Back in high school and middle school the wedgie (or as we called it, the wedge) was something you most certainly didn't want, under any circumstance and you definitely didn't appreciate it when it came along. But in car design, the wedge is something you can appreciate.

The beautiful and technical shape was used by many of the top design houses of the seventies and was a signal the future had officially arrived. While not the most aerodynamic form in practice, it certainly looked the part and helped usher in a new era of automotive design. Italian design houses ItalDesign, Bertone and Pininfarina were at the forefront of the movement, but the Japanese, Germans and the U.S. jumped on the bandwagon shortly thereafter

10) 1972 Lotus Esprit M70

First displayed at the Turin Motor Show in 1972, the Lotus Esprit M70 was designed by Giugiaro at Ital Design and was built on a widened and lengthened Europa chassis. After positive reviews from the public Colin Chapman decided to put the Esprit into production. The final design was completed in 1973 with many of the concept cues intact and when the then GM owned Lotus decided to build Peter Stevens redesign in 1987, many of those original cues remained.

Fun fact: that you couldn't call yourself a car guy without knowing already: Roger Moore drove a submersible version in the 1977 James Bond movie, The Spy Who Loved Me.

9) 1989 Vector W8

In 1989, after nearly two decades of development, Gerald Wiegert revealed his Vector W8 to the public. Extensive use of aeronautical building techniques were to be W8s selling point, but shoddy quality and a lack of funding eventually brought down the U.S.-built Lamborghini competitor in the mid-nineties. The W8 drew its inspiration from the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo and many other wedge cars in our list and is still a beautiful car today and you can pick up one of the few examples for a steal; nearly 20 percent of the original $685,000 asking price.

Fun fact: The Vector W8 was featured briefly in the 1993 movie, Rising Sun.

8) 1972 E25 BMW Turbo

The E25 BMW Turbo was initially built to celebrate the upcoming 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, but was later used as the inspiration for the M1, 8-Series, Z1 and the new M1 Homage concept. BMW built the Turbo concept as a rolling display for new safety and engineering technologies as well as showing that BMW had officially left the difficult 60's behind. Penned by BMW's French head of design, Paul Bracq, the Turbo concept was styled after the most dramatic Italian supercars of the day and featured an advanced radar system that warned the driver of close objects such as curbs and cars.

Fun fact: The Turbo featured two BMW badges on the rear – symbolizing BMW's exceptional quality – a cue that made it onto the production M1 and M1 Homage concept.

7) 1978 Dome Zero

Dome was and still is a race car manufacturer in Japan and in 1978 they gave the world the Dome Zero concept at the Geneva Motor Show. Intended to show Dome's intention of building a homologation special for a new line of sportscars; it was unable to pass Japanese homologation. In 1979, Dome debuted a revised Zero, dubbed the P2, with U.S. market bumpers and safety equipment added to the design. In the same year, a racing effort was launched at Le Mans but the ‘Zero RL' failed to finish the race. Shortly after, investors pulled their funds and the Dome Zero was officially dead.

Fun fact: The Dome Zero was featured in Gran Turismo 4, Auto Modellista on the PS2 and Sega GT on the XBOX.

6) 1970 Lancia Stratos Zero

At the 1970 Turin Motor Show, Bertone showed off a styling exercise called the Lancia Stratos Zero. The Lancia Stratos HF roadcar was based very loosely off of this concept though the similarities are few and far between. The futuristic Zero stood 838mm tall and was so low that conventional doors could not be used and to gain access, drivers would have to raise the windshield and walk into the car.

Fun fact: The Stratos Zero appeared in Michael Jackson's 1988 film, Moonwalker.

