A project that came with the brief to create a concept that had absolutely no chance of ever entering production.
The result? A body that that appeared taken from Asimov’s imagination, staying true to the 1970s era of motoring, where the “wedge” design was in full swing.
The Caimano, designed by Italdesign Giugiaro, was launched at the 1971 Turin Motor Show.
It sat on a shortened Alfasud chassis, while a forward opening glass dome enclosed the two-seater passenger compartment just like a space-capsule. What makes it even more interesting is that the A-Pillar was completely removed, while the B- and C-pillars were designed to form a roll bar-like rig behind the cabin, with the rear part of the roof forming a spoiler which could be adjusted to four different positions from the inside.
Instead of windows, the car had two small openings on the side edge of the dome to allow contact with the outside world. Staying true to the space vehicle motif, the interior sported a cylindrical dashboard showing two large instruments with turning dials and stretched basin seats with built-in head restraints.
The bulge on the hood was made in order to accommodate the 68 hp, 1.2-litre Alfasud engine, which was suited to equip the car thanks to its boxer layout.
On February 5, it will be one of the most out-of-this-world design studies at the Bremen Classic Motor Show themed “Die 70er: Einfach Keil”, that’s “The 70’s: Simply Wedge” in English, an event dedicated to the revolutionary designs of the decade.
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