Among Italian and American collaboration cars, which usually apply the beauty of Italian design to the muscular body of American cars to produce a new great and fast car. But not so with the following concept car named the Chevrolet Corvair Testudo.
1963 Chevrolet Corvair Testudo is designed by Bertone's automotive designer named Giorgetto Giugiaro and launched at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2WGkKRt)
This 1963 concept car looks very futuristic as a result of the design of a young talented automotive designer named Giorgetto Giugiaro who was still working at Bertone, a renowned Italian coachbuilder at the time.
Left side view of the 1963 Chevrolet Corvair Testudo with its canopy door-type opened. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/39et28k)
The concept car is built on a modified Chevrolet Corvair Monza platform. As we have seen, the donor car used for this concept car has many interesting things to say, such as the only mass-designed passenger car manufactured by a well-known American manufacturer that has a rear-mounted air-cooled engine.
1963 Chevrolet Corvair Testudo has an interesting interior with a rectangular steering wheel, a pair of body-hugging seats, and the dials and buttons mounted on a one-piece, boomerang-shaped piece. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3eOx3Sa)
It was also the first GM-made car that had a unibody construction and the engine was originally tested in a Porsche 356. Then the astronauts of the Apollo mission were trained on Corvair-based moon rover in New Mexico and the car served as the basis for many other concepts, such as the 1961 Pininfarina Speciale and 1963 Monza GT, just to name a few.
1963 Chevrolet Corvair Testudo is powered by a 2,732 cc or 2.4 liters air-cooled engine which is only capable of producing power of 81 horsepower. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2E7eOe9)
At a glance, when viewed from the car concept that has quite an aerodynamic appearance, so it looks like this car can run up to speeds of 200 mph. But in reality, this concept car is powered by a 2,732 cc or 2.4 liters air-cooled engine which is only capable of producing power of 81 horsepower, so that the maximum speed that can be achieved is far below that number.
1963 Chevrolet Corvair Testudo has a quite aerodynamic body appearance. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2WGkKRt)
Uniquely this car does not apply the usual doors like most existing cars. To be able to enter the cabin from this 2-seater concept car, you should be opened the whole of the car canopy. Besides that, the car also has an interesting interior with a rectangular steering wheel, a pair of body-hugging seats, and the dials and buttons mounted on a one-piece, boomerang-shaped piece.
Maybe that's why this concept car was named 'Testudo' which also means 'tortoise'. The Chevrolet Testudo concept car was first introduced to the public at the 1963 Geneva Motor Show. Although the Testudo never made it to production despite some talks of a European-spec Corvair with a different design, its styling had an influence on the Lamborghini Miura and the Porsche 928.
And now the estimated price of this Testudo classic concept car is around $710,000 - $1.1 million, hmmm... In our opinion, that's worth it for such a one-off wheeled tortoise. What do You think? *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTOR1]
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One country from Eastern Europe which also has a capable automotive industry is Czechoslovakia (now the Czech Republic and Slovakia).Since the beginning of the automotive industry, a lot of manufacturers in the country have produced good and interesting motorized vehicles.One of them is the Tatra vehicle manufacturer.It was an Ostrava-based manufacturing company that was founded by the Czech businessman named Ignaz Schustala in 1850.
Tatra T77 is designed by Paul Jaray, an engineer behind Zeppelin's aerodynamics, Erich Ubelacker, and Hans Ledwinka. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2ZKWO1c)
Initially, the company was named Ignatz Schustala & Comp. which in 1890 changed to Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau-Fabriks-Gesellschaft when it became an automotive manufacturer. In 1918, the company was renamed to Kopřivnická vozovka a.s. And in 1919 changed the Nesselsdorfer marque to the Tatra badge, it named after the Tatra Mountains near the Czechoslovak-Polish border (now on the Polish-Slovak border). The Czechoslovak company made the first motorized vehicle in central Europe named Nesselsdorfer Wagenbau Präsident in 1897.
1934 Tatra T77, the heirs to the airflow vehicles produced between 1934 to 1935 by the Czechoslovakia manufacturer and is powered by a 60 horsepower (45 kW) rear-mounted 2.97-liter air-cooled V8 engine. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3fQdKJA)
The climax was when Tatra launched a series of aerodynamically designed cars called Tatra T77. This car model has a sleek design and incredible aerodynamic factors in the wind tunnel. The car looks unique due to it has a strange fin on its back. The vehicle models were designed by Paul Jaray, an engineer behind Zeppelin's aerodynamics, Erich Ubelacker, and Hans Ledwinka, the Tatra's legendary engineers. It was coach built on a central steel square tube frame.
