THe Most ONES The French automotive manufacturer, Citroën has been famous for its teardrop body design cars that give it a unique look. And one of them we can see on its classic model, Citroën DS, while the 'DS' comes from the 'deesse' (the French mean 'goddess'). Its name implies, as the goddess, besides being beautiful, of course, she also has strength and power.
The Citroën DS has beauty appearance, turn out the car is very far surpassed other
cars at that time in terms of automotive technology innovation and
overall performance. (Picture from: Hagerty)
Indeed, besides it has beauty appearance, turn out the car is very far surpassed other cars at that time in terms of automotive technology innovation and overall performance. Even in the early of its born, the Classic & Sports Car Magazine also had titled it "the most beautiful car ever made," after conducting a poll that involved 20 world-class car designers including Giorgetto Giugiaro, Ian Callum, Roy Axe, Paul Bracq, Leonardo Fioravanti, and others.
The Citroën DS has the futuristic lines captured the public imagination and by the end of the day an astonishing 80,000 orders had been taken. (Picture from: CintaMobil)
Indeed, there are some cars that stand out and beat each others due to the superiority of one factor alone such as technology, appearance or performance. However, only the Citroën DS, which was first introduced in 1955, was able to combine the three pillars simultaneously. Even after several decades since it was first born, in fact it is still difficult to beat the various innovations it has inherited.
The Citroën DS made its first appearance at the 1955 Paris Salon de l'Automobile (Paris Motor Show). (Picture from: CintaMobil)
This beautiful car made its first appearance at the 1955 Paris Salon de l'Automobile (Paris Motor Show). At that time, the visitors of the expo were immediately fascinated to see this Citroën made car featured various innovations that were far beyond its time. Not surprisingly, before the closing ceremony of the event, the Citroën's representative at the event recorded more than 80,000 reservation orders for the car. That's a remarkable record that lasted nearly 60 years, before being surpassed in March 2016 by the Tesla Model 3 with 180,000 reservations.
The Citroën DS has an aerodynamic body that has an air resistance coefficient (Cd) of 0.34 which can only be rivaled by the 1980s sedans. (Picture from: CintaMobil)
One of the important factors for the beauty of the Citroën DS iis thanks to the briliant hand touches of the French designers Flaminio Bertoni and André Lefèbvre. Before becoming the car designer, Flaminio Bertoni was a sculptor. After he was working for Citroën for many years, he used his imagination as a sculptor to produce several legendary works including the Traction Avant (1934), 2CV (1948), H van (1947), and Ami 6 (1961).
The Citroën DS has an aerodynamic body that has an air resistance coefficient (Cd) of 0.34 which can only be rivaled by the 1980s sedans. To achieve its Cd of 0.34, the Citroën engineers applied a smooth design and also minimized body protrusions. Not to forget, they hid the air ducts, installed rear wheel cover panels, made body curves that "flow" and the windows have minimal air resistance.
The Citroën DS's interior consisted front seats, rear seats, B pillar coverings, top grab handles, door
cappings, door panels including chrome trims, sleeve for air vent under
dashboard. (Picture from: CarStyling.ru)
The Citroën DS's drive system is front wheel drive similar to the Citroën Traction Avant by utilizing an engine and transmission system mounted longitudinally in front. While the bodywork, Citroën engineers use a mixture of materials such aluminum (hood), glass fiber (roof), steel (body panels, frame). One more thing, its steel monocoque frame has adopted the crumple zone special designs.
The Citroën DS featured with the hydraulic system for suspension, clutch and transmission operations. (Picture from: CintaMobil)
In most conventional vehicles at that time, the hydraulic system was only used for the brake and power steering systems. However, things are different when embedded in the Citroën DS, where the hydraulic system is applied to the suspension, clutch, and transmission systems. In order for the hydraulic system to function optimally in the suspension, clutch, and transmission, an engine-driven hydraulic pump is used which can produce a pressure of 17.2 MPa (2,490 psi).
The use of a hydraulic suspension system (hydropneumatic) also functions as an automatic self-leveling system and variable ground clearance which at that time was quite innovative and helped the Citroën DS to perform extreme maneuvers, resulting in excellent control and providing extraordinary suspension comfort (often called the "magic carpet").Prior to the Citroën DS, the hydropneumatic suspension had been in service and was pioneered by the Citroën Traction Avant 15CV-H.The hydropneumatic suspension created by Paul Magès allowed the Citroën DS to go fast on rough roads that were often found in France at that time.
