Cars That Are Way Ahead Of Their Time

[Birds]

I think Escort RS Cossies still look shit hot, for an early 90's car

Naturally enemy of the Calibra Turbo! Kill it with fire! Hehe. Awesome cars nonetheless.

I think alot of the timeless cars are more likely to be the supercars because supercars typically have out-there styling unique to "current" trends in production car styling. In contrast, ahead of their time cars would seem to me those in production that people weren't quite ready for aesthetically (and later on received better recognition) or that set the styling trends for the years to come.

[mad082]

z32 300zx... timeless.

yeah i have to agree. looks wise this was way more ahead of it's time than the r32. it is a much more modern looking car. if you sit the 2 side by side and actually look at the styling, you can tell that the r32 was a product of the late 80's and the 300zx looks like early 90's. it looks more like it should be compared with an r33 as far as age goes.

also someone said earlier that the r32 was ahead of things like the commodores and falcons as far as shape goes because holden had the vl and ford the xf, but you have to remember that in 1988 ford brought out the EA falcon and holden brought out the vn, both drastically different from the previous model (much more modern looking)

and i disagree with the r34gtr being ahead of it's time. looks wise it isn't a massive change from anything previous. if anything it is just a cross between the 2 previous models. and as i said earlier, the technology is 3rd generation by the r34, so nothing new there

[scotty014]

i think a car that will always look classy and never outdated is a bmw e46 m3.

[alr33x]

this thread is useless, how on earth did the diablos and older get on here? they are the ugliest cars ever made, not to mentuion that they never work, and people are saying R34's and Supras. Why? there is nothing special about them? They are jap cars that may look nice, but technology wise and styling wise they are not special at all

i'd have to agree some of the cars been mentioned in here a nice cars but classics ahead of their time you couldnt really include anything under about 30 years stuff from the 90's is hardly timeless or ahead of its time..

stuff like that old citreon first car with air adjusting suspension thats ahead of its time.. if your just talking looks then possibly no car was ahead of its time every time a face lifted/new model comes out the previous model just doesnt compare in 99% of cases

id take a gto phase 3 or original monaro these cars where ahead of their time i think cos they are farkn tough!

[mad082]

i have a few cars to add. i am adding them because of their technical feats, not from a styling point of view.

- oldsmobile cutlass and chevrolet covair: the 2 first production road cars to have a turbocharger fitted (turbos were used on race cars and trucks before this)

- some of the early 1920's cars such as the mercedes which were the first production road cars with superchargers (again, superchargers were used on race cars before this)

- 1932 ford model 18: the first v8 production car

[Basti]

[BeEnAr]

here's a couple not mentioned yet. Some are old classics, some Modern Classics.

1991 Vector W8 (twin turbo 90s supercar from the USofA)

Check out the interior too!

1989 Ferrari Mythos

1985 Ferrari 288 GTO

1970 Ferrari Modulo (just look at this thing! Yes it is a car)

1992 Lancia Delta HF Integrale

1973 Lancia Stratos

2005 Maserati Birdcage (I know it wasn't produced for the masses but it was a working, driving concept)

1960 Porsche 718 RS Spyder

That'll do for now. Plenty of curves in there to gawk at.

[BeEnAr]

hmmm, non of the pics are working sorry guys. Can't edit it, new Firefox 3.6 doesn't like the editor on this forum for some stupid reason

[nismoman]

Porsche 550 spyder. Just awesome. I'd give my left nut for one!

[DarrenJC]

FD Rx-7 for sure!

[Crackfox]

I'd say the mk 4 supra, r34 gtr, fd rx7 and VL turbo would be the most modern cars exterior styling wise from their time.

If the R34 GTR was only released now in 2010 (with updated interior/technology ofcourse) it would fit right in, its styling still looks more modern and classier than a VE commodore and lots of other cars IMO

Edited March 29, 2010 by Crackfox

[iseekool]

I'd say the mk 4 supra, r34 gtr, fd rx7 and VL turbo would be the most modern cars exterior styling wise from their time.

If the R34 GTR was only released now in 2010 (with updated interior/technology ofcourse) it would fit right in, its styling still looks more modern and classier than a VE commodore and lots of other cars IMO

Mk4 supra (with the right looking wheels), R34, FD RX7, VL (calais only - its the front end that would just push it over the line).

