The 1996 Ford Synergy concept was loaded with ahead-of-its-time tech

Despite having debuted in 1996, this Ford Synergy concept car still looks ahead of its time.

Under this slipstream bodywork was a tiny 1.0-liter diesel engine feeding power to an electric motor. Ford's target? 80 miles per gallon, a heady target even today.

The Synergy was designed as part of a US-government-led research coalition, Partnership for a New Generation of Vehicles (PNGV). Ford and its rivals General Motors and Chrysler all participated in this race to create an 80-mpg car by 2003.

The Synergy's mission statement was to imagine what a family sedan would look like in the year 2010. It's fair to say over a decade later, we're still waiting for this Jetsons-like, knife-edge future of mobility.

The Synergy's cabin featured a voice-activated phone book.

It's fair to say that the Synergy wasn't likely seriously considered for production at the time it debuted, but a lot of the tech inside has since become commonplace.