Another excellent features was pinned on the Citroën DS such the directional headlight, in which high beam headlights (inside) are connected to the steering wheel via cables and can glance up to 80-degrees. (Picture from: CintaMobil)
Another
excellent feature, the directional headlight that is installed on this
car. Although actually Citroën wasn't the first car applied for the such feature, it was
the Tucker 48 'Torpedo'.
However, Citroën was the first car manufacturer to market adaptive
headlights into mass products. In late 1967, Citroën released the
facelifted version of the 1968 DS model year by Robert Opron (also designed the 1970 Citroën SM and 1974 Citroën CX). The 1968 Citroën DS has a more streamlined design of four headlight units inside a glass canopy.
The Citroën DS was produced in long periods between 1955 and 1975 with sedan, wagon, and convertible (such in pictured) models. (Picture from: CintaMobil)
The
high beam headlights (inside) are connected to the steering wheel via
cables and can glance up to 80-degrees. While the low beam headlights
(on the outside) are not adaptive, they are equipped with a
self-leveling feature to reduce pitching symptoms caused by acceleration
and braking so that the lighting is always stable. Adaptive headlights
allow the driver to see the conditions around the car while driving
through winding roads while speeding at night.
The Citroën DS is the first car to use an Inboard disc brake system to make maintenance easier and minimize potential problems . (Picture from: CintaMobil)
The Citroën DS became one of the world's first cars to apply a disc brake system on the front wheels and drum brakes on the rear wheels. While other cars at that time still relied on a drum brake system for all wheels. What is unique is that the front disc brakes of the Citroën DS are placed in the engine compartment (in-board disc brakes), not attached to the wheels such the conventional cars in general. This simplifies maintenance and minimizes potential problems. A few years later, the innovation was re-used by many military vehicles such as the HMMWV (Humvee) and the Toyota Mega Cruiser.
This Citroën-made car had gone down into one part of the historical momment when it became the life saver of Charles de Gaulle,
then President of France from an assassination attempt that occurred on
August 22, 1962, at Le Petit-Clamart near Paris by a veteran of the
Algerian colonial war named Jean-Marie Bastien-Thiry.
At that time President De Gaulle survived and managed to escape the
assassination attempt even though the presidential Citroën DS (standard
version) was recieved by dozens of 9 mm caliber bullets which caused the
body to have holes and flat the tires.
The French President Charles de Gaulle on the Citroën DS presidential car was hailed to the public at the side of the roads.(Picture from: CintaMobil)
Despite
having experienced its four wheels skid, the driver managed to speed up
the presidential car to get away from the scene. You can imagine that
without the hydropneumatic suspension system, it is certain that the French
presidential car should be roll-over after several SMG bullets hit the tires.
After the incident, Charles de Gaulle vowed only to use the
Citroën cars.
The French Citroën DS presidential car is recieved by dozens of 9 mm caliber bullets which caused the body to have holes and flat the tires in the assault back in the 1962. (Picture from: CintaMobil)
The Citroën DS was produced in long periods between 1955 and 1975 with sedan, wagon, and convertible body models, the car was also known as one of the French luxury cars at the time, and is still considered the most unique car ever produced to date. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | HAGERTY | CARSTYLING.RU | FRENCHCLASSICS ]
UniqueONESAs all we've been known, that the 1980s can be regarded as an era where the Japanese-made sports cars began to squirm and show its potential to the whole world. This is marked by the development of several vehicle designs made by Japanese designers, and what is most remembered of the era is the birth of the first supercar from the land of the rising sun, Jiotto Caspita.
Lamborghini P147 Canto Concept by is sat on display at the Museo Lamborghini in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy. (Picture from: LamboCars)
And one more vehicle design that was quite phenomenal ever made by a Japanese designer in that era was The Lamborghini Canto, a prototype built by the famous Italian automaker Lamborghini SpA. and designed by the automotive styling firm Carrozzeria Zagato as an exercise to study potential designs for the Lamborghini Diablo's successor. Various versions of the Canto were shown to the then-president of Lamborghini but unfortunately, the project was canned and was not deemed suitable to wear the Lamborghini badge.
Lamborghini P147 Zagato Canto Concept design is made by Norihoko Harada of SZ Designs. (Picture from: Motor1)
The original design for the Canto was done by Norihoko Harada
of SZ Designs, a novelty for Lamborghini, but after intial tests the
rear end of the car had to be redesigned, the ugly oversized air intakes
were to be replaced by smaller ones, probably incorporating some
thermostatically controlled system to ram air into the engine
compartment. The 'Naca' ducts on the side of some of the prototypes,
were fakes and were expected to be removed on the production model.