I think you're kind of on the right track for the R34 being released in 2010 (hypothetically speaking).

I think it will definately still fit in and not look dated.

Reason being look at most cars today there are quite a few styling queues from the R34 - remember the R34 was released in 1998!

My personal interpretation

- Cars any car with hard edges (boxy) - Will generally age well - R34 has this trait

- Front end of the VE commodore and BA+ falcons - Shape of head lights

- VW golf and jetta - have somewhat similar styled headlights - but taller on the VW.

- VW golf and jetta having the odd sized circular tail lights - another r34 trait

- The current shape Chevrolet Impala - odd sized circular tail lights (do not like this car) - but worth mentioning.

- The wedge shape of the R34 (especially the sedan) is quite inline with many of the current cars out there.

This is all open to debate. But I think the designers of the R34 were right on the money back in 1998 - considering it still looks "with" the times even till today.

[iamhe77]

Mk4 supra (with the right looking wheels), R34, FD RX7, VL (calais only - its the front end that would just push it over the line).

I think you're kind of on the right track for the R34 being released in 2010 (hypothetically speaking).

I think it will definately still fit in and not look dated.

Reason being look at most cars today there are quite a few styling queues from the R34 - remember the R34 was released in 1998!

My personal interpretation

- Cars any car with hard edges (boxy) - Will generally age well - R34 has this trait

- Front end of the VE commodore and BA+ falcons - Shape of head lights

- VW golf and jetta - have somewhat similar styled headlights - but taller on the VW.

- VW golf and jetta having the odd sized circular tail lights - another r34 trait

- The current shape Chevrolet Impala - odd sized circular tail lights (do not like this car) - but worth mentioning.

- The wedge shape of the R34 (especially the sedan) is quite inline with many of the current cars out there.

This is all open to debate. But I think the designers of the R34 were right on the money back in 1998 - considering it still looks "with" the times even till today.

Meh, I think the R34 just looks like a mid-late 90's design, pretty sure if it was released today, it would be met with the "severely dated" label... oh, before I forget all those who are talking about the technology behind the R32 being ahead of its time, have you forgotten about the Porsche 959 (referring to non-race use of course)?

The BA Falcon was ahead of its time from an aesthetic standpoint... and was ridiculed by an Australian industry that, at the time was afraid of any significant styling change.

I am sure someone has said it, but what about the Model T?

The Rav4? It pretty much started this pollution of soft-roaders around the world.

Edited March 29, 2010 by iamhe77

[FloydWestwood]

the sandman?

[jase-r34]

I agree with mark about the R34 and not looking dated even by todays standards. Nearly every person thats asks me how old is it cant believe it when i say '98. But to me an R33 looks like its a mid 90's car....

[Mr Eps]

well done to all suggestions - but to say the supra wasn't ahead of it's time - really?? a car designed in 1992 that still looks amazing to this day - to incorporate sequential twin turbos into a 3 litre straight 6... THAT's not engineering feat??? THEN to be one of the world's first cars to add variable valve timing to it's sequential twin???

not saying you're wrong just - i think the supra... given it's unique styling. iconic looks. and advanced engineering was WAY ahead of it's time

+8 to the soarer - 1991 built car with GPS capabilities... with a shape that was essentially kept rolling for 9 years of solid production. perfection that was constantly improved upon. i will say no more.

now - my addition... is on the tip of my tongue i forget the model

but it's a 1991-93 realease (ish) bugatti that's painted royal blue

ZB then numbers i think...

AH got it... EB110

[bozodos]

how many 1992 Soarers had GPS Rowan, pls tell me

[Mr Eps]

didn't the V8 L package or active soarers have it?

[GTR-N1]

the "THING" that replaced the horse...

is "THAT" what you're after?

http://www.buzzle.com/articles/who-invente...t-ever-car.html

hmmm...

[unique1]

I know they are either loved or hated (mainly hated lol) but the mitsubishi gto/3000gt... i have one and i have people asking if its a year 2000 + model and its a 1990 model.

even the interior is 100 times better than everry other 1990 model cars ive seen, it still looks pretty modern even now. It also beats 99% of new performance cars even in stock form.

Edited March 31, 2010 by unique1