Supercars

Supercars_Abarth_2000_Pininfarina

Abarth 2000 Pininfarina

The 1969 Abarth 2000 Pininfarina

Giacobbi_Sinthesis_Supercars

Giacobbi Sinthesis 2000

The 1970 Giacobbi Sinthesis by Tom Tjaarda.

Alfa Romeo Carabo

Alfa Romeo Carabo

The 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo, designed by Gandini.

Supercars_Holden_Hurricane

Holden Hurricane

The 1969 Holden Hurricane research vehicle.

Alfa Romeo Iguana

Alfa Romeo Iguana

The 1969 Alfa Romeo Iguana prototype.

Iso_Varedo_Supercars

Iso Rivolta Varedo

The 1972 Iso Rivolta Varedo by Ercole Spada.

Alfa_Romeo_33-2_Pininfarina_Supercar

Alfa Romeo 33-2 Pininfarina

The 1969 Alfa Romeo 33-2 concept car by Pininfarina.

Lamborghini_Athon

Lamborghini Athon

The Bertone designed Lamborghini Athon from 1980

Alfa_Romeo_Stradale_P33_Pininfarina_Roadster

Alfa Pininfarina P33 Roadster

The 1968 Alfa Romeo Pininfarina P33 Roadser.

Lamborghini Bravo

Lamborghini Bravo

The Bertone designed Lamborghini Bravo, concept car.

Alfasud_Caimano_Supercars

Alfasud Caimano

The 1971 Concept car designed by Giugiaro.

Lamborghini Countach Concept

Lamborghini Countach

The Lamborghini Countach prototype and LP400.

Amx-2_Supercar

AMX-II

The AMC AMX-2 prototype from 1969.

Lamborghini Marzal

Lamborghini Marzal

The 1967 Lamborghini Marzal saloon car.

AMX-3_Supercars

AMX-III

The AMC AMX-3 prototype from 1970.

Lamborghini Miura SV

Lamborghini Miura SV

The 1971 Lamborghini Miura SV Supercar.

Supercars_Aston_Martin_Bulldog

Aston Martin Bulldog

The Aston Martin Bulldog from 1980

Supercars_Lamborghini_Urraco

Lamborghini Urraco

The 1970 Lamborghini Prototype

Audi 100S Mittelmotor Frua

Audi 100S Mittelmotor

The Frua designed Audi concept car.

Lancia Stratos Concept

Lancia Stratos Zero

The 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero concept car.

Autobianchi_Runabout_Supercar

Autobianchi Runabout

The Autobianchi Runabout prototype, from 1969.

Supercars_Lanica_Stratos_HF

Lancia Stratos HF

The Lancia Stratos HF Prototype

Supercars_Bertone_Trapeze

Bertone Trapezio

The 1973 NSU Trapezio.

Supercars_Lombardi_FL1

Lombardi FL1

The 1972 FL1 designed by Francise Lombardi.

Bizzarrini Manta

Bizzarrini Manta

The Ital designed 1968 Bizzarrini Manta.

Lotus_Esprit_M70_Concept

Lotus Esprit M70

The 1972 M70 Lotus Esprit concept car.

Supercars_BMW_Turbo

BMW Turbo

The 1972 E25 BMW Turbo.

Lotus Etna

Lotus Etna

The 1984 Lotus Etna concept car, design by Giugiaro.

BMW_M1_Supercars

BMW M1

The 1978 production car

Supercars_Maserati_124_Coupe

Maserati 124 Coupe

The 1974 Maserati 124 concept car.

Chevrolet_Astro_II

Chevrolet XP-880

The 1968 Chevrolet Astro II

Masetari Boomerang

Maserati Boomerang

The 1972 Maserati Boomerang supercar.

Chevrolet_XP-882_Supercar

Chevrolet XP-882

The Chevrolet XP-882 from 1970.

Maserati_Bora_Supercars

Maserati Bora

The 1971 Maserati Bora production supercar.

Chevrolet_ XP-898

Chevrolet XP-898

The Chevrolet XP-898 from 1973.

Maserati_Khamsin_Supercars

Maserati Khamsin

The 1972 Maserati Khamsin production car.

Chevrolet Corvette XP-897GT

The Chevrolet XP-897 GT from 1973.

Mazda RX 500

Mazda RX 500

The Mazda RX500 supercar, from Toyo Kogyo.

Supercars_Chevrolet_Ramarro

Chevrolet Ramarro

The 1984 Bertone Concept car

MG EX-E Supercar

MG EX-E

The 1985 MG EX-E concept car

Citroen_SM_Frua_Supercar

Citroen SM Frua

The Frua designed concept car from 1972.

Mercedes C111

Mercedes C111

The 1970 Mercedes C111 supercar and research vehicle.

