Brief Summary:
Invention/Project: VNIITE PT (Prospective Taxi)
Developer: VNIITE (All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Technical Aesthetics), Yu. A. Dolmatovsky and others.
Country: USSR
Development Period: Early 1960s (prototype ~1964)
Essence: An experimental car specifically designed as a taxi, featuring a futuristic design, cab-over layout (engine at the rear, driver over the front axle), sliding passenger door, and fiberglass body.
A little-known but very interesting project that remained at the stage of a single prototype due to production complexities, anticipated high costs, and lack of demand from the industry. A model of advanced design and ergonomics that found no application.
Creation History
In the early 1960s, at VNIITE, an institute focused not on automobile manufacturing but on technical aesthetics (industrial design), the idea emerged to create not just another car but the perfect taxi. Under the guidance of the famous car designer and historian Yuri Dolmatovsky, the VNIITE team decided to design a vehicle from scratch based on the specific requirements of taxi services: passenger comfort, safety, maneuverability, and city efficiency. A prototype was built and presented around 1964-1965.
Operating Principle
The VNIITE PT was based on several innovative solutions for the Soviet automotive industry:
- Cab-over layout: The driver was positioned over the front axle, while the engine (from the "Moskvich-408") and transmission were located at the rear. This maximized interior space while maintaining compact dimensions.
- Fiberglass body: A lightweight, corrosion-resistant body on a metal frame allowed for complex shapes.
- Sliding passenger door: Positioned on the right (curbside), it provided safe entry/exit and did not obstruct narrow streets.
- Spacious interior: The passenger compartment was designed for comfortable seating, with luggage placed next to the driver.
Stated Advantages
- Maximum passenger space with minimal external dimensions.
- Increased safety thanks to the right sliding door.
- Good maneuverability in urban conditions.
- Excellent visibility for the driver due to the front seating position.
- Modern (futuristic for its time) design and the use of new materials (fiberglass).
- Potential economy due to the lightweight body.
Why Did It Fail?
- Complexity and cost of production: The technology for producing fiberglass bodies was not mastered by the Soviet automotive industry for mass production, which would have made the car expensive.
- Industry conservatism: Car factories (VAZ, GAZ, AZLK) were focused on producing millions of standardized, traditional cars and were not interested in adopting such a radically new and niche model developed "on the side."
- Lack of political will and funding: The project did not receive support at the highest level necessary to launch such an unusual car into series production.
- Technical issues: Bringing the original layout and components to serial reliability would have required additional costs and time.
As a result, only one working model was built, which quietly disappeared after testing and demonstrations.
Ahead of Its Time?
Yes, undoubtedly. The idea of creating a specialized city taxi focused on passenger convenience and safety was decades ahead of its time. Similar concepts (albeit with different technical solutions) were later realized in London cabs or specialized taxi minivans. The cab-over layout also became popular in commercial transport and minivans much later.
Can It Be Revived?
The specific design of the VNIITE PT looks archaic today. However, the concept of a specialized, ergonomic, and safe city taxi (or another service vehicle, such as for deliveries) is extremely relevant today, especially in the context of electromobility and autonomous transport. Modern technologies allow the ideas embedded in the VNIITE PT to be implemented at a new level of efficiency and comfort.
WTF Factor
The biggest WTF is that the most thoughtfully designed, human-oriented taxi in the USSR was created not by automotive giants but by a **technical aesthetics institute**! It's like the best bread recipe being invented not by bakers but by packaging designers. It shows how disconnected the Soviet automotive industry was from real needs and ergonomics.
Plus, the appearance itself—amidst the uniform flow of "Moskviches" and "Volgas" in the 1960s, this yellow "minibus" from the future would have looked like a spaceship.