1937 Tatra T77a, the successor of the T77 model was produced between 1935 to 1938 by the Czechoslovakia manufacturer and powered by a 75 horsepower (56 kW) 3.4-liter V8 engine. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2BlGkn4)
Furthermore, in 1935, the Tatra T77 car was later upgraded by launching its successor named the Tatra 77a.This replacement vehicle uses a V8 which has an increased capacity of 3.4 liters from the previous version of 3.0 liters, making its power also jumped to 70 horsepower, so it can carry it to run up to a top speed of 93 mph (150 kph).
Rear-left side view of 1937 Tatra T77a while on display at the 2011 Goodwood Festival of Speed. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2BlGkn4)
The cars were among the most sophisticated and high-tech in their day. According to Wikipedia, the car model was produced as many as 249 units during its production period which lasted from 1934 to 1938 plus 4 pre-serial units made in 1933. As quoted of Hemmings, under the body of Tatra T77 and 77a also looks very striking, because both have a four-wheel independent suspension system that uses axles on the rear wheels and a transverse leaf spring system on the front.
Tatra T87, a more stable successor of the T77 model was produced between 1938 to 1950 by the Czechoslovakia manufacturer and powered by a 2.5-liter air-cooled V8 engine. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2ZMAULi)
Even though it looks amazing, actually the T77 and 77a are something terrible to drive. This is caused by extreme rear weight bias and long wheelbase, which makes the T77 and 77a can be said to have agitated handling. It would be too simple to overly mature the angle and have a heavy rear swinging into dangerous oversteer. Coupled with tire technology in the 1930s might also not support it.
Tatra T87 was built with shortened the wheelbase to 12 inches than its predecessor and used the engine from a lightweight metal alloy. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3eQQOIG)
During the German occupation of Czechoslovakia which lasted from 1938 to 1945. The stylish and fast of the Tatra car models were very attractive to the Nazis and increasingly popular with high-ranking SS officers. And reportedly, the problems mentioned above arose to surface when many of those Nazi officers tried to drive it at high speed could not control the steer well then had experienced a fatal accident, most of them badly injured or even died.
But in 1937, the Czechoslovakian car manufacturer was able to improve the handling of the 77a successor car, the Tatra T87. Where the engineers shortened the wheelbase to 12 inches and threw the engine from a lightweight alloy. And the car produced has a weight of nearly 900 pounds lighter than the model that came out before. This Tatra T87 model being produced until 1950.
It was from all these Tatra production cars that later inspired Ferdinand Porsche in designing the VW Beetle, the figure of the legendary car of all time from the Volkswagen manufacturer, which later had sparked a dispute with the Czechoslovakian manufacturer. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | WIKIPEDIA | CAR THROTTLE | LANE MOTOR MUSEUM | JALOPNIK]
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The history of automotive collaboration between America and Italy has lasted a long time and produced many beautiful cars. And one of them is Bertone Ramarro, which is a slick result of Bertone Gruppo, a renowned automotive design house built on the American muscle car Chevrolet Corvette C4.
1984 Bertone Ramarro uses a chassis taken from a Chevrolet Corvette C4 donor car, along with its V8 engine. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2BfAlQx)
This prototype concept car debuted in 1984 at the Los Angeles Auto Show. And the 'Ramarro' name itself comes from the Italian for 'green lizard'. Furthermore, Bertone Ramarro uses a chassis taken from a Chevrolet Corvette C4 donor car, along with its V8 engine but has used a fuel injection port taken from a newer Corvette model.
The engine remains standard, but the radiator and air conditioner have been moved to the rear of the car, replacing a spare tire that is moved to the front of the engine, to allow Bertone to design a more tapered Ramarro body. The front is also designed in such a way as to better airflow and aerodynamics.
1984 Bertone Ramarro is equipped with sliding doors that slide forward toward the nose of the car.(Picture from: https://bit.ly/2BfAlQx)
The only other mechanical change is the addition of experimental Michelin tires instead of the default Goodyear tires. This new tire measures 280/45 VR-17 for rear wheels and 240/45 VR-17 for front wheels. On the exterior, Ramarro is also equipped with sliding doors that slide forward toward the nose of the car, which allows easy access into the cabin in a narrow parking lot compared to conventional doors.
1984 Bertone Ramarro's interior maintains the Corvette digital instrumentation with an emergency brake handle.(Picture from: https://bit.ly/2BfAlQx)
The Bertone Ramarro's interior maintains the Corvette digital instrumentation with an emergency brake handle, but most of the original interior has been replaced by custom pieces. This concept features a bucket seat model seat with one part that can move as one seat as a whole but has a center console space.
