Streamlined Legacy - What is this car? How come it looks so weird? Those are the exact questions that might pop into your head the first time you lay eyes on the Volkhart V2 Sagitta. With its teardrop silhouette and streamlined design, it almost looks like a prop from an old science fiction movie. But this isn't some futuristic prototype from a forgotten film—it's a real car, built more than 75 years ago, and its story is more fascinating than its strange appearance lets on.
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta was the 2nd prototype designed by Kurt C Volkhart and Baron R König von Fachsenfeld based on the Volkswagen Beetle 1st generation aka the KdF Wagen Typ 60. (Picture from: ClassicCarWeekly.net)
At a glance, the Volkhart V2 Sagitta might seem like an oddball, but when you look closer at its foundation, things start to make sense. The car was developed using the chassis of the very first Volkswagen Beetle, officially known as the KdF-Wagen Typ 60. This was a wartime car, produced between 1937 and 1944, and was the seed from which one of the world’s most iconic vehicles would grow.
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta formerly known as the Luftwaffe 'courier car' due to it developed and built as a part of the Luftwaffe's need before the war for a small, fast and agile courier car.(Picture from: Bonham)
While most enthusiasts are familiar withthe Porsche 356as the pinnacle of performance based on the Beetle platform, the V2 Sagitta predates it in both vision and execution. Back in the late 1930s, Germany's Luftwaffe was on the hunt for a light, nimble courier vehicle—one that could be fast, efficient, and easy to maintain. That’s where Kurt C. Volkhart entered the scene. He was an engineer with a deep understanding of aerodynamics, something that wasn’t yet a major focus in car design.
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta is offered accommodation for 4/5 passengers inside its cabin, but never came close to series production. (Picture from: Hemmings)
His early project, the V1, was a two-seater sports car powered by a rear-mounted 1,172 cc Ford Eifel engine with only 32 bhp of power. It never made it beyond the prototype phase, but the idea of a slick, aerodynamic machine stuck with him.
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta when undergoing aerodynamic tests conducted by Volkswagen in its wind tunnel back in the 2011, produced a drag coefficient of 0.217 over a frontal area of 2.10 square meters. (Picture from: Hemmings)
After World War II, Volkhart picked up where he left off, this time with some financial help from a company called Sagitta. What came next was the V2, a one-of-a-kind aerodynamic experiment built on a wartime VW Beetle chassis (with number 2-033683). The body, made entirely of lightweight aluminum, was shaped by Baron Reinhard Koenig-Fachsenfeld, a visionary in the world of streamlined car design. Construction was handled by Helmut Fuchs and later finished by Hans Daum’s workshop, both based in Germany.
The Volkhart V1 small two-seater sports coupe came out in the end of 1930s, and powered by a rear-mounted 1,172 cc Ford Eifel engine with only 32 bhp of power. (Picture from: Hemmings)
Underneath that sleek body was a 1.1-liter, rear-mounted flat-four engine producing just 24 horsepower. Modest on paper, yes, but thanks to its incredibly efficient design, the car could reach speeds of up to 88 mph—faster than the early Porsches of the time. And despite its compact footprint, it could squeeze in four to five passengers, showing that Volkhart was thinking about practicality just as much as performance.
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta has inlets at the front, could be for the cabin ventilation, front brake cooling, horn, or a front mounted oil cooler. (Picture from: Hemmings)
What really set the V2 Sagitta apart, however, was its aerodynamic brilliance. The car was tested in Volkswagen’s wind tunnel in 2011, decades after it was built, and the results were astonishing. It recorded a drag coefficient of just 0.217—still on par with some of the best modern designs today. To put that into perspective, that’s better than most current-day sports cars, and lightyears ahead of anything else in the 1940s.
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta is powered by a rear-mounted 1.1-liter flat-four good for 24 horsepower and a top speed of 88 mph. (Picture from: Hemmings)
Sadly, the V2never went into production. Volkswagen refused to supply more chassis, and without a solid production plan, the project faded into obscurity. Only one unit was ever made, and it had a strange life afterward.
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta has a fan sucking air through that grille under rear window as for its engine cooling (although this 24 hp engine actually doesn't need much cooling). (Picture from: Hemmings)
It was sold to Hugo Tigges, a man who had provided materials during the car’s construction. He used it as his daily driver for six years before abandoning it in a garden in 1953. Two years later, Helmut Daum, son of one of the original builders, stepped in to rescue and preserve what was left.
