A SUPER rare ‘car of the future’ has been discovered abandoned in a barn, and it’s packed full of surprises.
The strange-looking vehicle, found by Ryan Brutt for his YouTube channel Auto Archaeology, was built by AMC in the 1960s – a brand mostly associated with high-powered muscle cars.
GettyThis bizarre wedge-shaped vehicle was built by AMC in the 1960s[/caption]
Now, an example of it has been discovered hidden away in a barn
However, this wedge-shaped set of wheels is quite different from its AMC counterparts, mainly because it lacks the traditional gas-guzzling V8 engine that gearheads typically associate with the marque.
Known as the AMC Amitron, it was first produced in 1967 and is a product of the Electric Vehicle Development Act of 1966, which provided funding for electric car research.
In many ways, it’s similar to the all-electric city cars available for sale across Europe, measuring just 85 inches long and weighing 1,100 pounds.
Its distinctive shape features a clamshell-style canopy that hinges up and backward instead of traditional doors, while the drivetrain includes two nickel-cadmium batteries and a lithium-nickel-fluoride pack.
Curiously, the Amitron featured regenerative braking, making AMC the first US brand to use this technology.
It was claimed at the time that the Amitron could travel up to 150 miles at a speed of 50 mph.
AMC planned to launch a production model by 1972 but these plans were later abandoned due to technical challenges and the high cost of battery production.
The Amitron’s final public appearance came in 1977 when it was repainted and renamed the Electron for the Chicago Auto Show.
The model was then unseen for many years, although it survived the scrapyard thanks to Chuck Mashigan, the head of the AMC design studio, who took the EV home and held onto it.
He eventually passed it to his grandson Justin, who has presumably kept it parked for the decades since.
Seemingly damage-free, the vehicle is currently at the Petersen Auto Museum and is set to receive some light restoration work before it goes on display.
This comes as a Ferrari sports car that once belonged to Donald Trump has gone up for sale.
A tasty, 2007-model Ferrari F430 Coupe, which even includes the Donald’s initials emblazoned in a unique spot on the car, is currently listed for auction.
The stunning Rosso Corsa machine features a tan interior with dual power Daytona seats, and even comes with the letters DJT emblazoned on the inside – the initials of the former president and president elect.
The F430, which was produced between 2005 and 2010, boasts a V8 engine and is capable of speeds up to 198 mph.
Elsewhere, a pricey car collection worth millions of dollars has been saved from the wildfires in Los Angeles – including an incredibly rare classic.
The deadly inferno has wreaked havoc across LA, killing 25 people and destroying 12,000 buildings and other structures as it burned through more than 60 square miles of land.
Amid the destruction, many residents have rushed to save their most valuable possessions before escaping – including their cars.
While many vehicles have been left behind in some of the fire-ravaged areas, other, incredibly valuable examples, have managed to be saved and left to shelter from the flames – including an impressive collection found parked up at a McDonald’s restaurant many miles away.
Spotted in Calabassas, California, one gearhead was blown away by the sight of multiple Mercedes, a vintage Shelby and a Ferrari.
https://www.the-sun.com/motors/13333883/rare-abandoned-barn-find-car-amc-amitron/