No other automobile manufacturer took such a radical approach to implementing the vision of speed as an expression of the modern age as the Czechoslovak company Tatra in the town of Kopřivnice. Under the direction of Austrian designer Hans Ledwinka and based on patents by Paul Jaray, design work on this pioneering vehicle began in 1934. The Tatra 87’s avant-garde silhouette proved very influential in the history of modern design thanks to its streamlined shape. In fact, its low drag coefficient is still not even matched by many of today’s vehicles. The windowless rear with its dorsal fin was considered particularly sensational. Although there’s no shortage of unusual designs in the automotive world, the Tatra 87’s consistently designed bodywork makes it almost unique.