What did Volvo’s PremAir radiator do? Its catalytic coating converted some ground-level ozone in the air passing through the radiator into oxygen. Volvo reported conversion of up to 75% in tests
Why did Volkswagen make Harlequin cars? The multicoloured Polo began as a promotional demonstration of Volkswagen’s modular ordering system. Customers wanted the display cars, prompting the Polo
What was the 1996 Toyota Classic? It was a limited-run sedan inspired by the 1936 Toyoda Model AA, built on a Hilux pickup chassis. Toyota produced 100 examples, combining period-style bodywork and ca
What was the Mercedes braking bag? It was an experimental underbody airbag shown as part of the ESF 2009 safety programme. When sensors judged a collision unavoidable, the device would deploy a high-f
What was the Saab Toppola camper? It was a removable living module fitted into a compatible hatchback after its rear hatch was taken off. Developed in Sweden in the early 1980s, it gave a passenger ca
Does Nissan’s self-healing paint actually work? Scratch Shield can help fine scratches in its clearcoat recover over time. Nissan says recovery depends on temperature and scratch depth, sometime
How did a Mercedes taxi reach 4.6 million kilometres? Gregorios Sachinidis kept his 1976 Mercedes-Benz 240 D working in Thessaloniki for decades. Its recorded distance came with substantial mechanical
Open the boot of most small cars from the 1960s and you would expect shopping, a spare wheel or perhaps a toolbox. In a Citroën 2CV Sahara, the engine would be taking up much of that space. The o
A delivery van usually gets noticed because it is blocking something. Nissan found another way: give it a face, a rounded shell and the proportions of a snail that has somewhere to be. The S-Cargo
The cloth catches halfway across the dashboard. Instead of lifting the dust, it leaves a few fibers behind, and a fingertip pressed against the surface comes away with the unpleasant impression that s