Aurora- 1957

During the mid-1950s, Father Alfred Juliano set out to construct the safest car to ever be introduced in the United States. Juliano would call the car Aurora – a fully fiberglass bodied automobile with safety features decades ahead of their time. The car was slated to be launched in 1957, but an overambitious Juliano, a streak of bad luck, and pressure from the American auto industry led to bad press and the death of Aurora.

Juliano, in his efforts to build America’s safest automobile, introduced at least 10 new safety features. These included seat belts, a collapsible steering column, puncture-proof tires, side impact protection systems (SIPS), padded dash, and a structural cage around the vehicle, to name a few.

On the day the car was to be unveiled to the press, a series of breakdowns on the drive to the New Yorker Hotel due to clay and fiberglass dust build up in the fuel lines from the cars fabrication, caused Juliano to be hours late. This led the press to write about the dangers to other motorists on roadways from the broken down Aurora, rather than the innovative safety features found beneath the futuristic looking body.

Specifications:

Manufacturer:

Juliano Custom Cars, Inc.

Country of Origin:

Branford, Connecticut, USA

Drivetrain Configuration:

Front-engine, rear-wheel drive

Engine:

Buick, water-cooled, 264 cu. in.,

V-8, four-stroke, 143 bhp.

Transmission:

Automatic

Top Speed:

Not published

Years Produced:

1957

Original Cost:

est. $300,000 (construction)