5) 1972 Maserati Boomerang

In 1971 the Maserati Boomerang was shown at the Turin Motor Show as a mockup and then in 1972 the Geneva Motor Show saw the debut of the fully realized Maserati Boomerang concept. It sat next to the Lotus Esprit M70 as both were designed by Giugiaro at ItalDesign. At 1070mm high, it's not the shortest wedge in the list, but it did have a 15 degree windshield rake – the steepest rake you could achieve while maintaining visibility, albeit very little. ItalDesign used the Boomerang as inspiration when designing the DMC Delorean (most noticeable in the rear view) in the eighties.

Fun fact: Intended as a showcar, the Boomerang was registered as a roadcar and was actually sold in 1974 to a private collector which brings us to 2005 when it was auctioned at Christie's for a cool $1,000,000.

4) 1969 Holden Hurricane RD001

The Holden Hurricane was an experimental concept built in 1969 and was the first product of the GM Holden Research and Development group. The Hurricane's ultra low 990mm stance would have made ingress and egress difficult with traditional doors, so an electro-mechanical powered canopy was used and swung forward over the front wheels. Also included were power elevated seats that both rose up and out of the way along with the steering column to make exiting the Hurricane easier. When climbing into the car the seats would lower to a semi-reclined position and the roof would close overhead.

Fun fact: A similar canopy design was used on both the Saab Aero X and the Batmobile from the Tim Burton Batman movies.

3) 1970 Ferrari PF Modulo

Painted black for the 1970 Geneva Motor Show and then re-sprayed white for its debut at the 1970 Turin Motor Show; the Paulo Martin penned Pininfarina-Ferrari Modulo concept gained quite a reputation and won numerous international design awards – 22 of them – for a car that almost wasn't produced. The cars release was held for over a year because of an apprehensive Sergio Pininfarina. Developed using the Ferrari 512-S racer as a basis, the 935mm high PF Modulo was built to explore new construction technologies and to show off the raw passion of the Italian design house.

Fun fact: Paulo Martin was sketching a Rolls-Royce Camargue dashboard when the idea struck him to make the first sketch of the Modulo. You could say he was more than a little bored with the Rolls.

2) 1971 Lamborghini Countach

Designed by Gandini for Bertone in 1971, the original Lamborghini Countach concept was the most pure version the public would ever see of this car. The wild scissor doors were first seen on another car in our list (the Alfa Romeo Carabo concept) and were used primarily because of the extremely wide chassis, but we think the real reason is because Gandini knew every rice boy would want them on their econo-hatch some day. The Countach name was derived from the dialect of the Piedmont region in northern Italy, literally meaning astonishment and amazement. The pure design of the concept translated loosely into the production LP400 though it was short lived when splitters, wings and U.S. bumper requirements were added to the mix in the LP400S, LP500 and QV models.

Fun fact: The Countach was featured in the 1981 movie, The Cannonball Run, and is one of the most replicated cars to date.

1) 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo

The 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo is the most significant wedge car and paved the way for many of the cars on this list. Designed by Marcello Gandini of Bertone fame, it was revealed at Porte de Versailles in Paris in 1968 to an absolutely stunned crowd. The Lamborghini Countach concept that arrived 3 years later drew inspiration from the Carabo in its wedge form, wheel house openings and its notoriously cool scissor-doors, though the Countach wasn't the only car that took inspiration from the Carabo. You can see inspired cues from many sports cars and supercars like the Diablo, 4th gen Camaro and Vector. Vector took the inspiration quite literally by duplicating many of the shapes of the front and side profile in its W8. Many wealthy individuals tried to purchase the Carabo including an Arab prince or two, but thankfully Bertone decided to hold on to it and now the Carabo spends its days relaxing inside the Alfa Romeo museum in Arese, Italy.

Fun fact: The unique name "Carabo" and its green paint were derived from the small green beetle, Carabus Olympiae.

Honorable Mentions

Narrowing down our search for the top ten wedge cars was difficult and we couldn't let this list pass without mention of a few other notable wedges. The DMC DeLorean was the hardest to leave off the list based on its cult follow from the Back to the Future films. Another difficult car to omit was the popular Triumph TR7/TR8 which was produced from 1974 to 1981. In the gallery below you'll find the rest of the cars that we thought were worth mentioning. Enjoy!

