Restored Golden Sahara II Concept with Goodyear Tyres Unveiled in Geneva

Goodyear and Klairmont Kollections unveiled the restored Golden Sahara II at the 2019 Geneva International Motor Show, taking place from 7-17 March. 

In collaboration with Klairmont Kollections, Goodyear has presented the world premiere of the restored 1950’s autonomous concept vehicle, the Golden Sahara II. An iconic custom car of the 1950s and 60s, the Golden Sahara II was one of the first concepts of autonomous vehicles and was fitted with glowing, see-through tyres that were custom developed by Goodyear. 

Developed by Jim Street and legendary custom car designer George Barris, the Golden Sahara II was a platform for testing new electronics systems. It featured a control system with an aircraft-inspired control lever for acceleration, braking and steering and an automatic braking system that used sensors to detect potential objects in the car’s path. 

Goodyear developed the car’s tyres using Neothane, a translucent form of synthetic rubber and contained internal lighting, which allowed them to glow. This was part of broader research into the feasibility of tyres that could help improve visibility in bad weather conditions or be wired to light up when a driver hits the brakes.