Many words can describe the Bricklin SV1, the machine that was to propel Malcolm Bricklin’s fledgling car company to the forefront of the American sports car market. Penned by noted designer Herb Grasse, its styling was a striking as anything on the road when it debuted in 1974, and Bricklin was determined to provide a vehicle that was as revolutionary inside as out. In addition to traditional sports car priorities of performance and style, Bricklin ambitiously chose to emphasize safety and affordability as well – promising a car that could do everything well. Promoting safety even above performance gave the Bricklin SV1 – for Safety Vehicle One – a market niche virtually all unto itself, and helped make a big splash with the car’s launch. And it wasn’t just hype – Grasse’s design incorporated a number of innovative technical features, from composite body panels to an integrated roll cage, gull-wing doors and energy-absorbing front crash structures. All in a car that could run door-to-door with contemporary versions of the sports car icon Corvette.