Tucker Torpedo from 1948: seat belts, cornering lights, helicopter engine: the car of the future of that time

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This is how a car designer imagined tomorrow: This car with an overhead projector on the front was supposed to revolutionize the US automobile world in 1948, exactly 75 years ago. At the time, the Tucker Torpedo already offered safety features like seat belts, disc brakes, and cornering lights that would only become standard years later.

The futuristic four-wheeled projectile was designed by inventor and designer Preston Tucker (1903–1956). At the age of 16, he dealt with used cars and repaired and sold them. He later worked as a deliveryman and police officer for Cadillac in the Detroit motor city in Michigan, USA. During World War II, he developed infantry fighting vehicles and warplanes in his own company, but was able to realize only a few of them. In 1946, he introduced his Tucker, which was called a torpedo because of its shape, when it was ready for mass production.

Is it way ahead of its time?

In the back of the Tucker Torpedo was a six-cylinder boxer engine that originally powered helicopters. Today, automobile historians are still debating why this miracle car faded into obscurity after only around 50 examples were produced. Was he too ahead of his time? Was the project literally undermined by major automakers General Motors, Ford and Chrysler because it was too innovative? Or was Tucker’s financial ceiling too weak and his accounting too adventurous? The latter even brought charges against him.

The past history of the Tucker Torpedo is definitely worth filming: Star director Francis Ford Coppola (84) filmed this commercial crime thriller about the miracle car in 1988, starring Jeff Bridges (73).

Source: Blick