[via Lotus Esprit Turbo]

FAST: G-POWER M6 HURRICANE Convertible with 635hp

One of the world's fastest and most powerful convertibles is made by G-POWER. 635hp and 635 Nm torque; these are the attributes of the latest G-POWER development for the BMW M6.

Being a straight offshoot from the legendary G-POWER M5 HURRICANE BI-Kompressor system with 730hp, the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system EVOI is a less radical alternative to achieve the desired increase in power output for all current V10 engines coming from the M-GmbH.

Thanks to the so called G-POWER "softcharging" technique, featuring a relative boost of 0,4 bar, the additional stress and wear for the engine and drivetrain is kept to a minimum, despite of the impressive increase in power output. Especially the acceleration performance in mid range, a weak point of the fast-revving concept favored by the engineers of the M-GmbH, underlines the dominance of the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system. Equipped with the G-POWER BI-Kompressor EVOI system the BMW M6 is finally capable of that superior performance characteristic most customers would have expected from the beginning.

Acceleration performance benefits from the perfect performance characteristic of the G-POWER equipped V10 engine accordingly. With a sprint time from rest to 100 km/h of 4.6 seconds and to 200 km/h in 11,9 seconds the 2-ton convertible accelerates like a true sports car. The 300-km/h barrier is shattered after 34,5 seconds from standstill. Contrary to the production car the G-POWER M6 HURRICANE convertible is not limited electronically to a top speed of 250 km/h but to 320 km/h. The determining factors therefore are weight, tyres and most important the soft top of the M6 convertible.

The G-POWER M6 HURRICANE convertible is available as a fully converted car starting at 183,000 Euros. Any existing M6 - sedan and wagon - can also be upgraded with the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system EVOI along with numerous items from the extensive G-POWER tuning accessories lineup. For M6 coupé drivers only is the 730 hp version of the G-POWER BI-Kompressor system available as well.

While the exterior is largely dominated by the wedge shape and large 19" front, 20" rear wheels, the cabin contrasts it with a practical, futuristic layout. Passengers sit behind the centrally mounted driver in a staggered arrangement with the middle passenger facing backwards. This shape is defined by the safety cell, which is designed to serve as both an incredibly strong reinforcement and provide unparalleled views for the driver. [Via CarBodyDesign]

G-POWER HURRICANE: 340 km/h and 730 hp: The World's Fastest and Most Powerful Street-Legal BMW

The worldís fastest and most powerful street-legal BMW is made by G-POWER. The 340-km/h G-POWER HURRICANE is based on the latest BMW M5. At the heart of the high-performance sedan is a five-liter V10 engine with G-POWER EVO II supercharging system that delivers 730 hp / 537.3 kW.

To achieve the desired increase in power output of 223 hp / 164 kW for the fast-revving engine that normally produces 507 hp / 373 kW, G-POWER, in cooperation with ASA Automotive, has developed a high-tech supercharging system. The system uses one belt-driven ASA T1-12 compressor for each cylinder bank. Contrary to conventional mechanical chargers that waste a large portion of the additional power on being driven themselves, the ASA compressor has an efficiency rate of up to 80 percent. The ASA charger is also small, which allows G-POWER to install two of them in the tight confines of the M5 engine bay. With a maximum airstream volume of up to 1,200 kg per hour per cylinder bank the compressors are designed for an even higher power output. Boost pressure is limited to 0.5 bars.

The pre-compressed charge air is cooled down in a highly efficient dual-flow water-to-air intercooler system that is mounted above the engine. This measure optimizes power yield and, in combination with a larger water-cooled oil cooler with pressure reservoir, also ensures the engineís thermal health. Specially developed mapping for engine electronics and SMG gearbox controls coordinate the perfect interaction of all new components.

