My guess is that this is an electric car and that is part of the re-gen system for the battery. The oversized mirror intensifies the sun light for the solar cell, and the roof rack would support a sail to push the car on windy days. Under the hood is a small Briggs motor to create electricity in a pinch and the chain is to pull the thing as a last resort. If you look closely you can see the harness in the back seat.