14 DAY TRIAL // Concept cars have been an essential pillar of automotive design and marketing for more than a century, and they are a common sight at major auto shows, but many of them never make it into production.
While concept cars generate lots of news and buzz, the truth is that they rarely become production vehicles intended for marketing. It seems that the automotive industry makes a clear distinction now between a concept car and a car prototype in this respect, meaning that the former is exactly what the name implies – a car designed to demonstrate a concept.
So, they are not intended for mass production and rarely get beyond the auto show circuit. The manufacturers create this type of cars only to test the feasibility of new technologies, explore innovative ideas or generate publicity.
However, concept cars present characteristics that could be included in future cars. The hybrid-electric drive train, for instance, first showed up in concept cars, Popular Mechanics says.
There are countless examples of cars that were created as concepts, but never made it to the market. One of them is the 1967 Dodge Deora, a golden-colored futuristic pickup built in Detroit by the famous Alexander brothers. Dodge promoted the car as an ultramodern pickup concept, but never actually launched it on the market.
Another highly advertised car was the Ford Nucleon. Ford introduced it in 1958 and presented it as a vehicle powered by an atomic reactor, capable of running 5,000 miles (8,047 kilometers) per charge of uranium. Well, we are still waiting to see this amazing idea turned into reality.
The 1969 Chevrolet Astro III also counts as an abandoned concept. This project foreshadowed alternative powertrains and advanced automotive technology but, unfortunately, never got to see daylight.
In 1975, Toyota demonstrated a hybrid-electric car called Toyota Century Hybrid at the Tokyo Motor Show. It was a version of the Toyota Century with a hybrid drive train. The manufacturer never brought it to market, though over the next several years it exhibited several other versions at auto shows.
The strangely looking Bisiluro Damolnar was created in 1955 by Carlo Mollino and Enrico Nardi as an ultra-light, aerodynamic car, to compete at Le Mans race against established names as Ferrari and Jaguar. During the competition, the asymmetrical car was literally blown off the track and couldn't continue the race due to the damages. It is now displayed at the Leonardo Da Vinci Museum in Milan, Italy.
Check out these and other concept cars that never made it to the market in the photo gallery below.
