8 Cars You've Never Heard of Before

Alpine A106:

The current Alpine A110 is well-known, as is the earlier model of the same name, which was released in the 1960s and became the world's most successful rally vehicle in 1973. Alpine original A110 was the third. The first was the A106, a fibreglass-bodied, rear-engine sports automobile designed by Dieppe Renault dealer and amateur rally driver Jean Rédélé (1922-2007), who used the mechanicals from Renault's first post-war vehicle, the 4CV. By 1950s standards, it was light, nimble, and speedy. Today, it can be seen as the foundation stone of the Alpine brand, which currently includes a Formula One team.

Audi Front:

Today's Alpine A110 is well-known, as is the previous model of the same name, which was released in the 1960s and became the world's most successful rally car in 1973. Alpine original A110 was the third. The first was the A106, a fibreglass-bodied, rear-engine sports car designed by Dieppe Renault dealer and amateur rally driver Jean Rédélé (1922-2007), who used the mechanicals from Renault's first postwar car, the 4CV. It was light, nimble, and speedy by mid- to late 1950s standards. Today, it might be considered the Alpine brand's foundation stone, which now includes a Formula One team.

Benz Velo:

Almost every article written about the early days of motoring mentions the Benz Patent Motorwagen, which is commonly (but debatably) referred to as the world's first vehicle. Unfortunately, even less attention is dedicated to the later Benz Velo. Officially known as the Velocipede, the Velo had four wheels as opposed to the Patent Motorwagen's three, and it was made for a considerably longer period of time and in far higher numbers.  Several changes occurred over the years, including increasing power output and, beginning in 1896, the possibility of pneumatic tyres. More than 1200 vehicles were made between 1894 and 1902, making the Velo the first mass-produced car.

BMW 700:

While it is improbable today that BMW would ever create a tiny sports vehicle with a rear-mounted 0.7-litre engine, it's crucial to remember that in the 1950s, the business was one step away from financial ruin, saved only by the manufacture of the Isetta bubble car. The 700 arrived at precisely the right time. This was a terrific little machine, backed up by a lot of positive press due to its performance in motorsports. It was so popular that BMW had to produce over 190,000 units between 1959 and 1965 to meet demand. If Without this car, BMW would be as famous as Horch or Peerless.

Buick Series 50 Super:

Some automobiles become obscure not because they were unsuccessful, but because they were only produced for a brief period of time. The Series 50 Super, which is based on the popular General Motors C-body architecture and powered by a 4.1-liter version of Buick's Fireball straight-eight engine, is one example. The average yearly output is thought to have exceeded 100,000, but the car was only offered (in saloon, coupe, and estate body styles) during the 1940 and 1941 model years.

Lamborghini Islero S:

The Islero, which was only produced from 1968 to 1970, is possibly the most 'forgotten' Lamborghini. Its impressive specification included a 3.9-litre V12 engine producing 340bhp, but it was offset by very restrained styling (particularly when compared to the Espada, which Lamborghini launched around the same time), a 15% higher price than the Aston Martin DBS V8, and a reputation for being poorly put together. The superior Islero S swiftly superseded the initial version, which had a power boost to 350bhp, a better interior, and a greater focus on build quality. This was a car worthy of its maker, but the harm had already been done. Lamborghini ordered a halt after only 225 cars (125 of the original and100 of the S) had been assembled.

Mercedes 35hp:

Daimler designed the 35hp at the suggestion of one of its agents, Emil Jellinek (1853-1918), who recognized the need of making a car's center of gravity lower than was typical in the nineteenth century. This, along with a powerful 5.9-litre engine, made the 35hp a formidable competition vehicle when it debuted in 1901, and it was quickly refined into a very capable road-going production model. Jellinek used his daughter's name on the car and nearly everything else he did, including multiple houses. Daimler subsequently registered it and has used it on its vehicles for over a century. You undoubtedly know about those, even if you weren't aware of the fantastic racer that preceded them.

Nissan Be-1:

Nissan created numerous extravagantly styled models known collectively as pike cars in the late 1980s and early 1990s, which design critic Phil Patton (1952-2015) famously termed as "the height of postmodernism". The best-known outside Japan are the retro-modern Figaro and the odd S-Cargo (a small van shaped like a snail), but both were preceded by the Be-1, which debuted in early 1987. Based on the first-generation Micra, which is a solid starting point, this charming little two-door saloon piqued the interest of potential buyers. Nissan promised to construct no more than 10,000 examples but got more than that number of orders. Determined to keep the automobile unique, Nissan kept to its original strategy and choose who was allowed to buy it utilizing a lottery.