Concept Car of the Week: IAD Venus (1989)

In the late '80s, IAD had become one of the most reputable design and engineering companies worldwide. The team developed models such as the first Mazda Miata/MX-5, the Volvo 480 coupé and the Alien concept. At the1989 Tokyo motor show, the firm added another masterpiece to an already outstanding portfolio with the Venus.

Penned by Michael Ani, the Venus was designed to break away from the evolutionary trends of sports cars by offering a more radical yet functional look as found on motorbikes.

The Venus' dramatic wedge and the exposed suspension and steering components also appeared to be a futuristic interpretation of an American hot rod, combining back-to-basics construction with sophisticated surfaces and graphics.

The front of the car features a black mask, designed to be reminiscent of the carbon nose-cone of a space shuttle. Just above it, a small black square discretely integrated two small halogen headlamps and visually connected the mask to the dark-tinted canopy that stretched all the way to the rear - note the double curvature of the glass as it sits flush with the body.

The curvy air intakes on the side underlined the fullness of the body and provided cooling to the engine. All the elements of the rear are blacked out to complete a very technical look.

Finally, the wheels are almost entirely enclosed by matte-black pods, which prevented spray from being kicked up when driving on wet roads. They were also designed to provide cooling to the brakes, whilst a unique mounting system allowed quick removal for wheel changing or track use.

The top rear quarter of the pods were painted yellow to match the body color and provide a distinctive visual signature.

Opening the narrow scissor doors revealed a two-seater cabin where the clean surfaces and soft volumes extended the theme of the exterior. The passengers were treated to a atmosphere that was cosy but still referenced stripped-down racing cars.

The seats were static while the steering wheel, nacelle and pedals could be independently adjusted.

It was also equipped with high-tech gadgets like an infrared camera for night driving, and a rear-view camera that relayed images to an LCD screen.

Futuristic hot-rod or four-wheeled motorbike, the daring design of the Venus illustrated speed, performance and the ultimate driving challenge.

Designer Michael Ani
First seen 1989 Tokyo Motor Show
Length 4,000mm
Width 1,950mm
Height 1,110mm
Wheelbase 2,695mm
Engine 2.1-liter, four-cylinder, 172bhp

What else happened in 1989?
This year saw the opening of I M Pei's Pyramids at the Louvre gallery in Paris, while the B-2 Spirit - better known as the Stealth Bomber - made its first flight. If you went to the movies, chances are you'd be going to see Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade. That is if you could be convinced to stop playing on your Game Boy, which Nintendo introduced in April of that year.

By Flavien Dachet