It's hard to believe that in the 1950s, there were actually people who believed that cars with those Star Wars Imperial battle cruiser-style open reactor power plants jutting out the back would be a good idea. But hey, what's sexier than a radioactive blue glow emanating from your tailpipes?
Then again, if you look at how many atomic bombs were test detonated in the desert and near islands in the South Pacific back then, radiation-spewing concept cars aren't really all that surprising. Luckily, no one ever actually built a car that would've meant three-eyed children and legless dogs for America's future.
But there were a few concept cars that look like they could have blasted off into the next galaxy. Ford's engineers created the FX-Atmos and the Mystere, two rocket-inspired concepts that should leave you wondering why no concepts this bold show up at car shows anymore. Aren't we sick of practical concepts, and hungry for a return of the outlandish?
Let's take a stand, people. If there aren't any amphibious rocket cars with onboard cryogenic pet freezers at Detroit this year, I say we bring our own concepts to next year's show. Bring back weird!
(Hat tip to BigDiesel007!)