5 wedge-like vehicles that wore it better than Tesla’s Cybertruck

When the Tesla Cybertruck first rolled onto the stage during its debut in Los Angeles, some onlookers thought they were being pranked. I sure did. The faceted Cybertruck looks like a prop from an ’80s sci-fi movie. Will the Cybertruck usher in a new era of Blade-Runner-esque robots, or will we just get the dystopian styling?

As we all scratch our heads and wonder what Tesla was aiming for with the Cybertruck (other than, you know, the windows), here are five vehicles that also used flat panels but delivered compelling designs. 

Lamborghini Countach

The doorstop by which all others will be judged, the Countach filled the gap left by the discontinued Miura, itself one of the most beautiful cars ever built. As iconic as the Countach is, I wouldn’t have complained about a few more years of Miura production. 

Vector W8

An American take on the European wedge supercar, the Vector W8 looked like a low-res Countach, taking the curved flanks of the Lamborghini and ironing them out. These Vectors packed 625-horsepower, twin-turbocharged, all-aluminum V-8s, but fewer than 20 were built. 

Lotus Esprit

Over its lengthy production run the Lotus Esprit evolved, and the design did soften, to a degree; but each iteration still shows an elegant British take on the basic wedge design. The Esprit is a bit more upright and staid than the other mid-engine cars I’ve mentioned—perhaps that’s why its clean lines have aged so well.

Bollinger B1

Criticized for being too blocky and simple when unveiled, maybe Bollinger’s all-electric pickup truck and SUV designs just needed some time to gel in our collective conscience. Yeah, this one isn’t really a wedge shape, but it’s the same faceted approach taken to a pickup truck and SUV’s blocky extreme. Packed with novel, useful features like a pass-through frunk, they look old-school rather than retro-futuristic, and more closely resemble a Land Rover Defender than the current Land Rover Defender. Sign me up.

Comuta-Car

The result of banning French curves from your design studio—or, perhaps of not having a design studio at all—the Comuta-Car didn’t have a curved panel anywhere.

If you’re going to build the electric car of the future, go all out. I’d bet there’s a photo of this car taped to the wall in the Tesla design studio, or perhaps wadded up in the trash just like their French curves.