3 Cars That Were Way Ahead Of Their Time - Tucker 48 - Citroen sm - Chrysler Airflow

C-I T R O E-N SM

The C I-T R O-E N SM appeared to be a complete rewrite of the automobile in 1973. This French high-end coupe was packed with so much advanced technology—possibly too much. The SM's suspension, which featured brand-new hydro-pneumatic shocks to soak up every little bump at highway speed, was notable because the body was reworked for slipperier aerodynamics. 

The car was based on the previous DS, but it barely resembled it. Whether there are three people in the vehicle or just one, the system was built to be self-leveling. The wheels of the SM are also one of the very first uses of automotive carbon fiber, which is lighter than steel. 

The "brake button" is an underappreciated piece of technology. C-I T R O-E N felt the need to install what appeared to be a rubber puck on the floorboards in place of the perfectly functional pedal. This brake button is described as "pressure sensitive but has almost no travel, appearing to take your input and figure the rest out for itself" by Motor Trend. 

The SM was a costly failure for C-I T R O-E N because it was too weird for the public. After just two short years and less than 13,000 sales, it was no longer available. However, C-I T R O-E N had a point with that suspension. Many of today's high-end automobiles feature systems of a similar nature, offering superior comfort 

Chrysler Airflow

In the 1930s, it appeared as though the terms "aerodynamic" and "efficiency" had never been used in the automotive industry. However, Chrysler set out to change that. They introduced the Airflow in 1934, which was the first automobile designed using wind tunnel testing. It also had an unibody chassis, which was unusual at the time. At Bonneville, where the car ran over 95 miles per hour in a standing mile, Chrysler demonstrated its superior performance.

A 4-9-liter inline-8 engine with 122 horsepower initially provided power. There were coupe and sedan body styles with three- and four-speed transmissions. The Airflow had many hallmarks of 1930s styling, but it was stretched and pinched in various ways to reduce drag. The car's unique appearance initially impressed the public and the media, but sales were slow when it came time to buy it. The Airflow, like many of the cars in this article, was just too weird for its own good. 

In subsequent years, Chrysler attempted to improve the design by redesigning the grille and headlights. However, sales continued to decline, and the Airflow was discontinued with less than 30,000 units sold following the 1937 model year. Aerodynamic efficiency became one of the most important aspects of modern automobile design, so Chrysler would ultimately be vindicated. Chrysler also paid homage to the Airflow by naming a new electric vehicle concept in January 2022

Tucker 48

The Tucker 48, also known as the Torpedo, was the first car with seatbelts, pop-out glass, disc brakes, and a third headlight that could swivel to follow the direction of the steering wheel. It was also viewed as vaporware by many, and Preston Tucker's fledgling automobile business never achieved its full potential.

With a massive 5-5L flat-six engine mounted behind the rear seats, the Tucker 48 was one of the first American automobiles to attempt a rear-engine layout. Before being mated to a Cord select-shift transmission, these engines, which were salvaged from helicopters and converted to water cooling, were installed. The car was fast for its time and could go up to 120 miles per hour with this running gear. Preston Tucker's charisma and high-tech ideas were enough to attract the public, but as development went on and money ran out, people started to wonder if the car would ever be delivered.

The SEC's attempt to sue Tucker for defrauding investors brought everything to a head. He was able to avoid the lawsuit because he had 51 vehicles to show for his work, many of which had already been delivered to customers. However, by that time, Tucker's business had run out of money, which hurt his reputation. Consequently, there were only 51 cars produced by 1950. The vast majority of them are as yet represented, and incidentally exchange hands for many dollars each