Car designers and manufacturers are always trying to stay ahead of the game. They do this by coming up with concepts that seek to rival their competitors. Some concept cars are a big waste of time and money. But others are works of art and ingenuity. Sadly, very few concept cars make it to production.
This is because many concept projects are put on hold because of either manufacturing cost, the car’s technology is way ahead of its time or because of unforeseen disasters. But, not all concept cars that fail to make it into production are put in a waste pile. Some concept cars inspire designs and technology in modern production cars. Here are 10 concepts cars we wish were real.
10 Peugeot Onyx
When Peugeot dreamt of this car, they had all their ducks in a row. From the color down right to the power train.
The Peugeot Onyx has a V8 engine and electric motor that see the car produce 608 horsepower. A hybrid diesel engine is almost unheard of but Peugeot pulled it off. This car is made of 3 major materials; paper, copper, felt, and carbon fiber.
Although these materials make the car light, there were concerns over the materials being exposed to different temperatures produced by the car. This led to the Onyx project being put on hold.
9 Maserati Birdcage 75th
The Maserati Birdcage 75th’s designers envisioned a futuristic car. One with smooth curves and well-thought aerodynamics.
The car’s entire front half is a canopy door. It lifts and slides forward allowing the passenger to get in and out of the car. The Birdcage 75th sits on a light-weight carbon fiber chassis. This futuristic beast has a V12 engine that produces 700bhp.
The major downside to this car is it has no air conditioning. Meaning on hot days, you will have to drive with the door open.
8 BMW Nazca C2
The BMW Nazca C2 embodied everything that futuristic cars stand for. This car’s body, space frame, engine cover, and front are all made of carbon fiber making this car lightweight.
The Nazca C2 packs a 5-liter V12 engine pushing 350bhp. BMW went a step further by covering the NAZCA C2’s engine with glass.
The doors on the NAZCA C2 were unique. The swan doors on this ride were small and opened outwards and the windows lifted in a gullwing fashion. This project was put on hold after the failure of the M1, but BMW promised to revisit it.
7 Volkswagen W12 Nardo
Volkswagen named the W12 “Nardo” after the Nardo Ring where the car was tested. The “W12” stands for the W12 engine that powers the car. Before this dream came into fruition, the car was named “Synchro” after VW’s 4WD system.
This car was Volkswagen’s way of proving that they could build a reliable mid-engine luxury supercar. The result was an orange beast. The W12 Nardo features scissor doors that can seemingly cut through anything. This car produces 600bph and has a top speed of 220mph.
6 Mazda Furai
This car was part of the “Nagare” design concept cars. Furai means “sound of wind” in Japanese. The Mazda Furai lived up to its name. Producing 450bhp and weighing 675kgs, this car could take on any competition.
The Furai project was a tribute to the Le Mans-winning 787B. Mazda hoped to get the Furai to the racing track as well. Unfortunately, the Furai dream went up in flames at the Bentwaters Park during a photo session on 19th August 2008. Mazda is yet to revisit this project.
5 Chevrolet Aerovette
The Chevrolet Aerovette was originally named “XP-892”. Chevrolet thought “Aerovette” suited it better, because of its aerodynamic wedge shape. The Chevrolet Aerovette was a concept car built off another concept car, the Chevrolet XP-895.
The Aerovette packed a V8 rear-mid engine that was approved for production before the design was completed. Chevrolet, however, put this project on hold because producing rear-mid engines was quite expensive at the time Although the car didn’t go to production, it inspired the design of the C3 Corvette.
4 Jaguar C-X75
Jaguar has always been at the forefront of futuristic design concepts. The C-X75 was no different. 5 experimental prototypes were made before the final concept car was introduced to the world.
The C-X75 featured swan doors and it was powered by electric motors. The motors were powered by diesel-fed micro gas turbines batteries. The car produced 778 bhp and it hit a top speed of 200mph. This project never saw the light of day but its design inspiration technology has been used in other cars including the F-pace.
3 Lancia Stratos Zero
Lancia Stratos cars were some of Lancia’s best works. The Stratos model managed to make a name for itself after winning the World Rally Championship three years in a row.
When Lancia hinted on designing and producing the Lancia Stratos Zero, it put everyone on the edge of their seats. The Lancia Stratos Zero was a wedge-shaped car that packed a 1.6-liter Lancia FulviaV4 engine.
This car never made it into production because of reasons best known to Lancia. The concept car was put on display at the Bertone’s Museum before being sold at an auction in Italy. It is now on display at the Petersen Auto Motive Museum in Los Angeles.
2 Mini Cooper Rocketman
Minis are considered cute and hip. Original Minis were tiny, light, and fast. But as the car evolved, it lost its edge and popularity because the newer Minis were big and heavy.
When Mini announced that they were working on the Rocketman, Mini customers could finally relax. The Mini Cooper Rocketman concept car is a mini Mini. Powered by electric motors, the Mini concept car was to go into production in 2018 and hit the roads by Mid-2019. This is a concept car that many people in the Mini community are hoping to see go into production as soon as possible.
1 Alfa Romeo BAT
Alfa Romeo has always had an angle to play when it comes to quirky innovations. The BAT (Berlinetta Aerodinammica Tencnia) was no different. The Alfa Romeo team built a beautiful and futuristic car that had very little drag.
The BAT’s aerodynamics rival modern sports cars. The car’s drag efficiency of 0.23 played a critical role in the shape of modern sports cars. Plus, the 45-degree red-tinted windows gave the BAT an edgy look. The BAT went through 3 alliterations. All 3 still exist and are displayed at Pebble’s Beach every year.