The 1960s were an era of scientific optimism and design experimentation for the automotive industry; as innovative materials were introduced and manufacturing processes improved, it became possible for automotive designers to let their imagination fly and create countless futuristic concept cars. The world of space travel, which was beginning to take off, and international air travel, which was rapidly growing, were both sources of inspiration for the car industry. It was a time of exuberance; the V8s in Corvettes and Mustangs were getting bigger and more powerful by the day, and the 1973 Oil Crisis that would lead to the Malaise Era was still well in the future.
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