1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero (Photo courtesy of the Petersen Automotive Museum)
The wedge-shaped cars of the 1960s-1980s are so dramatic and angular that it seems as if there were no compromises made in the transition from initial sketch to production. Unfortunately, they’re so old now that you rarely see any of them out on the street unless you count the C4 Chevrolet Corvette. The good news is that the Petersen Automotive Museum in LA will be opening an exhibit called “The Wedge Revolution: Cars on the Cutting Edge” on August 2.
According to the museum, the display, “co-curated with Tesla Chief Designer and wedge design aficionado Franz von Holzhausen, will showcase a wide range of vehicles embodying the bold, angular styling that defined this unique era in automotive design. It will highlight the transitional period when designers moved from decorative curves and chrome to clean lines, flat surfaces and geometric forms.”
Work from designers such as Marcello Gandini, Sergio Coggiola, William Towns, and Jerry Palmer will be showcased there. Some of the concept and production cars include the 1966 Cannara I, 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero, 1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400 “Periscopio,” 1979 Aston Martin Bulldog, and 1976 Chevrolet Aerovette. Although not from the era, the Tesla Cybertruck and the Lo Res Car from the footwear brand United Nude will also be on-site to check out. Given the designers mentioned, it wouldn’t come as a surprise if the exhibit also includes the Maserati Boomerang or an Aston Martin Lagonda sedan.
For more information about the “The Wedge Revolution: Cars on the Cutting Edge” exhibit at the Petersen Automotive Museum, click here. If you can’t get to Los Angeles anytime soon, don’t worry—the exhibit runs through September 2026.