Preston Tucker was responsible for the production of the Tucker Torpedo, manufactured in 1948 in Chicago.
This short-lived production lasted one year with the company folding in 1949, due to negative publicity in the media.
As a result of this, only 51 of the vehicles (Tucker Torpedo) were produced.
Besides the heavily publicised negative press suggesting allegations of stock fraud, the Tucker Torpedo took on a different track by designing a care with innovative feature and modern style.
The specifications called for a water-cooled aluminium block, flat-6 rear engine, disk brakes, four-wheel independent suspension, fuel injection, with all instruments located within reach of the steering wheel, seat belts and a padded dashboard.
Preston Tucker hired well renowned car designer, George S. Lawson to design the Tucker Torpedo.
For over a year and a half, Lawson worked on the design before the design was debuted publicly.
In Feb 1946, Lawson was named ‘Chief Stylist’ for the company immediately upon the company’s formation.
The Tucker was known for its innovative features like its third headlight AKA Cyclops Eye.
It had a rear engine and rear-wheel drive and the perimeter frame surrounded the vehicle for crash protection.
The car’s parking brake had a separate key so it could be locked in place to prevent theft.
Each Tucker Torpedo built differed to the previous as each build was basically a ‘prototype’, where design features and engineering concepts were trialled and improved or discarded throughout the production of the cycle.
