The process of building and selling a successful vehicle is an intense one, to say the least. Not only do manufacturers have to efficiently build and fund their organization, but they must also successfully market their product appropriately.
As a result, some designs/concepts are ditched in the end. It usually involves financial concerns, expensive production cost, and so on. Nevertheless, large companies aren't exempt from this trouble; causing some to let go of highly anticipated concepts to meet their bottom line. To illustrate this point, here are ten prototypes that, sadly, never made it to production...
10 10. BMW (E46) M3 Touring
BMW, clearly, does not mess around in terms of vehicle design and capabilities. Their E46 body style M3 model was one of their most powerful and victorious cars at the time, leading some to contemplate a more family-friendly version.
With this thought process, BMW designers came up with the M3 Touring: A wagon-style alternative to the standard coupe model. A few were shown off at events, but the car ended getting cut short, as directors decided against the creation of the Touring.
9 9. Nissan IDx Nismo
Before Nissan was what it is today, they went under the moniker of Datsun. To show some respect to their past, they unveiled a concept of the Nissan IDX Nismo at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show; with an exterior resembling that of the old Datsun 510.
The concept has been spotted elsewhere at promotion events and so on, however, Nissan hasn't confirmed or denied the creation of the Nissan IDx. For now, it seems to just be a nod to the past, rather than anything more ambitious. After all, Nissan has to take into account whether the car would sell enough to justify the cost of production. Hopefully, the IDx doesn't remain in limbo for much longer.
8 8. Lamborghini Estoque
Before the Lamborghini Urus was on the market, Lamborghini thought up another idea for a sports utility/family-friendly car. This time, though, it was in the form of the Estoque, a front-engine V10 saloon car.
Before long, however, the Estoque was canceled. Lamborghini released a statement that essentially said it had opted to not built the car, without outright saying it is canceled. Either way, with the release (and success) of the Urus, the Estoque will probably stay a distant idea for the rest of time.
7 7. Ford X-2000
Apparently Ford executives were reading too many Batman comic books back in 1958. As evidenced by one of their concept cars, The Ford X-2000. Although the Batman T.V. show wouldn't come out for about a decade, Ford seemed to be ahead of the curb.
As mentioned previously, the X-2000 looks like a car Batman might have driven in the '60s television show. It even has what looks like jet engines out the back. Maybe all this craziness was why Ford never actually made the car. Good thing too, because there can only be one Dark Knight.
6 6. Saleen S5S Raptor
Before Saleen made their S7 supercar, the company's humble beginnings helped it to truly grasp its brand and establish itself as one of the best American tuning companies. After the S7, Saleen believed it would be a good idea to make another one in the form of the S5S Raptor.
When it was debuted, many fans loved the Raptor for its futuristic look and the return of Saleen to the supercar stage. Unfortunately, the S5S wasn't really heard from after its first showing. It's very clear that Saleen didn't see as much value in the S5S as the car's enthusiasts.
5 5. Lamborghini Miura Concept
Like the Nissan did with the IDx Nismo, Lamborghini wanted to pay homage to its past as well. Unlike Nissan, though, Lamborghini's model didn't have a lot of redesigning, since their Miura Concept is extremely similar to the original 1960s Miura.
Admittedly, the Miura concept was not intended to be produced. The Miura would, instead, remain a figure of Lamborghini's past. The concept primarily served as a remembrance of the supercar that helped the company get to where it is today.
4 4. Chrysler ME Four-Twelve
As a brand, Chrysler isn't really known for sports cars or motorsports. Rather, the company is more synonymous for its luxury vehicles; favorable among the elderly community. To break this notion, Chrysler released the ME Four-Twelve concept back in 2003.
As far as Chryslers go, the ME Four-Twelve is one of their best looking vehicles. It even has a significant of power under the hood, courtesy of a 6-liter Mercedes V12. Chrysler wasn't kidding with this either. The company really thought about making the ME Four-Twelve, but ended up backing out. Some speculate the reasoning, though, nothing was ever confirmed with 100% certainty.
3 3. Mazda Furai
In 2007, Mazda blew away the car community with its teaser for the Mazda Furai. After its showcase a year later, the Furai received praise from enthusiast for its outstanding aesthetic and motorsports potential; harkening back to the famous Mazda 787B.
In a horrible twist of fate, the Furai was destroyed. This happened during Top Gear's testing the following year, but the news wasn't released until as late as 2013. It makes one think, "what would the world be like if the Furai actually made it to production?" Woefully, all there is to do is wish/speculate.
2 2. Maserati Birdcage 75th
To remember the famous Maserati Birdcage race car, the company undertook Pininfarina as a designer for their next concept. This would be the remake of the classic Birdcage, but still with the same legendary title.
Unlike the Miura Concept, the newer Birdcage was radically different from the source material. No giant wheel-wells or open-top this time, instead, a sleek supercar profile and a powerful 700 horsepower V12. Like the Miura Concept, though, Maserati insisted that the Birdcage concept was just that: A concept.
1 1. Jaguar C-X75
For movie buffs and James Bond fans alike, you've probably already seen the Jaguar C-X75. Not on the streets, though, but on the big screen in the movie Spectre. This wasn't its first appearance, as the C-X75 was already believed to be Jaguar's next great supercar.
With all of the media attention, cameos in movies, and marketing from Jaguar, many thought that the C-X75 was a sure thing. To their dismay, however, Jaguar suddenly dropped the C-X75. Maybe it took to long to produce or was too costly. Either way, Jaguar still mentions it occasionally, but not with any substance.