The Tucker was an American automobile with advanced design features conceived by Preston Tucker, produced in Chicago in 1948. Only 51 Tucker automobiles were made. The company folded on March 3, 1949 amid allegations of fraud.
Innovations included a rear-mounted engine, the fastback, independent four-wheel suspension, and several automobile safety features, including a pop-out windshield, a steerable front light to see better while turning, disc brakes, seatbelts, and a padded dashboard. Though never implemented, Tucker planned for the mass-produced car to be powered by an air-cooled engine from Franklin.
It has been described as an automobile ahead of its time, as many of these innovations have been incorporated into modern cars.
The company was the subject of a 1988 movie called Tucker: The Man and his Dream.
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External links
Further Reading
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- Pearson, Charles T. (1974). The Indomitable Tin Goose: The True Story of Preston Tucker and His Car. Motorbooks International Publishers & Wholesalers, Minneapolis. ISBN 0879380209 (hardcover).