The Canto first spotted in high-speed tests on the Nardo circuit in Italy, Lamborghini apparently had problem to cooling down its big V-12 6-liter engine, the rear air intakes were terrifyingly big at the rear, however the speed was phenomenal. A rumoured top speed of about 350 kph was mentioned.
Lamborghini L147 Zagato Canto Concept previewed a possible Diablo successor. (Picture from: LamboCars)
Since the Audi takeover of Lamborghini in June 1998, the tests moved a little faster, the Diablo successor, it was hoped would be ready for the 1999 production year at a suggested price of $250,000, production limited to only 400 units, all with rear wheel drive.
Audi Chairman Ferdinand Piëch decided the 1998 Canto prototype was not what was expected of a Lamborghini, like the Diablo and the legendary Countach and Miura, so he halted the project. He was unhappy with the large, ugly rear air intakes and felt that the engine was not up to what should be expected of a pure supercar.
Left side view of Lamborghini L147 Zagato Canto Concept. (Picture from: LamboCars)
But during February 1999, the Lamborghini Design facility came up with a slightly modified Canto proposal. The front was facelifted, the headlight units remained almost identical, but the fog lights utilized more up to date poly-ellipsoïde technology. The turn indicators and driving lights were repositioned on top of the front wings instead of at the front of them as on the first Canto prototypes. However the biggest changes were the rear, the top mounted air intakes, now smaller and much better integrated into the sweeping lines of the Canto.
The complete engine was rethought, it remained the massive V12, with a 6.0 Litre displacement, but the engine management and the complete electronics were changed, and the first tests showed a power increase up to 640 hp. According to the official press release, which Automobili Lamborghini SpA published end of January 1999, the production unit would be detuned to 610 hp. This way the factory would be able to maintain the same maintenance schedule as they used for the 530 hp Diablo's.
Rear side view of Lamborghini L147 Zagato Canto Concept. (Picture from: LamboCars)
In the same press release, Automobili Lamborghini SpA, stated this redesigned Canto prototype would be presented to the public at the 1999 Geneva Motor Show and the Diablo would remain in production for a further two years. These two years would be needed to get the Canto fully developed for production.
Several interior designs were created, but at this time nothing about the final looks had been revealed. However the 1999 Geneva Auto Show didn't have anything resembling the Canto on display, Automobili Lamborghini didn't get the green light from Ferdinand Piëch to show the nearly finished redesigned Canto from Zagato, and the project was finally canned.
It is rumoured a total of five Cantos were built, although some sources believe the same chassis was used for several of these prototype's, so it is probable that only three new chassis were built for the various Canto's. One of these prototypes, a black fully working example is believed to have been shipped to Japan and is now in the hands of a private collector.
Work then turned to a completely new project, with the Diablo eventually being replaced in late 2001 by the Murcielago without single one of Canto ever produced. Wanna see its cousin called Lamborghini P147 Gandini Acosta Concept which sat along with it at the Museo Lamborghini in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy? *** [EKA(17022016) | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CONCEPTCARZ | MOTOR1 | AUTOGUIDE]
Weird ONES Look this extraordinary car was designed and built in 1965 for the 15th Hartford Autorama expo and was originally named 'Autorama Special'. The car's unique aluminum-made body was designed by Ben Delphia and the construction was handled directly by the Californian automotive genius, Gene Winfield.
1965 Winfield Reactor is built in 1965 for the 15th Hartford Autorama expo and was originally named 'Autorama Special'. (Picture from: RikHoving@Fotki)
Besides making this unique car, Gene Winfield is very well known as the person responsible for some very unique vehicles used both on the Hollywood's big screens and American TVs, such as the Spinner flying car for the Blade Runner, and even the Robocop's 6000 SUX legendary car, etc.
1965 Winfield Reactor's unique aluminum-made body was designed by Ben Delphia and the construction was handled directly by the Californian automotive genius, Gene Winfield. (Picture from: Patrick McDowell@Pinterest)
As qouted of HistoryGarage, this futuristic car body is handcrafted from welded aluminum to cover a steel tubular frame mounted on the Citroen DS modified chassis and powered by an air-cooled flat-6 turbocharged engine of the Chevrolet Corvair.
1965 Winfield Reactor is sat on display with futuristic styled interios. (Picture from: BubbleMania)
Due to the the Corvair engine's profile is low and allowing the hood to be made in a low and elongated position, and presenting an attractive cabin access featured with scissor doors and a flip-up windshield/roof, as well as several other unique features such as the hood, headlights that hidden, all of which can be operated by remote control.