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta' last appearance in public under British racing green color was happened at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2012. (Picture from: Madle.org)
Over time, the car was restored, repainted, and passed between owners before ending up with Austrian Porsche collector Walter Traxler. Its last known public appearance was at the 2012 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este, where it turned heads in a fresh silver coat after being returned to its original color from a previous repaint in British racing green.
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta' last appearance in public under British racing green color was happened at the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este 2012. (Picture from: Madle.org)
In early 2023, news surfaced that the Volkhart V2 Sagittawould be auctioned by Bonhams at an event in Paris, with an estimated price tag between €1.8 million and €2.6 million. Yet, in a surprising twist, the car was withdrawn before the sale could take place, leaving its future hanging in uncertainty once again.😥
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta is more than just a
quirky piece of automotive history—it’s a glimpse into a lost path of
design innovation. Built at a time when speed, beauty, and function
rarely intersected in car design, it stood apart as a bold attempt to
push boundaries. Today, it remains one of the rarest and most unique examples of what might have been, had things gone just a little differently.. *** [EKA [24032023] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CLASSICCARWEEKLY.NET | BONHAM | HEMMINGS | ULTIMATECARPAGE ]
Note: This blog can be accessed via your smart phone.
Missing LINK - The Jaguar D-type and its successor, the E-type, stand as two of the most iconic creations in Jaguar's history. These models not only reflect Jaguar’s rich automotive legacy but also marked the brand's dominance in the racing world. In the mid-1950s, Jaguar's D-type achieved significant success, particularly at the renowned 24-Hours of Le Mans. From 1955 to 1956, Jaguar's racing prowess was unmatched, and the D-type was instrumental in securing back-to-back victories.
The 1960 Jaguar E2A Prototype is a scaled up development mule built with the chassis made of steel, not monocoque aluminum as in the E1A. (Picture from: Pinterest)
Phantom Challenger - The following article briefly tells about the rivalry that really happened between the two American automotive giants General Motors and Ford Motor Company through the automotive products produced by both of them.
The Ford Cougar II Concept is built by Ford Motor Company intended to be an equal rival model of the Chevy Corvette. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
The story begins when GM through its subsdiary marque, Chevrolet launched a design change of the Corvette sports car in the early 1960s, which at that time immediately caught the public's attention because of its good performance. Off course it made Ford top brass felt challenged to create an equal rival.
The Ford Cougar II Concept is featured an aerodynamic coupe styling bodywork, offered a great interior design plus retractable headlights. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
Then they called the company's engineers for immediately devised a plan. In short, the engineers produced this interesting concept such the Ford Cougar II Concept, which featured an aerodynamic coupe styling bodywork, offered a great interior design plus retractable headlights and was also called one of three-X car concepts, along with the Ford Allegro and Ford Mustang II.
The Ford XP Bordinat Cobra is a concept car creation of Ford Motor Company collaborated with Carroll Shelby back in the 1963. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
By design this Cougar II Concept is very similar to another concept car called the Bordinat Cobra, associated with Gene Bordinat, Ford's Vice President of Styling then, and the man behind the creation of these two great concept models. Well, the mentioned Cobra Roadster, which is one of the collaboration result cars of Ford Motor Company with Carroll Shelby, turned out to be warmly welcomed when it was introduced to the public, and many consumers really enjoyed the great styling. It's said that Ford never liked the eggshell-thin aluminum body of the Cobra, so it designed a coupe style similar to the Corvette and had one made.
The great looking Ford Cougar II fastback concept design built with a fiberglass body under finishing touches of a candy apple red color. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
Furthermore, both are also built on a Shelby Cobra legendary chassis, only the Cougar II Concept is powered by a Ford small block 260ci V8 engine. This great looking fastback concept design built with a fiberglass body under finishing touches of a candy apple red color, in which its bodywork was created and built by Ford designers, Ken Spencer and Ray Behmer.
The Ford Cougar II Concept is powered by a Ford small block 260ci V8 engine. (Picture from: Motorcities.org)
While many historians and automotive enthusiasts have argued that the Cougar II Concept looked like a Corvette and deserved to be an equal rival for those Chevy's sports car, on the contrary Ford engineers at the time thought the car would be too expensive to produce.
