1983 Steinwinter Supercargo 2040 Cab is probably the strangest truck ever made

Posted on JULY 14, 2017 by DAN MIHALAȘCU

Just what were they thinking?

Trying to revolutionize an industry is never easy, especially one that's as complex and far-reaching as the transport of goods on roads. But one man called Manfred Steinwinter tried to do just that not too long ago.

For as long as people have hauled goods on roads, trucks have largely had the same shape — with the improvements brought by each generation change, obviously. But what Mr. Steinwinter proposed in 1983 was a radical modification of a semi truck's tractor.



He believed that reducing the tractor's height would lead to significant fuel savings as well as an increase in the volume of transported freight. And that's how the shocking Steinwinter Supercargo 20.40 Cab concept came to life.

Unveiled at the 1983 Frankfurt Motor Show, the truck study featured a tractor unit that measured just 1,170 mm in height, covered completely by the trailer. The unusual design allowed for an 18-meter-long loading area and a total cargo volume of 150 cubic meters.

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