Concept Cars

[eddyramrod]

Inspired by a comment in the Miniature thread:  what's your favourite concept car?  Something produced as a one-off, that might not even have an engine, that was wheeled into various new-car shows for a while, possibly forgotten about, possibly scrapped, possibly modelled in miniature.

 

Mine, unsurprisingly, is the 1955 Lincoln Futura.

I wonder why?

[New POD]

When I was an Engineering student, at Coventry Poly, I used to go and look at the final year project exhibits of the Industrial and Automotive design course.  All very wacky. 

[sierraman]

Lamborghini Marzal. Only because I had the Matchbox of it. 🤣

[grogee]

Absolutely adore this, I still think Ford's New Edge era was a high point. 

[St.Jude]

The Ford GT90.

I was bought a book on Concept Cars and this was the one I always went back to. Dreaming as an 8 year old that maybe one day I'll be driving one.

Edit: @grogee fucking beat me to it!

A more recent one would be the Rover 75 Coupe.

I know someone has built one since, but if this was released it'd have been incredible.

[808 Estate]

 

[sierraman]

Can’t find anything anywhere but ford toyed with a Mk3 Mondeo based Capri replacement in the early 2000’s. Not to Cougar btw. 

[D.E]

1 minute ago, sierraman said:

Can’t find anything anywhere but ford toyed with a Mk3 Mondeo based Capri replacement in the early 2000’s. Not to Cougar btw. 

The Visos?

[Soundwave]

Dodge Copperhead, mostly thanks to Gran Turismo 1. Although due to licensing issues with the Copperhead name, it was referred to in game simply as "Concept Car". Pretty sure I've still got a 1/24 model of this knocking about somewhere.

[CreepingJesus]

There's a load of them I love, but the MG EXE comes top of the pile, mostly because I saw it in the flesh at the time, and I've never got bored of staring at all the little details. A genuine pity it didn't make it into production in some form, especially as it was part of the thinking to replace the 6R4 for the stillborn Group S, iirc.

[barefoot]

If only Renault were to build something like this, I'd have one in a heartbeat.

Oh, wait a minute...

[Spiny Norman]

One of the first ones that caught my eye as a kid when I saw it in Dad's Autocar magazine was the Giugiaro Ace of Spades, especially as it was based on the then new Audi 80 rather than being some low slung supercar like the Countach had been a couple of years earlier. You can see bits of all sorts in there, Scirocco, Esprit and of course the VWs that shared its sharp angular lines.

[iainrcz]

I thought the Citroen Metropolis was pretty cool looking, back when saloons were my thing.

[Asimo]

Constantly dissapointed by how compromised and bland production cars are, especially commercially successful ones, I am really drawn to the radical,  focussed design seen in many concept cars. A few favourites:-

Rover P6BS

Triplex glassback

Porsche FLA

[Zelandeth]

Chrysler Turbine has always been one of my favourites.

Not massively outlandish, but some of the detailing is just wonderful.

Sadly I couldn't get a photo of the rear because of pesky barriers.

For a better all round look, go watch this though.

 

 

[sheffcortinacentre]

7 hours ago, grogee said:

Absolutely adore this, I still think Ford's New Edge era was a high point. 

Think this one GT 90) was sold/ auctioned off, few years ago.

[grogee]

2 minutes ago, sheffcortinacentre said:

Think this one GT 90) was sold/ auctioned off, few years ago.

For some reason I seem to remember seeing the auction catalogue (online?) in which a load of Ford concepts got auctioned off including this one.

I didn't buy the GT90 unfortunately. Or any of the others.

[ProgRocker]

I thought that the 1988 Renault Megane was cool as flip. 

[quicksilver]

7 hours ago, CreepingJesus said:

There's a load of them I love, but the MG EXE comes top of the pile, mostly because I saw it in the flesh at the time, and I've never got bored of staring at all the little details. A genuine pity it didn't make it into production in some form, especially as it was part of the thinking to replace the 6R4 for the stillborn Group S, iirc.

There's a load of awesome concepts in that pic. The red sports car alongside the EX-E is another of my favourites - it's the MG DR2/PR5, a very pretty V8 roadster in the mould of the Big Healey. Then there's the Triumph Lynx, the proper Capri rival BL so desperately needed, and the SD1 estate that I'm especially fond of. So much wasted potential in one place

[mk2_craig]

Lancia Megagamma

Citroen Activa

Ford Urba

(apparently this or an identical one got as far as being UK road registered)

[inconsistant]

[FakeConcern]

 

[CreepingJesus]

25 minutes ago, quicksilver said:

There's a load of awesome concepts in that pic. The red sports car alongside the EX-E is another of my favourites - it's the MG DR2/PR5, a very pretty V8 roadster in the mould of the Big Healey. Then there's the Triumph Lynx, the proper Capri rival BL so desperately needed, and the SD1 estate that I'm especially fond of. So much wasted potential in one place

Indeed, that's why I was delighted to find that pic, rather than dig around and find my grainy 110 pocket cam one from 1985, there's so much 'what if' in it. Think the Lotus Etna was at that Scottish Motor Show too, and I have a pic of that too, somewhere, but @inconsistant has posted my second choice, the Ford Probe. I recall that being on show at a Kelvin Hall SMS (i.e., before the SECC opened) and having more of Jetsons type wow factor! But we know what became of it, unlike the EXE and it's buddies in (I assume) Gaydon.

[Aston Martin]

They toyed with the idea, but mk1 Cactus sales weren't what they wanted.

[Richard_FM]

Possibly the Aston Martin Bulldog, but considering all the woes they had with the Lagonda it was probably for the best that they passed on this.

[Lanciaman]

Lancia Fulvietta.  Once again Fiat miss an open goal.... 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

 

7 minutes ago, Lanciaman said:

Lancia Fulvietta.  Once again Fiat miss an open goal.... 

Apart from the front which looks like a debumpered Astra and isn't even vaguely Fulvia-esque, that's got so much potential. 

 

Edit: The more I look, the more it's only the dash which really draws me in. 

These renderings are pretty smart. 

 

[JimH]

One of my favourites

This one looked a bit wonky from the front but this angle was lovely.

 

Bertone were the greatest

 

As clean as a clean thing that has been given an extra scrub up because his Nan was coming to tea.

It talked electric bollocks and the front end was gopping but who could not love the rear?

 

The interior was going in the right direction too. Lose the stupid lighting and the transmission tunnel and you've got a deal. I've long dreamed of interiors that have some space in them. 

 

Bertone showing why the rest of them really should have just stayed in bed. Look after yourself Marcello, the world needs you now more than ever. 

 

BMC/BL/Whatever's back catalogue is stuffed with might have been. This one probably deserves the defeat snatched from the jaws of victory award more than the others.

 

I love Razoredges (who doesn't?) and I nearly wet myself when I saw this car in the museum. I spent far too long staring at it. The rear hatch arrangement is just beautiful. Not strictly a concept but yeah like whatever. 

Wow. Just wow.

 

If the BMC/Pininfarina effort up there doesn't make you cry at the loss then what about this bright idea for a Montego replacement? *Puts head in hands and weeps*

[JimH]

Forgot this one. Never made it beyond a sketch before he went and died.

Yet more missed opportunities. 

[JimH]

What about this pretty little thing? So much lovelier than any of the dreary slop that wears the four rings now. 

That said, at about the same time Audi gave us this hideous view of their future so maybe they just got lucky with the orange sweetie. 

Pass the sick bag. Not difficult to spot where the TT handbag came from.