Outfits of Future Cars

July 13, 2015

10 comments

I could have named this article, “The power of jumpsuits,” but that would have sold this selection of outfits short. I’ve always been intrigued with the stark differences between how concept cars are treated around the world, with Italian supercars often partially covered by an attractive model, and early ’50s American concepts showing a glimpse of life that never quite happened.

The first photo here, of the Alfa Romeo Carabo, is the most traditional, in a sense, of what to expect when a model is matched with a striking concept car. She gets to wear a futuristic jumpsuit, big hair, and visor tinted to match the car. Beside the Carabo is another Bertone concept, the Volvo Tundra, which also gets a glamorous model to match its lines.

Further down, however, it’s clear that while different manufacturers, locations, and eras conspire to alter the modesty of the models in question, all strangely match their concept car quite well. Early General Motors promotional shots are some of my favorites, as it looks like they were shot during a long lunch break. What’s that guy in a suit doing leaning over his new sports car—has it broken down? Is he admiring its engine?

The most accurately futuristic of the bunch is probably the Renault Laguna concept, which depicts a young couple wearing virtual reality-esque goggles. “Look honey, that’s where elBulli used to be!” the passenger points…

Not all are successful; aerobatics on the hood of a car? Three vamped-up models flagging down a Vector? Leopard print onesie? Exciting for the countless teenagers reading car magazines in the day, of course, but hardly an effective way to promote a car.

For what it’s worth, I’d prefer if concept car photography was as honest as Volvo’s used to be. When promoting its first electric city car concept in 1977, the company took a photo of a normal-looking man about to lift a large paper sack into the cargo hold. Evocative? Hardly. But looking back on this photo today, it’s one of the few that allows me to imagine what the designers had in mind when creating this small electric runabout.

Does your memory dwell on concept cars with or without models to complete the scene?

Image Sources: carstyling.ru, carstyling.ru, carscoops.com, carstyling.ru, ranwhenparked.net, corvettes.nl, kustomrama.com, pinterest.com, darkroastedblend.com, thethrottle.com, carstyling.ru, oldconceptcars.com, carstyling.ru, supercars.net, carstyling.ru, oldconceptcars.com, ranwhenparked.net, carstyling.ru

Tags Concept Cars/ Fashion/ Style

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Emanuel Costa

There’s a photo repeated, the Le-Sabre. And I don’t think the Laguna has a ‘young couple’ inside, only if we use the L word.

As for the question. It’s all showbiz, like when there is a big auto show like Geneve or Frankfurt, and therer are lots of young luscious looking models everywhere for the press days. And then when the ‘professional’ cameras go away, most of the models don’t stay for the general public…

Jon Ulrich

I think it’s very funny about our concept of what the future will look like. As a kid reading Popular Science magazine the people of the future (usually 20 to 50 years in the future) were all thin, beautiful and wore lots of spandex as they drove (flew) their flying cars over futuristic cities. The future is now, we Americans live in the most overweight country in the world and most people dress like the homeless. Our infrastructure is falling apart, our health is deteriorating, and the current vision of the future is apocalyptic at best. So it’s refreshing to… Read more »

Benjamin Pette

Don’t forget that the Volvo Tundra became the… Citroën BX !

Emanuel Costa

And without many exterior changes. Even the Tundra’s wheels resemble the wheels, or the wheel covers of the BX!

Jason Mcc

Look at the sneakers under the Carabo in front of the driver side rear wheel. 😉

Emanuel Costa

Must be another person holding the left door up!

Matthew Lange

What’s the green wedge car that looks to have Maserati badges and wheels. Not one I remember seeing before.

Guitar Slinger

Ital Medici . Honestly I barely remember it myself . Hmmn .

As far as the model and the concept question the article asks ? Most of the model shoots I barely remember . All in fact with the exception of the multiple shoots that were done for the Renault Spider before it went into production

Break

It’s the first of three Maserati Medicis, or the Italdesign Medici I as the caption states. It was built on the Maserati Indy.

Samir Shirazi

It is Maserati Medici, there are some evidence that Shah of Iran was Involved.

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Outfits of Future Cars

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