1951 cartoon film envisioning the future of cars is so quirky it has us rolling on the floor laughing

It's not just “The Simpsons” who can envision the future. Recently, @historyinmemes shared an animated cartoon clip on X, featuring a 1950s animation that "imagines" the future of cars. The clip is from Tex Avery’s 1951 animation film “Cars of Tomorrow,” produced by Metro Goldwyn Mayer (MGM). Known for its humorous take on futuristic technology, this clip has gone viral, racking up nearly 11 million views. It has stirred nostalgia and evoked plenty of laughter among viewers.

Long before Tesla's Autopilot and electric vehicles, this cartoon film depicted a world of truly out-of-the-box cars. It presents a wacky world reminiscent of '90s auto-show reels. With colorful vintage animations, goofy characters, sight gags, and blackout jokes, the scenes offer zany predictions featuring unusual, surreal, and impractical cars.

One car uses "absolutely no gasoline" because it has paddles that the driver rotates with their feet. There's a "king-size station wagon" that "will comfortably seat every member of the entire family: you, the wife, maid, kids, dog, cat, canary, and the mother-in-law." Another car has a fishtail design at the back, and another is a sporty-country model with cartwheels tumbling behind the back wheels.

One scene shows a "car with a glass bottom" designed so the driver can see a fallen pedestrian sliding and screaming beneath. Some other models are even more confusing. For instance, a car moves in the opposite direction of its rotating wheels, like an alien saucer. Another car has a hole at the top for people with giraffe pets.

A car with an extremely wide front seat, making the car resemble a cross with extended arms, is a total rip-off. In another scene, a man opens a car door and steps inside, only to fall into an abyss, his screams echoing.

Adding to these quirky designs, there's a car with cushions so soft that a man sinks into it like a biscuit in cream. The "stunning Paris creation" is crafted especially for women. It features delicate seashell-pink exteriors with bouquets taped throughout, crisscross interior curtains, furry trimmings, a giant blue bow on the bonnet, and lacey undergirding at the panel edges.

Among the endless possibilities, there's a car with a super-chromatic horn, a golden trumpet-like instrument extending from one side. With each beat, a trumpet stretches forward, and a gremlin pops out. The car with dogs hidden inside the headlights is comedic gold.

But perhaps the highlight of this animation is a red car. A man driving it stops midway on the street and starts folding the car until it is the size of a pocketbook. He then slips it into his jacket pocket, which is as uncanny as futuristic. The animation also shows the “Classic Convertible for Indians,” in which a tent pops up from the back and covers the top of the car. For people worried about expenses, there’s also a car that "the country has always needed," priced at $545. However, if someone wants to add accessories, it would cost a bit more, precisely $8432. This shows, ironically, that the accessories cost more than the car itself.

Several such flicks adorn this chrome animation, featuring digital paint and ink-illustrated characters that are pudgy, wobbly, and over-the-top, rib-tickling. The clip garnered instant attention on X where thousands of people shared their quips in the comments. “I am waiting for the moment when we will be able to put our cars in the wallets,” commented @truecrimenft, referring to the foldable car.

@tristan_shana tagged Elon Musk telling him, “Well there are some interesting innovations!” @markzuckss said, “I hope Elon doesn't figure out how to fold a car,” whereas @name__error_404 joked, “The animators skipped physics classes. Lol!” @nathaliemayy wrote, “It's crazy to see what people in 1940 thought the future would look like.”