So then the blue oval logoed company chose to be more focus on the Mustang project whose its production version is still could be seen until today, and left the Bordinat Cobra and the Cougar II Concept models dusty in the warehouse. Later, both of them were donated to the Detroit Historical Museum. 😢 *** [EKA [27102022] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | MOTORCITIES | THEGENTLEMANRACER | HEMMINGS | BURRITODETODO ]
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Postwar Reverie - The years following World War II were filled with a strange mix of exhaustion and optimism. Factories that once served military needs began searching for new identities, and engineers were suddenly free to imagine objects meant not for survival, but for living. In that brief, hopeful window, some of the most unconventional machines ever conceived took shape. One of them was the Moto Major 350, a motorcycle born from postwar ambition and creative freedom, and one that still feels remarkably alive in today’s design-driven era.
The vintage-styled 1947 Moto Major 350 prototype still enchanting until today. (Picture from: MotoRiderUniverse)
Unveiled in 1947, the Moto Major 350 immediately stood apart from conventional motorcycles of its time. Designed by Turin-based engineer Salvatore Maiorca, the bike ignored exposed mechanical honesty and instead embraced flowing form. Its silhouette placed it in the same visual conversation as rare experimental machines likethe Killinger & Freund from 1938 or Louis Lucien Lepoix’s customized BMW R12, yet the Moto Major carried a personality entirely its own—more organic, more daring, and unmistakably futuristic.
The 1947 Moto Major 350 is voted as the Best of Show Motorcycles at the Concorso Eleganza Villa d’Este in 2018. (Picture from: TheVintagent)
The origins of this motorcycle are closely tied to Aeritalia, an aerospace company based in Turin and a subsidiary of Fiat. Developed inside Aeritalia’s aerodynamic research facilities, the Moto Major was fully funded as an experimental project, reflecting Fiat’s curiosity about entering the two-wheeled market. This was not Fiat’s first flirtation with motorcycles; a decade earlier, it had explored scooter concepts that predated models like Piaggio’s MP5 Paperino. The Moto Major, however, pushed far beyond experimentation and into radical design philosophy.
From every angle, the Moto Major is stunning and compelling. The sole prototype remains in original and unrestored condition.(Picture from: TheVintagent)
What continues to enchant enthusiasts decades later is its bodywork, which feels less engineered and more sculpted. The steel shell wraps almost the entire motorcycle, leaving only the wheels, headlamp, and handlebars visible. Its form has often been compared to marine life, with smooth, cephalopod-like curves and intricate detailing. Even the silencer resembles a flattened fishtail, reinforcing the organic theme while creating a visual balance rarely seen in motorcycles, vintage or modern.
A cutaway view of the 350 single-cylinder of Moto Major, and showing the steering system, inline single-cylinder motor, shaft drive, and fuel tank under the saddle.(Picture from: TheVintagent)
Beneath the dramatic exterior lies equally unconventional engineering. The Moto Major 350 used a vertically oriented, liquid-cooled twin-cylinder engine, with two radiators discreetly integrated into the fairing and fed by airflow from the front. Controls were partially concealed, with a hand shifter emerging through the bodywork, while the handlebars remained exposed, creating a subtle tension between enclosure and rider connection.
The Moto Major has twin fishtail exhausts hide a secret with only one side is functional, another one is a dummy for aesthetic balance purposes only.(Picture from: TheVintagent)
The exhaust layout added another layer of visual theater. Twin fishtail outlets extended from the rear, even though the 350 cc version technically required only one exhaust pipe. The second was purely decorative, included solely to preserve symmetry. This decision perfectly captured the philosophy behind the Moto Major—engineering logic existed, but it willingly bowed to aesthetics when necessary.
The handlebars move in a slot in the bodywork, between the speedometer and a steering damper knob.(Picture from: TheVintagent)
Perhaps the most advanced idea was hidden within the wheels themselves. The body functioned as a self-supporting monocoque hull, allowing the fairing to sit extremely close to the wheels. Suspension was not placed between the chassis and wheels, but inside the wheels, between the rims and hubs. Maiorca adapted concepts he had previously explored in aircraft design, reviving the almost-forgotten idea of elastic wheels and pushing motorcycle engineering into uncharted territory.
