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Stout Scarab Is the World’s First and Ugliest Minivan, Now an Art Deco Icon

Today, the concept of lounge on wheels is no longer an oddity, especially against the backdrop of enhanced autonomous driving capabilities. If anything, automakers are predicting that, with Level 5 autonomy, many of today’s minivans will become just that: offices, entertainment rooms, or lounges on wheels.
The Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive today 16 photos
Photo: Hagerty.com
The Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive todayThe Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive today
Back in the 1930s, the idea of rolling in your living room wasn’t that common. The realization of it was even less so.

Today’s episode of autoevolution’s month-long Iconic Vehicles coverage takes us way back to the Stout Scarab, which is widely recognized as the first production minivan in the world and the ultimate Art Deco icon. It was a revolutionary vehicle both in terms of design and build, packing countless innovations in a very strange-looking (for that era) package. Believe it or not, but the Stout Scarab, which would be described as beautiful by most of today’s car enthusiasts, was considered ugly and downright blasphemous at the time.

The Stout Scarab was ahead of its time in all aspects, and this was ultimately its biggest flaw.

The Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive today
Photo: WheelsAge.org
Designed and build by William B. Stout, a former Ford engineer with vast experience in aircraft design (Stout is recognized as the father of modern aviation, signing his name to the Ford Trimotor commercial airplane), the Scarab was his attempt to make automobiles “better.” Stout believed that many aircraft design principles could carry into the automobile industry to ultimately build a lighter and more reliable, safer, and easier to handle car. He never explicitly set out to build a lounge on wheels, but he did want to build a car that would deliver a smooth and comfortable ride for the entire family on a cross-country trip.

The Scarab looks just like the bug whose name it carries. Egyptians believed the scarab was a symbol for rebirth and renewal, and Stout chose it because he thought this was what his car would do to the industry. Similarities with the Dymaxion car are probably not coincidental, since Stout was an admirer of inventor Buckminster Fuller’s work.

The Scarab featured a 135-inch (343-cm) wheelbase and a total length of just 16 feet (488 cm), making it similar-sized to other cars from that time. The inside, though, was twice as spacious because Stout moved the engine to the back, deleted running boards, and made sure the floor was flat and low to the ground. Power came from an 85 hp Ford flathead V8 paired to a three-speed manual transmission that sent power to the rear wheels. The top speed was 80 mph (129 kph) and 0 to 60 (96.5 kph) acceleration of 15 seconds.

The Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive today
Photo: Wikipedia.com / Joanna Poe
The first running prototype was completed in late 1932 and was followed by eight more vehicles, each with a slightly different and unique interior due to the fact that they were assembled by hand. Of the nine Scarabs built, only five survive. The first one had aluminum panels riveted onto an aluminum space frame, but later models would use steel to cut costs. The last unit was a revival attempt, introduced at the end of WWII and called Project Y: it would become the world’s first car with a fiberglass bodyshell and air suspension.

Stout believed sales would pour in, despite the prohibitive price. He estimated a 100-unit limited production, with prices starting at $5,000 – almost three times the average of that time and almost $105,000 in today’s money. All units produced were sold to investors and members of the board, but despite intense marketing, the high price and unexpected design ultimately worked against Stout.

It was a shame: the Scarab was an odd-looking vehicle, alright, but it was packed with features that had never been seen before in an automobile. In addition to the fact that it was rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive and boasted ample cabin space, it also featured push-button electric doors with hidden hinges, flush glass windows, independent suspension, hydraulic brakes, and an aerodynamic body.

The cabin came with amenities like a customizable layout (only the driver’s seat was fixed, and the other seats could fold down for sleeping), a foldable table, lacewood interior work and leather seats for easy maintenance, thermostat-controlled heating and ambient lighting, and dust filter and AC.

The Stout Scarab is the first production minivan in the world, and only 5 of the 9 units made survive today
Photo: WheelsAge.org
The Scarab had high maneuverability, though close to zero rear visibility. We won’t get into how safe it was to have those loose seats inside the cabin because we all know that back in the ‘30s, safety concerns did not exist. It was spacious and comfortable, smooth and reliable, and it came with decent fuel economy. It was, in short, the perfect car that Stout could design and build but, sadly, the industry was not kind to his first attempt.

The Stout Scarab was ahead of its time by some four decades, laying out the blueprint for today’s minivans and rear-engined passenger vehicles. It was also a thing of beauty.

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About the author: Elena Gorgan
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Elena has been writing for a living since 2006 and, as a journalist, she has put her double major in English and Spanish to good use. She covers automotive and mobility topics like cars and bicycles, and she always knows the shows worth watching on Netflix and friends.
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