pressures seen in modern engines. When disc brakes were introduced, it was a quantum step ahead in braking efficiency. The addition of power assist units to both braking and steering systems made it much easier to control your car.

Safety

Safety is one of those areas where reactivity instead of proactivity is the norm. Two of the most notable innovations in the area of safety include seat belts and safety glass. One safety innovation many people may not be aware of, but would definitely notice if it weren't there, is the tinting of the top of the windshield.