a look at wedge cars from 60s and 70s, from lancia stratos HF zero to lamborghini countach

Exhibition of Wedge cars in Petersen Automotive Museum

Petersen Automotive Museum shows some of the iconic wedge cars from the 60s and 70s in an exhibition, from the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero to the 1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400 Periscopio. Titled The Wedge Revolution: Cars on the Cutting Edge, the show spotlights wedge-shaped automotive design that features angular silhouettes, faceted planes, and even bold geometric forms. These are some of the car concepts and designs that defined the era from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s, with their forward-looking, and quite literally, styles.

Some of the vehicles include models from Aston Martin, Chevrolet, Lamborghini, and Lancia. The exhibition takes the chance to showcase the wedge‑car design movement that emerged as a stray from the curvaceous, chrome-laden styling of earlier eras, visibly favoring a futuristic aesthetic instead of the typical aerodynamic-focused production. Designers such as Marcello Gandini, Giorgetto Giugiaro, Sergio Coggiola, William Towns, and Jerry Palmer played a central role in this visual revolution, and their names appear in the exhibition, a rightful recognition for their progressive wedge-car works.

1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero | all images courtesy of Petersen Automotive Museum

Futuristic Vehicles from mid-60s to early 80s

There are thirteen wedge cars featured in the exhibition at the Petersen Automotive Museum, each chosen for their historical significance. There’s the 1966 Cannara I, considered one of the earliest wedge cars ever built, as it predated well-known wedges like the Carabo or the Bizzarrini Manta. The vehicle represents a pioneering point in wedge evolution, especially given its very early introduction date. 

In another area within the show, the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero, an iconic concept by Bertone and Lancia, emerges. It was first shown at the 1970 Turin Auto Show, a year before the Stratos prototype and three years before the production model arrived. Its design stands out with its sharply tapered, sculptural form, which later on became emblematic in the field of wedge cars.

Petersen Automotive Museum exhibits some of the iconic wedge cars from the 60s and 70s

Lamborghini Countach and Aston Martin Bulldog on site

The 1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400 Periscopio as well as the 1979 Aston Martin Bulldog grace the exhibition of wedge cars, too. The former, the brainchild of Marcello Gandini, brings over its rear periscope roof repeater defined angular, extreme wedge aesthetics. The latter, a one-off prototype built to chase a 200 mph top speed, unveils its sharply folded surfaces and low silhouette right in front of the visitors’ eyes. 

The 1976 Chevrolet Aerovette is also present, a mid-engine concept from GM’s design labs, which explored the use of rotary engines, gullwing doors, and futuristic proportions decades before mid-engine Corvettes became mainstream. Each vehicle in the exhibit is accompanied by a detailed placard describing its backstory, from original design intent and coachbuilder involvement to public debut and why it mattered to the evolution of car styling. The Wedge Revolution: Cars on the Cutting Edge opened on August 2nd, 2025, located in the Sam and Emily Mann Design Gallery on the second floor of the Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles. 

side profile of the 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero with the front and rear trunks open

1977 UrbaCar

1979 Aston Martin Bulldog with sharply folded surfaces and low silhouette

1974 Lamborghini Countach LP400 Periscopio

1981 DeLorean DMC-12 Coupe Gold

1976 Lancia Stratos HF Stradale by Bertone

the 1966 Cannara I

the exhibition is named The Wedge Revolution: Cars on the Cutting Edge

the show spotlights wedge-shaped automotive design that features angular silhouettes and faceted planes

project info:

name: The Wedge Revolution: Cars on the Cutting Edge

museum: Petersen Automotive Museum | @petersenmuseum

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