The 1970s saw the famous Italian carrozzeria showing off their creative talents in the form of innovative concept vehicles, many of which today still – 40 years on – come across as ultra-futuristic. Even though many of these dream machines never made it past the cutting room floor, they still reflect an era when automotive extremism was taken to a whole new level.

Commended motorsports photographer Rainer W. Schlegelmilch brings long forgotten concept cars back to life – all through the lens of his camera. The full-colour photographs not only capture the visionary thinking behind the prototypes, but also shed new light on how these vehicles came about and what happened to them once their time in the spotlight was over.

From Bertone to Pininfarina, ‘70s Concept Cars’ features the some of the coolest vehicles (at least in terms of style and looks) ever to have made it beyond the drawing board. The suave speedsters, the experimental supercars and the spacecraft-like vehicles you’d expect to just lift off and fly away – all this and more is included between the covers of this massive, image-rich documentation.

One can’t but help to wonder: what would have happened if the automakers would have followed their high-flying dreams – and travelled 'the road not taken'?

Photos: teNeues/ Rainer W. Schlegelmilch