A Collection of Wild, Retro-Futuristic Cars

We absolutely adore the limitless possibilities and innovative thinking that come with futuristic design.

When artists and designers remove their blinders, it’s truly inspiring to witness the incredible ideas that can emerge.

From flying cars to strange hovering Cadillacs to monorail trains, this collection comprises designs from the US, Europe and Japan.

Mostly from the 1940s and 50s, we see a naive but also optimistic future.

Check out more retro-futuristic designs here and here.

A futuristic scene depicting a couple inside a sleek car with a large windshield, driving on an advanced highway surrounded by modern buildings and vibrant sunsets.
Image by Gunther Radtke.
We love how oversized and absurd this concept is, with a single seat cockpit, and a full wood workshop below.
art by Syd Mead from his book “Sentinel”
illustration by Japanese artist Shigeru Komatsuzaki

Depicting an entire floating city.
Predicting a 200 miles per hour speed limit.
Sleek, pod-like car with turbine engine.
A concept car/boat/plane all in one.
Great covers from early Science and Mechanics, and Popular Science.
A giant hover ship, called a Seagoing Saucer.
Image Via James Vaughn.
This comical looking Cadillac Pod vehicle.
A strange looking hover vehicle.
Tremulis, a rotor jet car concept.
Wild Japanese concept for a rotor-powered monorail vehicle.
Image via Plan59

Responses

  1. Paul Charles Bibaud Avatar

    Awesomeness !!!

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  2. joyfulf4de449ce1 Avatar

    Don’t forget the flying cars from the Jetsons TV cartoons!

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  3. Craig L Tonjes Avatar

    Don’t have to wonder where Musk’s design of the cybertruck came from…except all the other stupid ones were discarded as they should have been!

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  4. Stephan Wilkinson Avatar

    Bruce McCall has all these artists beat.

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  5. chasing ultra low reynolds numbers Avatar

    Obvious by it’s absence is Buckminster Fuller’s “Dymaxion” car

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  6. Gus Richards Avatar

    Too bad some of those things didn’t actually make it to production

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  7. JEREMY CRUICKSHANK Avatar

    What a shame there is no mention of Dan Dare’s gyroscopic Jepeet, by Frank Hampson.

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