What’s cooler than a concept car? The sleek lines, the novel powertrains — few cars are as interesting or eye-catching on an auto show floor. But, while many concept cars eventually morph into nearly as-cool production variants, not all are so lucky. Last week, we asked you for your favorite failed concept cars — the vehicles that never made it to production — and today we’re taking a look at your answers. Let’s dive in.
I got to go with the Nissan IDx
Every day, I wake up and mourn the IDx for five to ten minutes before signing on for work. It’s actually mandatory daily preparation for all Jalops, it comes up in our quarterly reviews.
Funny, both of these are GM concepts. It is criminal that none of these were ever close to production, yet we got Celestiq.
Buick Avista:
Cadillac Elmiraj:
GM should’ve built the Avista! It was gorgeous, it would work on the Alpha platform, and it even had mirrors! I’d buy one! A decade later, once they’re cheap on Craigslist.
Why, GM? WHYYYYY?
I mean, besides the obvious, of course. But still. Why?!?!
If only Cadillac had made a massively powerful wedge with an absurd engine. That would’ve been real American excellence. We would’ve retroactively won the Vietnam War, I think.
my favorite is the whole lineup of 2010 lotus concept cars
especially that lotus Elan
This concept actually looks gorgeous, if a little bit Lamborghini in its execution. I think it actually predicted the Countach revival headlights.
The 1999 Dodge Charger concept:
Now a quarter-century old design, but you update the headlights and get rid of the lame cross-hair grille and it could be built today and sell like crazy—world’s best looking 4-door sedan.
And you see the concept’s influence upon the 2025 Charger Daytona EV—especially the 4-door version—better late than never.
I shouldn’t be surprised that the1969DodgeChargerFan found a way to include a Charger in their answer, but here I am.
everyone wanted this
Can you imagine a world in which these are unleashed on the roads? A Mighty FC sextuple parked at your local Five Guys? No. Jeep made the right call here.
Chrysler ME-412
OR
Ford GT90
Unfortunately, the ME Four-Twelve came from the Daimler years, meaning its construction would not have done the same things for America as the Cien. We still lose Vietnam in the timeline where the ME Four-Twelve is built.
The Dodge 4MS. The car from the movie The Wraith (1986)
440hp, 0-60mph in 4.1s, 2.2L inline 4cyl with twin-turbo chargers AND a 5MT. Mercy.
I saw the movie when it was out in theaters on a Saturday matinee. The movie was kinda shit. But the car most certainly wasn’t.
IMDb summarizes The Wraith as:
In a small town in Arizona, a mysterious man/spirit descends from the sky and manifests in a sports car and targets a local violent road-racing gang of motor heads, headed by a ruthless bully who’ll do anything to get what he wants.
That... does not sound fantastic.
Always thought the 1994 Chrysler Aviat was pretty cool. Unrealistic, but cool. I wish some car maker would put out one of these low Cd cars.
This car has some real “Audi from I, Robot” energy. I’m still on the fence as to whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing here.
Dodge demon. Not that one, this one:
This wasn’t some Vision “concept” that’s no more than lines of code and MAYBE a clay model, that only idiots think ever had a chance at production. This was production ready, and cancelled because 2008. If it made it to production it could have kicked off a new brand ethos of sporty cars focused on the fun to drive factor, kind of like Mazda but with the Viper as a halo car. Also it could very well have kept them from going Hellcat everything, ruining their CAFE averages and giving them room for actual quality normal cars and a genuine inventory range today.
This is the Dodge Demon. No, the other one. In terms of “cars that would fix America,” this actually ranks above both the ME Four-Twelve and the Cien. Can you imagine Dodge — the company that builds Big Large Fast Loud Car and nothing else — making an S2000? We’d have world peace. Vietnam would never have even happened.
Submitted by: savethemanualsbmw335ix
not the best looking, but the Mazda Kabura and Chevy 130R were cheap RWD cars that could’ve beat the Toybaru twins to the market for young enthusiasts.
I remember when the 130R launched. I’ve got a family friend who owns a GM dealer, and I thought this would finally be the vehicle that got me to darken his door. Nope. No dice. I ended up darkening that door for a job instead.
Is an always will be the Alfa/Bertone Carabo:
This might be my favorite shot of the Carabo, simply because it displays the size of the car. This thing is so much tinier than it looks sans a sense of scale.
The Mazda Secret Hideout.
I’m even using Jalop’s image from the article on it years ago! It’s partially for the name, partially because I suspect a vehicle like this would do well today, and partially because it’s completely out of character for Mazda. Just look at it! It has suicide doors on one side and the seats all fold flat so you can take a nap in your Secret Hideout. Watch a movie at a drive-in from your Secret Hideout! OK... it might be the name.
Somebody will eventually say Furai, and they’re not wrong, so I’ll leave that to them. For me, the Secret Hideout is actually Mazda’s coolest concept car.
I would like to hang out in the Secret Hideout. Unfortunately, while I’ve long dreamed of car camping under a perfectly starry sky, the Secret Hideout appears to offer no sunroof through which to star watch. Missed opportunity.
There’s 2 for me. I don’t know if the first one even counts as a “failure” since BMW said from the outset that they had no plans to make it, but they should have absolutely put it into production.
The 3.0 CSL Hommage R
And the Lamborghini Estoque. The Lamborghini sedan we would have gotten instead of the Urus. The ever-increasing popularity of crossovers and SUVs basically forced their hand.
I love this taillight-into-wing-into-third-brake-light thing. I have no idea if it’s DOT legal, but if it isn’t I think the fault there falls on the laws. They should be changed to allow this, if not mandate it.