Yesterday, we asked you to get your tin foil hats on and tell us which cars you thought might have been from another world. Today, like Scully & Mulder, we attempt to uncover some truth.
Welcome back to Answers of the Day — our Jalopnik summer feature where we take the best ten responses from the previous day's Question of the Day and shine it up to show off. It's by you and for you, the Jalopnik readers. Enjoy!
Photo Credit: The Magnetic Brain
10.) Alfa Romeo SZ
Suggested By: Bonhomme7h2
Why It's From Another World: The SZ, in either coupe or convertible form, is one of the stranger-looking production cars produced by anyone, let alone by Alfa Romeo. All in all, it was made for five years, with 1320 cars produced. That means that there have been just over 1000 alien spacecraft running around Europe for the last decade and a half, and no one's known until now.
9.) Aptera 2e
Suggested By: primalizer
Why It's From Another World: Like alien spacecraft, the Aptera may or may not exist. In theory, it does have an out-of-this-world streamlined shape and propulsion system. In reality, it's got real sci-fi cred: an Aptera had a brief cameo in 2009's Star Trek.
Photo credit: Wired
8.) Subaru SVX
Suggested By: horspowr1001
Why It's From Another World: Between the bizarre window configuration (clearly more suited for an alien life form than human) and the entire rear half of the car, the SVX must have been beamed down here from somewhere far, far away. It's almost like the aliens oberved our culture enough to get the front end pretty normal looking, but then gave up and did their own thing for the rest of it.
Photo credit: The Supercars
7.) Citroen DS
Suggested By: Vavon
Why It's From Another World: With a shape more beautiful than anything an Earthling could have devised and technology that confounds most with human-sized brains, we should be glad the aliens dropped this one on us. Who but an extraterrestrial could have thought up something as complicated as hydro-pneumatic suspension in 1955? Or, more generally, who but an alien could have thought up something so awesome?
Photo credit: Ukadapta
6.) Ford GT90
Suggested By: ThatDamnDrunk
Why It's From Another World: Ah, trick answer here. The GT90 most likely is actually from a galaxy far, far away. Lining its engine bay, you'll find the same kind of tiles that keep the space shuttle from overheating (at least for one more flight). Outside the car, the selection of strange decals and geometry indicates influence from another universe. And really, only an alien could have thought that blue interior looked good.
5.) Mitsuoka Orochi
Suggested By: Pessimipppopotamus
Why It's From Another World: I know a human being didn't think that looked good before deciding to build it.
Photo credit: mixgism
4.) Alfa Romeo BAT 5
Suggested By: philaDLJ
Why It's From Another World: The cover story is that Alfa Romeo were looking for ways to reduce drag on their cars. Bertone was brought in, several concept cars were produced, their goal was reached, backs were patted. But is this the real story? All the way back in 1953 when the first BAT of three was produced, where could that low drag coefficient of 0.23 have come from? I think you know the answer. Aliens.
3.) Vector W8
Suggested By: Bentoboxxx, My tank is full of it
Why It's From Another World: When I was a wee lad, I had the pleasure of going to the Ferrari Club National Meet at the Breakers Hotel in Florida. Someone had parked a Vector in the lot, painted like an American flag. It had a proximity alarm system that went off whenever someone got within a few feet of the car. "PLEASE STEP AWAY FROM THE VECTOR. YOU ARE TOO CLOSE TO THE VECTOR." Scared the crap out of me. Just like a UFO would.
Combine that with the car's horrible aesthetics (again, like some other entries on today's list, not designed for human eyes), confusing control panel that resembles the bridge of a starship, and I think we can conclude a couple of things about the Vector W8: A) it's an alien spacecraft and B) it should go back to wherever it's from.
2.) Mercedes Benz C111-3
Suggested By: Dirlotron
Why It's From Another Word: This one's a keeper though. Whichever spacefaring race gave Mercedes the plans for the C111-III were on their A game. It may not have been the exact car Dirlotron suggested, but it's even prettier, so it's going in. I see this one as a shuttle craft, a la Star Trek. Or maybe Spaceballs.
1.) Ferrari 512 S Modulo
Suggested By: geistkoenig
Why It's From Another World: Just look at the thing. Amazingly, it's roadworthy. But not road legal. I really don't know what else to say, except thank you to the extraterrestrials who inspired Pininfarina to sketch up this beautiful car.