They are ornaments for any private collection, amazingly combining beauty and ugliness, grace, and disharmony. In addition, they are the embodiment of great ideas, which, however, have long been forgotten. Their creation requires enormous resources – both intellectual and financial, but this can be a huge problem for small producers. They put everything into such a car, hoping that thanks to its exotic appearance and unusual technical ideas, it will appeal to the public. The opposite usually happens and this leads to the company’s bankruptcy.
Each of these 10 crazy and weird supercars we’ll talk about is interesting in its own way. We will not give estimates (corresponding to praise or criticize), and will only cite facts.
Panther 6
The 6-wheeled convertible was introduced in 1977, receiving the laconic name 6. It is the most amazing creation of the British company Panther Westwinds. The source of inspiration for its creation is the Formula 1 car – Tyrrell P34. The car has 3 seats, TV, telephone, and fire protection systems. Only 2 units were made.
Monteverdi Hai 450
Translated from German, Hai means “shark”, but the predatory fish of the Swiss brand Monteverdi never swims. The early ’70s project was offered with a mid-range Chrisler V8 engine layout and a body of the Carrozzeria Fissore studio.
It is planned to produce 49 units, but in the end, only 2 prototypes were made.
Vector W8
Don’t let the name confuse you – the model of the American company Vector Aeromotive Corporation is equipped not with a W-shaped engine, but with a V8 engine with a volume of 6.0 liters and two turbochargers. The supercar with an average engine layout was produced from 1989 to 1993, developing 625 hp. and raises (at least in theory) 389 km / h. The big problem, however, is reliability, which is why only 22 such shells have been built.
Kodiak F1
Kodiak is not only a huge Chevrolet pickup or Skoda crossover but also a supercar, created on the idea of Serbian businessman Mladen Mitrovic in 1983. In fact, this car should be mentioned in the singular, as it was produced only one. It has seagull wings, a composite body, and a Chevrolet V8 engine.
Argyll GT
With the resounding name Argyll, which originally belonged to a historic area in western Scotland, the manufacturer wants to emphasize its roots. Its sports model GT never reached the market, as almost all the details of the car are from foreign manufacturers. The optics are from Datsun Chery, the instrument panel – from Volvo, the steering wheel – from Triumph Dolomite, and the door handles – from Morris Marina. The engine is Renault – atmospheric V6, but the big problem is the price. When launched, this GT should cost 30,000 pounds, which at the time was the value of the Ferrari 308 GTB.
Aixam Mega Track
One encounter with the French monster is enough to leave deep traces in the mind. The flat, but at the same time relatively tall and wide Aixam Mega Track has two uses. The first is to fly on the road with the help of the 6.0-liter V12 from Mercedes-Benz with 400 hp. And the second – to do well on difficult terrain, which is done with the help of ground clearance, ranging between 203 and 330 mm. The supercar-SUV is designed for those who want to be fast and not stop in the face of difficulties. However, the dual purpose, as well as the high price, scared the customers.
Covini C6W
The six-wheeled machine of the Italian company Covini Engineering is interesting not only because of the construction and design but also because of its long history. The project started in 1974 and was not completed until 2003. The car was shown in 2005, built on a tubular frame, the body is made of carbon and fiberglass, and under the hood, there is a 4.2-liter Audi engine. It is also the ideological successor to the Tyrrell P34 but is only liked by people with unusual tastes, which dooms it to failure.
Isdera Commendatore 112i
An interesting and charismatic car from a well-known German company. In appearance, the Commendatore resembles a Porsche, and this is no accident. The main optics are from the 968 model, the 6-speed manual transmission is inherited from the 911 Turbo, and the ABS brake system and suspension – from the 928. The engine is a V12 with a volume of 6.0 liters and is Mercedes-Benz. Only 2 units were made, which are actually conceptual prototypes.
Panoz Abruzzi
The cars of Dan Panoz and his company Panoz Auto Development have always been different from the others, and this is especially true of the Grand Tour Abruzzi. The hybrid between a Batmobile and a giant insect mutant was to hit the market in Europe in a circulation of 81 units, equipped with a GM LS3 V8 engine with a volume of 6.2 liters. It doesn’t work, which is probably good …
Cizeta-Moroder V16T
The gathering of the talented engineer Claudio Zampoli, the great designer Marcello Gandini and the genius composer Giorgio Moroder leads to the creation of a real symphony of speed and beauty, in which it causes people’s hearts to beat with gasoline in their blood. The name Cizeta comes from the initials C. Z. (Claudio Zampoli), while for Moroder it is so clear. In some respects, the car resembles a Lamborghini Diablo, due to the participation of Gandini. Under the hood is a 6.0-liter V16, which is actually two V8 engines from Lamborghini Urraco. From 1991 to 1995, 12 units of the supercar were produced, although 60 were planned.