The Moto Major’s in-wheel suspension uses 12 compressed rubber disc per wheel for suspension, to provide a nominal 50cm of travel.(Picture from: TheVintagent)
Despite the excitement it generated—including a planned collaboration with Pirelli and a sensational public appearance at the 1948 Milan Salon—the Moto Major 350
never entered production. Costs, complexity, and shifting priorities
quietly ended the dream. Today, the sole surviving example rests with the Hockenheim Museum Archive, preserved rather than restored due to its delicate and irreplaceable components. Its recognition as Best of Show Motorcycle at the 2018 Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este confirmed what many already felt: the Moto Major 350 is not just a relic, but a timeless expression of how bold imagination can outlast the era that created it.
Kept spur your adrenaline on the power of the two-wheeled monster and stay alive with true safety riding. God will forgive Your sins and so does the cops.... *** [EKA [07032020] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | THE VINTAGENT | BIKEEXIF | MOTORIDERSUNIVERSE ]
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Future Oddities - Mass-production car models may seen such ordinary thing in the eyes of automotive lovers who have different imagination, so they felt the need to show the car or vehicle considered unique and special to their eyes. No wonder if there are many eccentric minded builder and modificators whose make their futuristic dream cars come true alone without any supports or helping from automotive manufacturers.
Have You seen this past-made weird futuristic visioned vehicle? (Picture from: MessyNessy)
It should be noted, all of the vehicles below were really existed, even some of them could be driven and legally used to run on the public roads. Here's the seven most weirdest cars of all the time might you've never known or seen before;
1. 1938 Phantom Corsair
This is a six-passenger 2-door sedan prototype called the Phantom Corsair, it was designed by Rust Heinz and Maurice Schwartz, then built by the Bohman & Schwartz coachbuilding company in Pasadena, California in 1938. Although sometimes dismissed as a failure because it never entered production, the Corsair is regarded as ahead of its time because of its futuristic features, and styling cues such as faired-in fenders and a low profile.
The 1938 Phantom Corsair designed by Rust Heinz and Maurice Schwartz, then built in 1938 by the Bohman & Schwartz. (Picture from: AmazingCars)
The Corsair futuristic-styled bodywork built on the chassis taken from a Cord 810 and large enough to seat six individuals inside its cabin. To propel this rather large vehicle, a Lycoming V8 engine was fitted that displaced 289 cubic-inches capable to burst power of 190 horsepower, so allowing the Phantom Corsair to reach 115 mph. While to keep the car in the driver control, there's a drum brakes on all four corners to slow the vehicle.
2. 1942 L'Oeuf Electrique This is an electrical classic three-wheeled vehicle called L'Oeuf Electrique (means 'Electric Egg') It was made in 1942 by a French artists, industrial designers, and an engineer as well, Paul Arzens. Reportedly, this weird looking car made during the German occupation of Northern France so that caused lack of the fuel, by considering such condition then forced Arzens to go all-electric by converting its conventional gasoline drivetrain to an electric motor.
The 1942 L'Oeuf Electrique by Paul Arzens. (Picture from: Supercars.net)
When created, this three-wheeled electric classic vehicle intended to be personal used vehicle in future. Therefore, this electric bubble car which made him to be the first person who made small car post the war. Since this electrical classic vehicle appeared, it continues to be an inspiration for many to develop the similar ones until now.
3. 1948 Timbs Special Roadster
This is Timbs Special Roadster designed and built by Norman E. Timbs by himself in 1948. The sleek roadster has mostly aluminum bodywork built on top of a steel chassis and it need almost two years for completion with the cost of $10,000 at the time. The roadster design was actually very simple, free of any gaudy, over-designed adornment.
The 1948 Timbs Special Roadster by Norman E. Timbs. (Picture from: Autoweek)
To keep the shape clean, no doors were cut out of the body. So to access the cabin, it's simply just hop into it. Furthermore, this slick streamlined roadster was powered by a Buick Super 8 drivetrain which allowed it to run up to a top speed of 120 mph, well that's a quite fast for its day.
4. 1950 Wing Tank Special
Here's the jet-inspired custom car called the Wing Tank Special built in an early 1950s by US Air Force Lt.Col. Edward Richer in England. He used a Ford Anglia chassis plus parts from a Chevy and an Austin, while the side-tanks came off a Lockheed T-33 jet trainer.
The 1950 Wing Tank Special by US-Air Force Lt.Col. Edward Richer. (Picture from: QuirkyRides)
As
you can see the Wing Tank Special is a compact two-seater unique shaped
vehicle inspired by jet-plane which was a trend at that time to display
the future vehicle vision.
