Shop at Auto Parts Warehouse
Home   >   Features   >   Cars That Were Ahead of Their Time

Cars That Were Ahead of Their Time

By on November 30, 2015

Every now and then, some cars come out that are way ahead of their time. Usually equipped with technology that’s just not ready for primetime yet or with features that only became popular some years after they were first introduced, these vehicles were trailblazers. They paved the way for  the mainstream adoption of some of the features that we enjoy in our cars today.

Here are some examples of cars that came out ahead of their time:

  • AMC Eagle

AMC EagleSource: Wikipedia

The AMC Eagle was pretty much the first compact crossover with all-wheel drive. At the time, no one really knew what to expect from such a vehicle. Fast forward to today, and pretty much everyone’s got a crossover.

  • Tucker Torpedo

Tucker TorpedoSource: Wikipedia

The Tucker had a lot of features that were way ahead of its time, including an adaptive third headlight that turned with the wheels, seat belts, and radio controls near the steering wheel. Fifty years on, and all those things are standard in most cars.

  • Jensen FF

Jensen FFSource: Wikipedia

Years before Audi came out with the Quattro, Jensen came out with the FF, a passenger car with 4-wheel drive. It wasn’t very good, but it was a pioneer of some sort.

  • Buick Riviera

Buick RivieraSource: Wikipedia

The seventh-generation Buick Riviera had digital displays and touchscreen controls…in the 80’s! You pretty much know how well that went. The technology just wasn’t ready at the time. Now, though, digital displays and touchscreen controls are a common feature in many vehicles.

  • GM EV1

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1Source: Wikipedia

The EV1 came out at a time when electric vehicles were still not considered to be viable alternatives to gas-powered ones. GM leased the cars to consumers, but destroyed all but two EV1s after it cancelled the leasing program in 2003.

Those are just some of the vehicles that came out way ahead of their time. Do you remember any others? Tell us about them in the comments!

About Auto Parts Warehouse

Auto Parts Warehouse is one of the top online retailers of auto parts and accessories in the United States today, with over 550,000 products in our comprehensive catalog, with a lot of them available at exclusive warehouse prices.
Find us on Google+ Advertisement