Ford Seattle-ite: one of history's most significant concept cars

Concept cars attempt to predict the future, demonstrating new technologies to make our lives safer, more comfortable and anjoyable. With the 20-20 vision afforded by hindsight, Ford's 1963 World Fair Showpeice stands out as one of the most visionary concept cars in history. Many concept cars have forecast technologies that have become standard equippe but few have forecast as many technologies so far before their time as the Ford Seattle-ite XXI. Built to symbolise the future of American technological knowhow for the 1963 World’s Fair, it encompassed some remarkable concepts – interchangeable fuel cell power units, interchangeable bodies, interactive computer navigation, mapping and auto information systems, and four driving and steering wheels.

The interchangeable power units included fuel cells and the possibility of “compact nuclear propulsion devices.” Nuclear fusion was at that time promoted as a safe and viable future power source.

The brochure distributed at the World’s Fair makes interesting reading, given it was four decades before fuel cells have become viable, 15 years before NAVSTAR and a decade before the invention of the microchip.

“Advanced stylists are not restricted in their “dreaming” to designs based on existing facilities or scientific achievements. Unlimited freedom to speculate is the key to progressive automobile styling.

A styling experiment like Seattle-ite, with its many forward-looking features, could lead to exciting new concepts of styling, comfort and safety.”

“This dream car envisions four steerable front wheels and feature such advanced concepts as a travel programming computer, variable density glass, jaluosie windows, and finger tip steering.

“The entire front of the car would “break away” from the passenger compartment in order to permit conversions from an economical power capsule of perhaps 60 HP, to a high speed, transcontinental unit in excess of 400HP. All controls would be conducted through a flexible coupling that would simply plug into the passenger compartment. “ Forty years on, the fuel cell is now the heir apparent to the internal combustion engine and modular, multi-function vehicles are tipped to become commonplace in coming decades.

“Four front wheels would turn in tandem. Ford stylists believe this would greatly enhance tracking, traction, and braking efficiency.”

This was the first six wheeled car - a decade later the six-wheeled concept proved more than viable - Tyrrell’s fabled P34 actually won an F1 Grand Prix (see page 95) “Fingertip steering and a travel programming computer are among the interior features of the Seattle-ite. Virtually effortless fingertip steering would allow accurate “zeroing in” at all speeds. A viewing screen would show engine performance characteristics, road and weather conditions, position of the vehicle in relation to an automatically rolling road map, and estimated time of arrival at any selected designation.”

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