The 1948 Tucker 48 featured a central third headlight that turned with the steering wheel.
The feature was called the “Cyclops Eye.” Mounted in the center of the front, it was linked to the steering system and illuminated the direction in which the car was turning. The Tucker 48 also used a rear-mounted flat-six engine, independent suspension, and a padded dashboard as part of Preston Tucker's safety-focused design.
The automobile was publicly promoted as the Tucker Torpedo, but production cars were officially called the Tucker 48. The company built only 51 examples, including the prototype, before production ended amid financial and legal problems.
The turning center headlight was distinctive but not the car's only unusual feature. Its central crash-resistant passenger compartment and pop-out windshield reflected Tucker's attempt to make postwar American cars safer and more innovative.