1967 OSI Silver Fox prototype

There have been many, many weird prototype vehicles developed over the years, but usually you can see some logic in the madness. However with the 1967 OSI Silver Fox there is absolutely nothing logical. Why split the car into two separate ‘hulls’, drastically reducing your packaging options, and completely obliterating chassis rigidity? Who knows. Amazingly, the car was built with a view to competition and record breaking attempts, not just to blow minds and raise eyebrows. The project began when OSI (Officina Stampaggio Industriale SpA), an Italian car manufacturer founded in 1960, decided in 1967 to build something a little bit different for that year’s Turin Motor Show. The Silver Fox featured a 1.0 litre Renault Alpine four-cylinder engine which was mounted in the left-hand side of the vehicle, just behind the passenger seat. Despite the poky little engine, the Silver Fox was capable of reaching 155mph. Aside from the unusual body configuration, the OSI Silver Fox was equipped with some unique aerodynamic aids. Between the two fuselages are three individual spoilers. The front one was manually adjustable when the vehicle was stationary, the middle one could be adjusted while on the move, while the rear spoiler was in a fixed position. OSI’s grand plan was to field the car at the 24 Hours of Le Mans. However the company ran into financial difficulties shortly after the vehicle’s introduction. By the end of 1968 both the Silver Fox and OSI were consigned to history.