Supercars_De_Tomaso_Pantera

De Tomaso Pantera

The mid-engined production supercar

Matra_Laser_Michelotti_Supercars

Michelotti Matra Laser

The 1971 Matra Laser, designed by Michelotti.

De Tomaso Mangusta

De Tomaso Mangusta

The 1966 DeTomaso Mangusta production car.

Monteverdi_Hai

Monteverdi Hai

The Monteverdi Hai 450SS supercar, by Fissore.

De_Tomaso_Zonda_Supercars

De Tomaso Zonda

The 1971 De Tomaso Zonda by Ghia.

Oldsmobile Thor Ghia

Oldsmobile Thor

The Oldsmobile Thor designed by Ghia from 1967.

Dino_Ginevra_Supercars Dino Ginevra

The 1968 Dino Ginevra concept car.

Opel_CD_Supercars

Opel CD

The 1969 Opel CD Prototype.

Dome_Zero

Dome Zero

The 1978 Japanese Concept car

Opel Geneve

Opel Geneve

The Opel Geneve styling exercise.

Ferrari Modulo

Ferrari Modulo

The 1970 Ferrari Modulo concept car.

Pontiac_Banshee_II_Supercars

Pontiac Banshee II

The 1968 Pontiac Banshee.

Ferrari_512S_Pininfarina

Ferrari 512S Pininfarina

The Ferrari 512S concept car from 1969.

Porsche_Tapiro

Porsche Tapiro

The Porsche Tapiro, from Ital Design.

Ferrari_P5_Pininfarina_Supercar

Ferrari P5 Pininfarina

The 1968 Ferrari P5 by Pininfarina.

Renault_Alpine_A310_Supercars

Renault Alpine A310

The 1971 Alpine A310 production car.

Ferrari_P6_Supercars

Ferrari P6 Pininfarina

The Ferrari P6 Pininfarina from 1968.

Sbarro_Stash_Supercar

Sbarro Stash

The 1974 production car.

Ferrari_365BB

Ferrari 365BB

The 1971 Ferrari 365 Berlinetta Boxer.

Serenissima_Ghia

Serenissima Ghia

The 1969 Ghia concept car.

Ferrari_Pininfarina_Studio_CR25

Ferrari Studio CR 25

The 1974 Ferrari CR25 by Pininfarina.

Toyota_EX-3_Supercars

Toyota EX-3

The 1969 Toyota EX-III concept car.

Ford_GT70_Sports_Prototype_Thum

Ford GT70

The Ford GT70 Sports Prototype, designed by Ghia.

Vauxhall_XVR_Supercars

Vauxhall XVR

The 1966 Vauxhall XVR concept car.

Ford_Mach_II_1970_Supercar

Ford Mach 2

The 1970 Ford Mach II designed by Larry Shinoda.

Vauxhall_SVR_Thum

Vauxhall SRV

The 1970 Vauxhall SRV development car.

Ford Maya Concept Car

Ford Maya

The 1984 Ford Maya Supercar

   
Supercars and Concept cars of the late 1960s and early 1970s.

The late 1960s was an exciting time for car design, with car manufacturers developing supercars and concept cars that utilised the new mid-engine car layout. The mid-mounted engine had been developed in the late 1950's and early 1960's, through design developments in Formula 1, by the racing team Cooper. Many car manufacturers were aware of the handling advantages the new layout had over front engine sports cars and consequently wanted to utilise this new technology.

There were further developments in car aerodynamics too. By the mid 1960's, smoother, flatter profiles in car design were found to reduce drag, allowing cars to cut through the air more efficiently and travel faster. The mid-engine layout did away with the need for cars to have long bonnets. By integrating the angle of a shorter bonnet with the windscreen (forming a wedge shape), aerodynamic improvements were made. In the late 1960s, Designers such as Giorgetto Giugiaro and Marcello Gandini were instrumental in this development, designing such legendary supercar concepts as the Bizzarinni Manta and Alfa Romeo Carabo.

Supercars Alfa Romeo Carabo Thum

Alfa Romeo Carabo 1968 - Click to enlarge

With both the new mid-engine layout and the aerodynamic improvements, sports cars took on a new futuristic form, showing people a glimpse into the future. Cars such as the Lancia Stratos Concept car exemplified this forward thinking and paved the way for supercars as we know them today. The oil crisis and economic down turn of the mid 1970s put a halt to the development of supercars. Only in the mid 1980's would we see a resurgence of interest, with supercar concepts like the Ford Maya and Lotus Etna. By the late 1980s, supercars were again being developed and produced, such as the Ferrari F40, Jaguar XJ220 and Mclaren F1.

Other Supercars Lancia Stratos

Lancia Stratos Zero 1970

Todays supercars feature the same mid engine layout and wedge shaped designs, evident in cars such as the Lamborghini Gallardo and Murcielago. Above are some examples of supercar concepts from the late 1960s and early 1970s.

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