5. 1955 Almar's Space Race Dream Car
The following unique car known as the Almar's Space Race Dream Car was built in 1955 by Almar Nordhaug,
a Norwegian who lives in Tórshavn, Faroe Island. He built the car while
working at a barrel factory in there, and helped by his colleagues from
the barrel factory. The overall design of the Almar's car is very
similar to the 1954 Ford FX-Atmos concept car, and we believe it becomes an inspiration during its development.
Almar's Dream Car in the day as it arrived in Norway back in 1957. (Picture from: Facebook)
Furthermore, this car is built on a Vauxhall Cresta
chassis complete with its engine and drive system. Then the body is
built in a handmade and uniquely, it using an airplane cockpit cover
functioned as the roof. This 2-seater unique-shaped car also had the gullwing doors to stand out prominently so that it will always make people immediately look at when it is passing the streets.
6. 1955 Galileo Concept
The appearance of the unique car called the Galileo Concept, since it was first shown to the public in 1957, is indeed very interesting and is still able to invite the admiration of those who see it today. The unique-shaped car was built by an unknown American automaker named Joseph Galileo.
1957 Galileo Concept is a trully stunning jet-inspired show car of 1950s.(Picture from: QuirkyRides)
He built this dream car using a frame taken from 1949 Ford, but the fiberglass body was all made by Galileo himself. He made molds of wood and plaster and shaped the car, complete with gullwing doors. The shape of the bumper is uniquely designed so that it features a jet-themed intakes that is the epitome of 1950s futuristic style on the front, then the car is powered by an Oldsmobile 'Rocket' V8 engine that's such a perfect match in both name and technology for the car.
7. 1968 Pussycar Automodule
This is an eccentrics vehicle design called the Pussycar Automodule, and was one unique retro creation designed by Jean Pierre Ponthieu to be the vision of the future vehicle. The Pussycar Automodule seem like spherical-shaped vehicle described as 'The Car of the Year 2000,' built to be a sort of promotional purposed vehicle, and launched in 1968.
1968 Pussycar Automodule by Jean Pierre Ponthieu, and dubbed as 'The Car of the Year 2000'. (Picture from: MessyNessy)
The unique car whose rear wheel is powered by a 250 cc single cylinder engine can do wheelies! Definitely no speedster, this vehicle inches forward slowly and can also turns its wheels to drive sideways or rotate in place.
Today, we still haven't found yet a single car like this milling around the streets. One thing in certain to this day, the Pussycar Automodule remained seen as a strange car to us.
In the end, these seven wonderful cars prove that automotive history is full of creativity and bold ideas. While some may look strange by today’s standards, each one left a unique mark on the industry. They remind us that innovation often begins with the courage to be different. *** [EKA | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | OLDCONCEPTCARS | WHICHCAR | MESSYNESSY | AMAZINGCARS | THEAUTOPIAN ]
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Forgotten Glamour - A remarkable vehicle does not always become famous, and some of the most fascinating creations in automotive history spend decades hidden from public memory. During the golden age of scooters in the 1950s and 1960s, countless designs emerged from both established manufacturers and passionate independent builders. Among them was an exceptionally rare Italian scooter known as the Linto Marilina, a machine whose elegance was inspired by one of the most iconic women of the twentieth century, Marilyn Monroe.
The 1954 Linto Marilina while on display in front of Marilyn Monroe's picture at the Salon Moto Légende 2019. (Picture from: CafeRacerClub.org)
In early 2023, news surfaced that the Volkhart V2 Sagitta would be auctioned by Bonhams at an event in Paris, with an estimated price tag between €1.8 million and €2.6 million. Yet, in a surprising twist, the car was withdrawn before the sale could take place, leaving its future hanging in uncertainty once again.😥
The Volkhart V2 Sagitta is more than just a
quirky piece of automotive history—it’s a glimpse into a lost path of
design innovation. Built at a time when speed, beauty, and function
rarely intersected in car design, it stood apart as a bold attempt to
push boundaries. Today, it remains one of the rarest and most unique examples of what might have been, had things gone just a little differently.. *** [EKA [24032023] | FROM VARIOUS SOURCES | CLASSICCARWEEKLY.NET | BONHAM | HEMMINGS | ULTIMATECARPAGE ]