1984 Bertone Ramarro is debuted in 1984 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.(Picture from: https://bit.ly/2BfAlQx)
In addition, the interior shades were also redesigned with specially patterned green leather chosen to match the exterior, resembling the color and texture of the lizard skin as a reference to the name 'Ramarro'. Finally, the Corvette's original automatic transmission was maintained but the shift lever was replaced by a large rotary gear selector on the center console.
Bertone originally intended to uncover Ramarro at the 1984 Turin Auto Show, but because Ramarro was built based on the American Corvette, so then they made the decision to reveal it at the LA Auto Show in the same year. At the event, Bertone Ramarro received an enthusiastic welcome and then in 1985 was awarded an award from Auto & Design for "bold ideas", which said gave the "Chevrolet Corvette a completely new personality." *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTOR1]
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Many Corvette series have been built since it first introduced by American giant auto manufacturer, Chevrolet in 1953 ranging from the concept to production car versions. As we all knew that the first model, a convertible, designed by Harley Earl, was shown to the public at the GM Motorama in 1953 as a concept car. Since then the Corvettes continue till today, the 6th generation models.
1990 Corvette Nivola by Bertone built based on the most fascinating American sports car Chevrolet Corvette. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3j4en49)
One that built-in 1990 was a model named the Corvette Nivola may be considered Bertone’s homage to the most fascinating American sports car ever built the Chevrolet Corvette. The sophisticated mechanical unit of the ZR-1 was interpreted by Bertone in a European key. Bertone designed a special chassis to make a sporty "boat" with mid-engine.
1990 Corvette Nivola by Bertone is a two-seater coupé which can be transformed into a spider with the removal of the slender roof. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3j4en49)
The Chevrolet Corvette Nivola by Bertone was revealed at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show. The Corvette Nivola appeared six years after another Corvette concept from Bertone, the Corvette Ramarro.
The body of the Nivola came into being at the same time as the chassis, and the two components are closely integrated. The result is a two-seater coupé which can be transformed into a spider with the removal of the slender roof. There are some really original touches, like the seats without cushioning (driver and passenger sit directly on the base of the vehicle), and the doors which conceal two ample baggage compartments.
1990 Corvette Nivola by Bertone was revealed at the 1990 Geneva Motor Show. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3j4en49)
The hydraulic-pneumatic suspensions allow for a vertical range of movement of 6 cm respect to the ground. All in all another ambitious project from the artistic and technological powerhouse of the Bertone Style Centre.
This mechanical layout made it possible to exploit all the power of the engine when accelerating and warrant perfect road-holding on bends. The name, Nivola, is after the famous driver, Tazio Nuvolari, nicknamed "Nivola", much admired by Bertone, who usually drove his cars dressed in yellow.
1990 Corvette Nivola by Bertone was powered by the same engine used in the Corvette C4 ZR-1. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3j4en49)
The Nivola was powered by the same engine used in the Corvette C4 ZR-1. However, in the Corvette Nivola, it was repositioned behind the passenger compartment in a mid-mounted location for better weight distribution.
The impressive 381hp engine was moved back behind the cockpit and teamed with a new ZF gearbox, thus achieving a balanced distribution of weight (40% on the front axle and 60% on the rear axle). This highly sporty model has a central engine with an original structure designed around it. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CONCEPTCARZ.COM | DISENO-ART | CARSTYLING.RU | MOTOR1]
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Hearing its name might feel strange to some of you. But after seeing its form it will certainly make you raise some eyebrows and have lots of questions. Because indeed you have never known this car before.
1965 Serenissima 308V Jet Competizione was originally predicted had all the advantages of a winning racing car, but... (Picture from: https://bit.ly/2ZqCX7F)
This car is called the Serenissima 308V Jet Competizione which first appeared at the 1965 Concours Villa d'Este. The car that was originally predicted had all the advantages of a winning racing car, but unfortunately, the coveted success never realized.
This car was commissioned by Count Giovanni Volpi for his Scuderia Serenissima racing team. At that time, Serenissima had made many interesting cars including the Breadvan, one of the most attractive modified Ferraris. However, the Jet Competizione was completely new at the time and was built from scratch by Alberto Massimino, former Fiat and Ferrari designer.
1962 Serenissima Ferrari 250 GT SWB 'Breadvan' is a 1 of 1 custom-made car built from a 1961 Ferrari 250 GT SWB as the racing car of the Scuderia Serenissima team. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3gTlqe0)
And the Jet's powertrain is a new engine designed by Massimo that was made specifically for Count Volpi's many motoring interests. It is a three-liter V8 engine that is connected to an entirely new transmission system and is designed to work well on all Automobili Serenissima vehicles, both road and racing cars.
