These are the most distinctive 10+1 tilt lamps in automotive history

From the 1930s to the present day, cases of cars with slanted lights are always memorable. You see, for this particular item, the appearance of a car can stick in the mind (and heart) of many people, resulting in the need to acquire something very special. Below we list the most common cases in chronological order.

Cord 810 (1935)

The feature of folding lamps, in the case of wire, has another peculiarity that makes it very peculiar: the folding is done manually, using a special lever previously used in Stinson aircraft. But because the Cord's innovations did not stop there (it was the world's first front-wheel drive model), it was rather a “difficult” car to market, which was also demonstrated by the minimal sales and resulting financial losses. The company withers.

Lotus Elan (1962)

The Elan's lights are tilted not to impress, but to practically serve the model's aerodynamic needs. As a Lotus, limited gross weight was a key element of the construction, and while a first of its kind for its time, the Elan made history as the first model with independent suspension and all-wheel disc brakes. In such a group, the presence of lights with a folding mechanism was another element that played a role in the acceptance of the model by the public.

Maserati Ghibli (1966)

The Ghibli's dual folding headlights were a feature that was appreciated by the company's audience and not only at the time. After all, this was the first time that the arrangement with the two lamps appeared in a model with a folding mechanism. It is also worth noting that the Ghibli was the design signature of the young – 85-year-old at the time – Giorgetto Tzozzarobo, who has many important models in automotive history.

Chevrolet Camaro (1966)

The 1966 Camaro was the model that bore the brunt of the “answer” to Ford's success which, during the same time period as the Mustang, seemed unstoppable. In this context, the designers proposed the RS version of the model, which featured a black cover over the headlights, which folds and reveals when the driver turns it on. Of course, this was not the only thing that made young people and not only of that time get involved in this model, which then had a good commercial career and was able to enter the hall of fame of small cars of that time.

Toyota 2000 GT (1967)

For three years, Toyota has offered a model with enough features to support sporty style – something uncommon in the Toyota range worldwide, as the Japanese company has traditionally had a very low profile in this segment. The 2000 GT was equipped with an inline 6-cylinder engine, the comparative advantage of which was a double overhead camshaft that contributed to a power output of 150 hp, which was very high at the time. Aesthetically, the highlight of the model is undoubtedly the lights that appeared behind the fixed lights in the front, which, even today, add to the feeling of strangeness of the Toyota model.

Opel GT (1968)

In 1968, when Opel tried to offer a model with an aggressive, sporty appearance, it was a given that it would be combined with something sophisticated in terms of equipment and appearance. The coupe body of the small Opel had a very special function of displaying lights, which was done with… rotation and in fact the process did not involve any electrical mechanism. It was mechanical, with the use of a wire rope, which required specific movement on the part of the driver. The rotation of the lights on the front of the car was often out of phase for each side, which made watching the process even more interesting.

Alfa Romeo MontreHAl (1970)

The Italians, especially at that time, had to make everything different from the competitors. And this is how this special approach to this subject is achieved, in one of the most iconic models in the history of Alfa Romeo. The folding “mesh” covered only the upper part of the lights, and therefore, only when the driver turned it on, the full diameter of the round elements that were “within” the length of the car was revealed, as these grilles “fell” with a curved movement at the bottom of the lights. One can easily understand, there was no doubt about practicality in this particular choice, just to improve the overall style of the car.

Lamborghini Countach (1974)

At the time, the Countach was the most radical thing the automotive world had ever seen. It was an evolution of the first supercar in European motoring history, which was only a 'multi-singing' Miura, and it couldn't be anything other than extreme. for everything. Somehow, the design department came up with a proposal for pop-up cubes with “nested” pairs of round lights inside. In the “wedge” full of generally sharp edges and corners that was the beginning of the body design, the pop-up “boxes” were another very interesting detail.

Porsche 928 (1977)

With the 928, Porsche wanted to achieve the unthinkable: to replace the 911, the car that had become synonymous with the company and had become one of the most recognizable figures on the global automotive scene. In this desperate and clearly failed attempt, the 928 which was objectively an excellent car in every respect, the design department produced a rotating mechanism to switch on the lights at the front. On a smooth, almost flat sloping surface, the two prominent circular lanterns also gave the model the nickname “Frog's Eye”.

Cezetta V16T (1991)

Marcello Gandini, in the early 1990s, had the idea to design something truly extreme. The perfect 'canvas' for such a thing is found in the form of the Cizeta V16T, a particularly extreme model that seems to take the Lamborghini Diablo as its aesthetic basis. On this “rare bird” of cars that was produced in just 13 units, the pop-up lights were…double. Pairs of projectors were placed on either side, in the form of 'steps', with the choreography making the already imposing display of the model even more special.

Chevrolet Corvette Manta Ray (1969)

Generally, in prototyping, designers “go away” and propose elements that may not make any sense for practical application but have their own interest from an aesthetic point of view. On the 1969 Chevrolet Corvette Manta Ray prototype, the designer had the brilliant idea of ​​“hiding” the brake lights behind them, under covers, inside which there was a mirror surface.

When the brakes are applied, these covers fold back against the vehicle's direction (like an air brake), revealing the taillights and reflecting bright red light. We said: It may not have had any practical value, but by choosing its designer, the Manta Ray has been put on a special list of cars we remember for a reason.