1965 Winfield Reactor is powered by an air-cooled flat-6 turbocharged engine of the Chevrolet Corvair. (Picture from: Conceptcarz)
The car became famous after appearing in a number of Hollywood's medias, such as in March 1968, taken role in the Star Trek TV series of the 54th episodes entitled 'Bread and Circuses,' in which the figure of this unique car was told as a car made on the 892-IV planet (the inhabitants call it Magna Roma) and advertised as the 'Jupiter 8' and after looking at the car, that almost seems believable.😀
1965 Winfield Reactor is sat on display at the Pebble Beach 2017 Dream cars. (Picture from: Darrell Williams@Pinterest)
Furthermore, a series of other quite impressive TV careers have also been carried out by this unique car, such as when taken role as a "dream car" in one episode of the Bewitched's TV serial, and even had been dressed with big hairy ears and tails to transform into the Catmobile in an episode of Batman's TV serial in the 1966.
1965 Winfield Reactor may be able to make the claim that it is actually the first car attached with scissor doors 3 years early before the Alfa Romeo Bertone Carabo. (Picture from: Richard Spiegelman@Flickr)
No wonder its figure became very famous, due to it is often surrounded by the Hollywood's celebrities who want to take pictures with it. After several owners, Gene Winfield bought back the car in 1995 which later changed its name to the 'Winfield Reactor'.
Interestingly, the car may be able to make the claim that it is actually the first car attached with scissor doors. As the automotive world knows that the scissor door feature was first embedded in the Alfa Romeo Bertone Carabo concept car of 1968. Now after looking at these pictures now, you may also agree with us that the Reactor which is 3 years earlier than the Carabo was the first vehicle to apply those features.
As quoted of Jalopnik, the Winfield Reactor is still existed today, as part of the Starbird's National Rod & Custom Car Museum in Oklahoma, if you want to confirm for the scientific journal that the Reactor car's door did qualify as the first scissor door attached on the car. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | JALOPNIK | BUBBLEMANIA | CONCEPTCARZ | STARTREK | HISTORYGARAGE ]
Another ONES Have you heard the name Aguzzoli before? Well, if some of us today rarely ever know about it. This is natural, indeed that's name is uncommonly heard in the automotive world, though used on the unique shaped coupe of the 1960s called the Aguzzoli Condor.
Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is the second prototype race car designed by Franco Reggiani and built by Piero Drogo in the 1964 for the father and son of Parma businessman, Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli. (Picture from: AutoHistory.Blog.Hu)
According to Autohistory, the name is taken from the Parma businessmen father and son, Giovanni & Sergio Aguzzoli who had commissioned (some said) to Piero Drogo and friends to build the mentioned Condor sports car. Just for Ur info, Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli were wealthy petrolheads whose had made their fortune in the salami trades. At the same time, Sergio was known also the owner of Alfa Romeo dealer in Parma.
Aguzzoli Condor MK1 Aguzzi
Condor MK2 is the first prototype race car built by Piero Drogo
and Carrozzeria Nembo in the 1963 for the father and son of Parma
businessman, Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli.(Picture from: Coachbuilt)
The story begins in the early of
1960s, when a former Ferrari test driver named Luigi Bertocco seek for the help of Giovanni and Sergio Aguzzoli to build the specifically mid-engined race car
for him, because they are both considered to be able to provide financial support, and the car manufacturer connections at the same time.
Aguzzoli Condor MK1 is built using the Alfa Romeo SZ running gear on a tubular frame chassis and powered by a mid-mounted 4-cyl 1300cc engine linked to a Citroen DS19 gearbox.(Picture from: Coachbuilt)
Why did Bertocco insisted to make the such race car? Because Ferrari was too stubborn, conservative and would not built the mid-engined race car construction in the Formula One, eventhough in the circuits at the time, the Prancing Horse owned race cars looked overwhelmed by the might of the mid-engined construction ones.
Aguzzi Condor MK2 has unique bodywork designed by Franco Reggiani in the response to Aguzzoli’s request that the technical content be embedded in an artistic form. (Picture from: ClassicandCreationSportsCars)
In short, Aguzzoli agreed to give the financial supports to Bertocco in order to build the race car based on the mid-engined construction ideas with the fiberglass body mounted on the tubular frame chassis. To realize the race car, then Sergio Aguzzoli contacted Piero Drogo through his bussines connection to make the car design.
Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is debuted at the Geneva Show, in March of 1964, and was given a much more harmonious chestnut than its predecessor.(Picture from: DannataVintage)
Coincidentally, Piero Drogo is brought his old friend of Giorgio Neri and Luciano Bonacini, also known as Nembo(this trio formed the famous Ferrari Breadvanfor Count Giovanni Volpi's Scuderia Serenissima racing team), them both was run a small carrozzeria and mechanic shop based in Modena, Italy, active from the late 1950s to around 1967. As the result, the Aguzzoli racing purpose car is only built as many as 2 units.
Aguzzoli Condor MK2 with Luigi Bertocco behind the wheels raced in various prestigious domestic racing events at that time, along with its predecessor, the Condor MK1. (Picture from: WheelsAge)
The first Aguzzoli race car was built and assembled in 1963 at the Modena-based Carrozzeria Nembo, which was soon referred to by everyone as Aguzzoli Condor MK1. The car built using the Alfa Romeo SZ running gear on a tubular frame chassis and powered by a mid-mounted 4-cyl 1300cc engine linked to a Citroen DS19 gearbox.
Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is built based on the mid-engined construction ideas with the fiberglass body mounted on the tubular frame chassis. (Picture from: ClassicandCreationSportsCars)
The first Aguzzoli Condor prototype had weighed of only 520 kilograms which theoretically had a top speed of 260 kph, and reportedly it had attracted the Alfa Romeo's attention to renew their racing division spectacularly and also promised to entrust the company's racing program to Aguzzoli. But then the wish was annulled by Alfa Romeo itself by sending the Alfa Romeo TZ racing cars made of the ex-Ferrari engineer, Carlo Chiti to the racing arena.
Aguzzoli Condor MK2's interior has two bucket seat, seeringwheel with simple dashboard such on the racing car in general.(Picture from: BellesItaliennes)
It did not necessarily make Aguzzoli give up, instead they then prepared a second prototype called Aguzzoli Condor MK2 in 1964 with its unique bodywork is designed byFranco Reggiani in the response to Aguzzoli’s request that the technical content be embedded in an artistic form. This time the MK2's chassis development process was carried out very quickly, and is powered by an TZ's twin-spark 1,600 cc engine, coupled with the Hewland's transaxle. Then all wrapped in a unique Piero Drogo made body.
Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is powered by an TZ's twin-spark 1,600 cc engine, coupled with the Hewland's transaxle. (Picture from: BellesItaliennes)
As the result, some of the features installed on the Condor MK2 such the ventilation shafts above the engine room and the hidden placement of radiator is preceded its time and were only introduced several years later. The Aguzzoli Condor MK2 is debuted at the Geneva Motor Show,in March of 1964, and was given a much more harmonious chestnut than its predecessor, and didn't stand out from the impressive sports cars of the era.
Aguzzoli Condor MK2 featured with the ventilation shafts above the engine room and the hidden placement of radiator is preceded its time. (Picture from: ClassicandCreationSportsCars)
The two Aguzzoli's race cars along together (with Luigi Bertocco was using the MK2 and its compatriot racer, Umberto Masetti behind the MK1's) went down in various prestigious domestic racing events at that time, with fairly successful results. Unfortunately in 1966, Aguzzoli withdrew from the race, due to a lack of sponsorship and technical problems that continued to cost money.
Aguzzoli Condor MK2 has a beauty captivating
appeal of an Italian-made sports car under the racing car construction
and a pinch of secrets that surrounds all similarly unique cars. (Picture from: Perico001's Flickr)
Then Sergio Aguzzoli lended the cars to the private racers, among whom Domenico Lo Coco is managed to grab the runner-up titles in the high mountain racing and the Italian Formula 3 Championship, that's the Aguzzoli's cars best results achieved. By the end of season, the Aguzzoli Condor MK2 race car got into a garage where it dusted for years, and forgotten.
The above description might explained why the unknown and not very successful cars can be attractive. This is probably because it has all the beauty, captivating appeal of an Italian-made sports car under the racing car construction and a pinch of secrets that surrounds all similarly unique cars. Thus, the Aguzzoli's short wheelbase sports cars were once rejected by Alfa Romeo can become a legendary vehicle that is almost lost and forgotten by fans of the automotive world today. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | AUTOHISTORY.BLOG.HU | CLASSICANDCREATIONSPORTSCARS | COACHBUILT | MENUDEIMOTORI.EU ]
The Citroën DS was produced in long periods between 1955 and 1975 with sedan, wagon, and convertible body models, the car was also known as one of the French luxury cars at the time, and is still considered the most unique car ever produced to date. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | HAGERTY | CARSTYLING.RU | FRENCHCLASSICS ]