1965 Serenissima 308V Jet Competizione uses a three-liter V8 engine that is connected to an entirely new transmission system. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/32ihLlU)
Furthermore, the engine is mounted on a space frame chassis with an aluminum body shell. This car was going to contest the world’s greatest endurance races and developed by Elf Francis who is a racing mechanic of Stirling Moss.
1966 Serenissima ATS 358V Spyder, the only Serenissima racing car did make the actual race in the 1966 Le Mans. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/32bFT9X)
Unfortunately, its career on the racing track did not go smoothly, when at the 1966 Le Mans race event, Jet made its debut in the race trials in April 1966 before it was decommissioned and raced only once in Italy. Even, the only Serenissima car did make the actual race was one such a 3.5-liter open-top car variant called the 358V Spyder, but stops after drove only one lap before experiencing rear axle problems.
Rear three-quarter view of the 1965 Serenissima 308V Jet Competizione. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/32ihLlU)
Wanting Formula One exposure, the company made an agreement with McLaren to use a V8 engine on its 1966 M2B chassis. While it powered to McLaren’s very first world championship point, the engine was unreliable and the BRM unit was tried the following year.
Lastly, after being slept almost for forty years and not appearing in public, a Swiss owner reunited the same engine with the original Jet body (chassis #003) then performed a restoration to appear at the 2006 Concours Villa d'Este. When you see this car still has its original paint and interior, it is not surprising because the car has never really raced on the racing circuit. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOMOBILI SERENISSIMA | SUPERCARS.NET]
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Lamborghini, one of Italy's premium sports car manufacturers, is launching a new variant in the super-electrification range. Yes, on Thursday, July 8, 2020, the raging bull logoed car manufacturer officially launched the Lamborghini Sián Roadster.😎
Lamborghini Sián Roadster officially launched at July 8, 2020, and only built 19 units already sold out. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3fmB2qg)
Like the previous Lamborghini Sián FKP 37 Coupe variant, which was introduced at the Frankfurt Motor Show 2019 and which was produced by the Italian manufacturer in limited numbers, only 63 units. Now when the version of the Lamborghini Sián roadster is launched, the manufacturer says it will also be produced in a more limited number, which is only 19 units.
The Lamborghini Sián Roadster, which was built using the Aventador SVJ platform, can be customized according to the wishes of its owners in the Lamborghini Centro Stile. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3fmB2qg)
By carrying the hybrid system, the Lamborghini Sián Roadster beside uses a V12 engine, it also uses 48 Volt electric motor so make its power more violent. How could that be, the V12 engine developed by Lamborghini for the Sián was able to produce power equivalent to 785 horsepower as well as being the largest in the history of the Italian raging bull manufacturer. The Sián Roadster also gets an additional 34 horsepower power from its hybrid system.
Lamborghini Sián Roadster uses the hybrid system that consisted of a V12 engine and 48 Volt electric motor. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3fmB2qg)
In total Sián can be produced the power equivalent to 819 horsepower. The power is channeled through the 7-speed ISR (Independent Shifting Roads) transmission system to its 4-wheel drive. And now the numbers of Lamborghini Sián Roadster acceleration from 0 to 100 kph in less than 2.8 seconds and reach a maximum speed of more than 350 kph.
Unlike other hybrid cars, the Sián does not use batteries. Instead, the Lamborghini electric system uses a supercapacitor which is claimed to have more energy than an ordinary battery. The company said that the supercapacitor unlike batteries can be charged immediately in a faster time and can draw energy as in the braking process. Supercapacitor also does not run out as easily as battery capacity, so it can be used in millions of times the energy charging.
In total Lamborghini Sián Roadster can be produced the power equivalent to 819 horsepower. (Picture from: https://bit.ly/3fmB2qg)
The Lamborghini Sián Roadster, which was built using the Aventador SVJ platform, can be customized according to the wishes of its owners in the Lamborghini Centro Stile. And the figure of the car at the launch event appeared in the Blu Uranus color which was mentioned as a result of the color combination of sky blue and green field. Whereas the rims are given a color called Oro Electrum, as the color chosen for Lamborghini electrification.
The dimensions are not much different from the previous version of Lamborghini Sián. The roadster variant has a length of 4,980 mm, a width of 2,265 mm, a height of 1,133 mm, and using a carbon fiber monocoque chassis so that it has a fairly lightweight, although it was not revealed specifically by Lamborghini.
Unfortunately, Lamborghini still has not revealed the price of the Sián Roadster. As quoted from Motor1, the estimated price of this roofless supercar is translucent at the US $3.7 million or around Rp.53 billion. Are you interested to buy it? If yes. It's too late because the most ferocious Lamborghini roadster variant is already sold out.😿 *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTOR1]
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