The Futuristic Wimille Streamlined Car of the 1940s

Visionary Machine - In the world of automotive history, there are stories that feel more like legends than simple accounts of engineering. Some cars manage to escape the ordinary boundaries of their era, carrying with them not just mechanical brilliance but also the spirit of the people who dreamed them up. One such story belongs to Jean-Pierre Wimille, a French racing driver whose ambitions reached far beyond the track. He wasn’t content with just mastering speed on the circuit—he wanted to shape the future of cars themselves.

The 1946 Wimille Prototype JPW No. 1 designed by Philippe Charbonneaux to specifications laid out by race driver Jean-Pierre Wimille. (Picture from: Wikimedia)

Wimille’s love affair with automobiles started early. By the 1930s, while racing Bugattis at prestigious events like the French Grand Prix, he was already sketching futuristic designs for road cars. Racing was his world, but imagination was his playground. Even as he collected victories behind the wheel, he was quietly envisioning a vehicle that would break away from convention, something more modern, efficient, and bold than anything the world had seen.

Rear three quarter view of the 1946 Wimille Prototype JPW No. 1 uses a 56hp Citroën Traction engine with streamlined bodywork built by Henri Chapron. (Picture from: Wikimedia)

When World War II disrupted racing in Europe, Wimille’s creative energy turned entirely toward this dream. In 1943, while much of the world was still engulfed in conflict, he outlined plans for what he called the Wimille GT. His vision was decades ahead of its time: a streamlined car with integrated headlights, a panoramic windscreen, independent wheels, and even an electrically controlled gearbox. He wanted to offer three versions—a comfortable Grand Tourisme with 70 horsepower, a sporty V6 model with 100 horsepower, and a pure racing machine that could reach nearly 300 km/h. These weren’t just sketches; they were blueprints for a new kind of automobile.

The 1948 Wimille Prototype JPW No. 2 with twin inset headlamps, and then restyled with a central "cyclops" headlamp. (Picture from: RanWhenParked)

By 1945, the dream began to take shape. With the help of Parisian coachbuilder Henri Chapron, Wimille’s first prototype—simply called the Wimille 01—was born. Displayed at the Paris Auto Show in 1946, the car looked unlike anything else on the floor. Its smooth, flowing bodywork and futuristic features turned heads instantly. Though the prototype used a modest Citroën engine instead of the powerful V6 Wimille had intended, it was enough to get the concept rolling—literally. The car was tested over long distances, proving that this wasn’t just a fantasy. It was real, it worked, and it was unlike anything the public had seen.

The 1948 Wimille Prototype JPW No. 2 uses an 2,158cc, 8-cylinder, V-shaped Ford engine. (Picture from: RanWhenParked)

What made the Wimille so striking was how many innovations it packed into one design. It had a tubular chassis, a rear-mounted engine, semi-automatic gearbox, and even three seats across the front with ce mntral steering. The cockpit layout felt futuristic, as though it had been designed not for the 1940s but for the decades to come. At a time when most cars still carried upright grilles and boxy bodies, Wimille’s creation looked like it had come from another planet.

The restyled of the Wimille Prototype JPW No. 2 in 1949 with a central "cyclops" headlamp. (Picture from: Carstyling.ru)

Even as he continued winning races in Alfa Romeos, Wimille never stopped refining his "car of tomorrow." He struck a deal with Ford France, hoping to bring the car into production. Industrial designer Philippe Charbonneaux reworked the second prototype, improving its practicality while still keeping the radical style intact. This version carried a Ford Vedette V8 engine and even made its way to the 1948 Paris Auto Show, where two Wimille cars were presented. The reaction was electric—people wanted to see this car on the road, and production felt tantalizingly close. One version was even restyled with a central “cyclops” headlamp, making it stand out even more.

The 1949 Wimille Prototype JPW No. 3 which was driven for many years by the Philippe Charbonneaux's son. (Picture from: Wikimedia)

But history had a cruel twist in store. On January 28, 1949, Jean-Pierre Wimille lost his life while driving in practice for the Buenos Aires Grand Prix. He was only 40 years old. His passing not only silenced one of France’s greatest racing talents but also left his visionary car project without its guiding force. That same year, Ford France withdrew its support, and the dream of a production Wimille car faded away. The prototypes—having already covered more than 45,000 kilometers—were shown for the last time in 1950.

The 1949 Wimille Prototype JPW No. 3 was kept by Cité de l'Automobile in Mulhouse. (Picture from: Wikimedia)

The exact number of Wimille prototypes built is still debated. Some sources claim there were four, while others suggest as many as eight. What is certain is that at least three have survived, each preserved as tangible proof of how far ahead Jean-Pierre Wimille’s vision really was. These rare cars are more than mechanical curiosities; they represent a bold attempt to redefine what automobiles could be in the 1940s.

From today’s perspective, the Wimille feels like a glimpse into a future that almost happened, where panoramic windscreens, mid-mounted engines, and fluid aerodynamics might have become standard decades earlier. It is the tale of a dream cut short, yet one that continues to inspire admiration more than seventy years later. Even without a Formula 1 championship, Wimille’s name lives on through this revolutionary car, and in 2014 Bugatti honored his legacy by dedicating one of the six models in its “Les Légendes de Bugatti” collection to him. *** [EKA [15062020] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | VELOCETODAY | RETROMOBILE | CARSTYLING.RU ]

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