Impact of the Space Race on the Concept Car

Do designers look toward the concept car as a platform for more than just a new vehicle?

From the 1930s to the 1970s the idea of travelling into space has captured the imagination of the human mind. Its ramifications on every aspect of living are completely unmistakable and have gone down in history for creating the style of a generation. But to understand this unique and unforgettable influence on design, it is first important to question the reasons for this fascination and why it was so important to those who strived to achieve it; not only in transport to space, but in our every day lives and tasks.

So why venture into space? The obvious reasons will of course be power and money, the two things that have forever ruled the world and will no doubt continue to do so. But what other motives can there be for this extraordinary thirst for exploration?

One reason could possibly be the widely known notion of, ‘the grass is always greener on the other side.’

An idea that far from our world, there is something else out there that could put our home planet to shame. The technological advancements up until the 1930s were so great, that naturally the progression would lead to travel on unfamiliar terrain, thus making life in another world plausible in the minds of millions.

At a time when the second world war was in the not too distance past and the cold war was in the not too distant future, the yearning for this superior, new land would be greater than ever.

With war comes loss of faith. Faith in religion and faith in mankind. With the exhaustion of combat and the devastation of loss, the need to believe in something, to have hope, is a greater need than expected. Therefore the ‘utopian dream’ of a n...

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...ing to consider when looking at the designs of the time. Pressing matters of today, such as climate change and the environment, were not regarded as particularly important back in the 1950s, especially within the transportation world, so it is understandable to think an exciting and outrageous design could be taken more seriously when revealed to an audience that were unaware of the connotations of such features.

This fearless and tenacious spirit is overwhelming in the concept cars of the space race. They allowed the creators to feel a sense of freedom and positivity about a future that was almost expected once man had set foot on the moon. The automobile was an excellent platform for this experimentation and the artistic results have generated a sense of nostalgia that is accessible to everyone and will continue to do so for many years to come.