Meet the forgotten 3-wheeled cars that once promised to change America forever

These forgotten 3-wheeled cars were a mixture of concept cars, failed car inventions, and experimental cars, but each one was an unusual car that tried to rewrite design norms.

Built with bold ideas and futuristic styling, the Aeromobile and the Davis Divan briefly captured public attention.

Their layouts challenged convention, pushing automotive engineering into strange but innovative territory.

Although neither made it past prototype production, both remain defining examples of radical thinking in early vehicle design.

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Why these forgotten 3-wheeled cars drew attention

The Aeromobile was designed in the 1930s by engineer Paul M. Lewis.

With two front wheels and a single wheel at the rear, it combined lightweight efficiency with visual drama.

The body was styled for airflow, with sweeping tail fins and a teardrop profile, placing it among the most daring concept cars of its time.

Built to be simple and affordable, the layout reduced the need for costly drivetrain parts.

Lewis hoped to sell it for just $500, aiming to make it a common sight during the Great Depression.

Inside, it was as minimal as it was inventive.

A split windshield, banjo steering wheel, and centrally mounted gauge cluster echoed the aerodynamic vision.

Its flat-four, air-cooled engine, developed by Franklin engineers, was mounted low for a balanced center of gravity.

Lewis toured the country with it for over 45,000 miles, searching for investors.

Despite the effort, the Aeromobile became one of several bold but failed car inventions.

Today, it is a defining example of a forgotten 3-wheeled car that pushed the boundaries of what car design could be.

When a concept car becomes an unusual car

The Davis Divan was another attempt to break the mold.

Built in post-war California by Gary Davis, this three-wheeled vehicle took an opposite approach: one front wheel and two rear wheels.

The styling borrowed heavily from aircraft, with a conical nose, retractable lighting, and push-button doors.

It was meant to be highly maneuverable in crowded cities, something its unique layout was supposed to support.

Inside, the Divan offered a wide front bench seat designed to fit four people across without a rear row.

The body sat high to accommodate a front-mounted flathead Ford engine, which made the floor cramped and the ride stiff.

The soft suspension helped manage the instability of the layout, but it could not overcome the limited power or awkward proportions.

Though it aimed to be a game-changing concept car, it ultimately never caught on.

Only 13 examples were ever built. The Davis Divan now stands alongside the Aeromobile in collections and museums, remembered as one of America’s most fascinating experimental cars.

For collectors and designers alike, it represents the kind of ambition that defines failed car inventions and the creative risks that come with rewriting car designs from the ground up.

These forgotten 3-wheeled cars may never have achieved commercial success, but they left a lasting legacy.

As experimental cars, they embody the daring spirit of concept cars that challenged the rules.

Each one was an unusual car with a clear identity, offering lessons in both design innovation and engineering limitation.

Their boldness still resonates with anyone fascinated by what the automobile might have become.

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