Strange Cars That Defined The ‘Space Age’ Era of The 1960s

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1963 Hillman Imp

The Rootes Group manufactured the 1963 Hillman Imp, a small British car designed to compete with other popular small cars of the time like the Mini Cooper and Ford Anglia. The Hillman Imp featured a unique rear engine, a rear-wheel-drive configuration that provided excellent traction and handling on the road. The 0.9-liter engine had only 39 horsepower but the car had a unique body design (via Bonhams).

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Despite its short production run, the Hillman Imp has gained a cult following among car enthusiasts in the years since. The Imp had a small footprint, which meant that the car did provide driving fun. Although the exterior looked small, the interior of the Imp actually had a spacious amount of room and cargo space.

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1964 Morris 1800

Morris Motors produced the 1964 Morris 1800, a British family car, and part of the BMC 1100/1300 range. Families and commuters alike favored the spacious interior that could seat up to six people. The car featured a 1.8-liter engine capable of producing up to 84 horsepower, and drivers appreciated its powerful performance and agile handling. The Morris 1800 provided a comfortable ride and quickly gained popularity among car enthusiasts (via Retro Motor).

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However, British Leyland discontinued production of the Morris 1800 in 1975 as part of a merger with other car companies. Despite its short production run, the Morris 1800 remains a beloved classic car today.

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1965 Renault 16

Renault designed and manufactured the 1965 Renault 16, a compact family car. The Renault 16 was the first car to have a hatchback, which provided easy access to the trunk. The car also featured a transverse engine as well which made it more compact and efficient. The Renault 16 hit the market at the same time as the Volkswagen Beetle. The car had a slightly larger interior and exterior that appealed to the family-oriented car buyer (via Driven To Write).

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The Renault 16 had a unique and modern design, with a sleek body and large windows that provided excellent visibility for the driver. A 1.5-liter engine powered it and could reach a top speed of approximately 87 miles per hour. The four-wheel-drive independent suspension of the car was also innovative, providing a comfortable ride and undeniably excellent handling.

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1966 Lotus Europa

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The Lotus Europa was also well-known for its innovative engineering. The car’s chassis had steel and bonded to the fiberglass body, providing rigidity and precise handling. The car featured a unique upward-opening door design, later adopted by other sports car manufacturers. Today, the Lotus Europa is a rare and sought-after car due to its advanced engineering and classic design.

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1967 Matra 530

The 1967 Matra 530 was a unique car. It had a distinctive design with a low, streamlined body and a pointed nose. Additionally, a 1.3-liter engine powered the car and could reach speeds of up to 118 miles per hour. The Matra 530 was also a two-seater car with a fiberglass body and an aluminum frame. Furthermore, the car was also known for its large wraparound rear window, which provided excellent visibility for the driver (via Curbside Classic).

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The design allowed for better weight distribution and improved handling. A short wheelbase and lightweight platform always equals a fun driving experience. The Matra had a lot of potential, although more car shoppers never got to experience it. The lightweight platform made for an extremely fun driving experience. Enthusiast drivers enjoyed the ease of repair and the wide variety of features that the car offered.

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1969 Alfa-Romeo Junior Zagato

The 1969 Junior Zagato was a unique car from the 1960s. It had a sleek design with a low, pointed nose and rounded body. A four-cylinder engine powered the car and could reach speeds of up to 116 miles per hour. Despite its impressive performance, the car was generally impractical as it only had two seats and limited storage space (via Hagerty).

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However, the Alfa-Romeo Junior Zagato was a rare car with only 1,108 models produced. The Italian design of the car appealed to just about anyone who saw it. Alfa-Romeo built a brand on appealing car design and exhilarating performance. The car didn’t have a large production run, which is why you’ll seldom see one on the road.

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Chrysler TurboFlite

In the 1960s, people had a huge interest in space and new technology. This interest influenced the design of cars, which became very different and unusual. Although the Space race and science fiction inspired these cars, they also showed new and advanced engineering and design. In this article, we will look at some of the most famous and unusual cars from this time, and see how they were important for the culture of the era (via Top Gear).

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The car had a turbine engine that could produce up to 500 horsepower. The doors were gull-wing, and the interior had a unique layout with swiveling seats. Despite its impressive features, the car never went into production. However, the car’s design influenced many other vehicles that followed it.

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AMC AMX Project IV

AMC doesn’t get the credit that it deserved for the muscle car era. American Motors had quite a few well-known muscle cars on the market at the time. This interest influenced the design of cars, which became very different and unusual. The space race and science fiction inspired these cars and showed new and advanced engineering and design (via Street Car Mag).

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The AMC AMX Project IV was a unique car from the 1960s. It had a wedge-shaped design with a sharply pointed nose and a low profile. The car featured gull-wing doors and a powerful engine that could produce up to 340 horsepower. However, the car never went into production. Instead, AMC used it as a concept car to showcase its innovative design and advanced technology.

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Ford Gyron

The Gyron hit the auto show circuit in 1960. It also had only two wheels and looked like a flying saucer. Electricity powered it and could go up to 100 miles per hour. The driver and passenger sat side by side in a glass bubble that covered the top of the car. The car had never been put into production, but it was a very interesting idea for a car that could have been used in the future (via Jalopnik).

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The flying saucer design of the Gyron broke the mold for design. Additionally, the self-driving feature was exactly what the future of driving was going to hold. Although there were a few other concept cars from the same era, however, it was the Gyron that pushed the envelope of what technology was. Although the Gyron hit the auto show circuit back in the ’60s, it was quite an impressive feat of technology and engineering.