The inner workings of the four-valve ten-cylinder engine are optimized for even higher engine speeds with lightweight, precision-matched high-performance forged pistons from technology partner MAHLE. The supercharged V10 engine produces its maximum power output of 730 hp / 537 kW between 7,500 and 8,200 rpm. The high efficiency rate of the two superchargers, each spinning at up to 100,000 rpm and more, results in a torque diagram that rises early and at 3,800 rpm already surpasses the production engineís peak torque of 520 Nm, delivered at 6,000 rpm. The new peak of 700 Nm is reached at 7,200 rpm.

Acceleration performance benefits accordingly. With a sprint time from rest to 100 km/h of 4.2 seconds the two-ton sedan bests its production counterpart by half a second. With approx. ten seconds to 200 km/h the advantage grows to 5.0 seconds. The 300-km/h barrier is shattered in less than 29.5 seconds. Contrary to the production car the G-POWER HURRICANE is not limited electronically to a top speed of 250 km/h. Aided by the specially cooled G-POWER anti-slip differential the engine propels the car to a top speed of 340 km/h.

The enormous performance places extreme demands on aerodynamics, tires, suspension and brakes.

The G-POWER front apron, upon request also available made from especially light carbon fiber, replaces the production part in its entirety. Its large air inlets provide optimal supply of cooling air for all radiators and front brakes. At the same time the spoiler minimizes lift on the front axle at high speeds.

The G-POWER rocker panels smooth the airflow between the wheel houses and give the M5 and longer, lower and sleeker appearance. Lift on the rear axle is reduced by a spoiler lip attached to the trunk lid and the carbon-fiber rear diffuser for the G-POWER rear apron.

Even better driving dynamics and more exclusive looks are the hallmark of the G-POWER Silverstone 21-inch light-alloy wheels that fill out the space beneath the wheel arches perfectly. The drop-center rims have brilliant-graphite coated centers while the outer rim wells and spokes are polished. They are mounted in sizes 9.5 J x 21 with size 255/30 ZR 21 tires in front and size 10.5 J x 21 wheels with size 295/25 ZR 21 tires on the rear axle. Technology partner Dunlop provides the perfect high-speed tires.

The large wheels make room for the G-POWER high-performance brake system with six-piston fixed calipers and 400 x 36 millimeter brake discs on the front axle. G-POWER also offers an upgrade package for the standard M5 brakes that consists of high-performance pads and brake fluid.

The M5 handling can be made even sportier by installing the height-adjustable G-POWER coil-over suspension RS with nine selectable settings each for bound and rebound.

For upgrading the cockpit G-POWER offers sporty components made from exposed carbon-fiber trim or an ergonomically shaped NARDO EDITION sport steering wheel covered in perforated G-POWER Kjerba-Nappa leather that is a pleasure to touch.

The G-POWER HURRICANE is available as a fully converted car starting at 240,000 Euros. Any existing M5 ñ sedan and wagon ñ can also be upgraded with the G-POWER twin-compressor system, available for 89,000 Euros. The price includes all necessary modifications to suspension, brakes and wheels. Also available are any items from the extensive G-POWER tuning accessories lineup.

Lawyer puts the brakes on school bus auction [The Times-Picayune]

Related:
First Hybrid School Bus on the Way [internal]

According to a report in the Detroit News, Ford plans to revive its torquey, 6.2-liter "Hurricane" V8 engine program for its trucks, after having cancelled it earlier this year. The engine, which had been named after the violent atmospheric disturbance that dare not speak its name, considering what it did to New Orleans last year (which, some say, is why Ford may not use that particular moniker), will make an appearence in F-Series and other trucks, making them competitive with Chrysler's 6.1-liter, 425-hp SRT8 Hemi. Of course, the real question is, what else will have a Hurricane?

Report: Ford Revives "Hurricane" V8 To Battle Hemi by 2008 [Edmunds]

Related:
More on the Hemi [internal]