The Motor Forum

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:10 pm Post subject:

D. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:15 pm Post subject:

D. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:17 pm Post subject:

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:22 pm Post subject:

Coggiola Volvo P1800

Ital Design Tapiro (Porsche 914/6)

D. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:24 pm Post subject:

D. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:31 pm Post subject:

BeN · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 4:37 pm Post subject:

D. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 5:39 pm Post subject:

Zig and Zag.

Or Zig and Zag:

D. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 6:03 pm Post subject:

D. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 6:47 pm Post subject:

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:20 pm Post subject:

I like this one!

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:46 pm Post subject:

Maserati Boomerang:

Alfa Caimano (Sud-based):

Alfa Navajo:

Stuntman · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:49 pm Post subject:

Great thread.

Anyone got the Mercedes C111 from about 1978?
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Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 8:54 pm Post subject:

:-( · Turbocharged My Car: . Joined: 26 Dec 2006 Posts: 2787

Wow - I used to have a Corgi Junior (or maybe it was Matchbox) toy of this car when I was a wee lad.

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:34 pm Post subject:

Yeah, I had models of quite a lot of these. Is it just because that was when I was getting into cars, or were the late 1960s/early 1970s the greatest time ever for concepts?

:-( · Turbocharged My Car: . Joined: 26 Dec 2006 Posts: 2787

Audi Locus

EDIT: Or do you reckon this is just a rendering?

:-( · Turbocharged My Car: . Joined: 26 Dec 2006 Posts: 2787

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:48 pm Post subject:

True, and it was before the first fuel crisis, so perhaps the last time we had the sense of "no limits".

M. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:52 pm Post subject:

I think it's important to remember that how concept cars are used has changed. In the past they were visionary and experimental seemingly for the sake of attention but these days the marketing sorts use them as a mechanism to preview future models and ideas.
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Blarno · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:55 pm Post subject:

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 9:57 pm Post subject:

M. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:01 pm Post subject:

Also true. The idea of concept cars can probably be traced to GM who had the Motorama shows that toured the US. For them it started out as an advertising mechanism and grew from there.
It's a shame so many design houses are now owned or in the pocket of manufacturers as it limits their output. Worse still the likes of Ghia who are gone except for a badge on Fords.
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Blarno · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:02 pm Post subject:

And the first concept car was.....?
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Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:04 pm Post subject:

And also very sad to see the likes of Bertone struggling to survive. These days most manufacturers are so concerned about corporate identity that they tend to keep styling in house, which for Peugeot and Subaru - to name but two - is a big mistake, but also means the independents don't get the work they used to.

M. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:26 pm Post subject:

Blarno · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject:

I knew it was the Y-Job, just couldn't remember who made it.
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Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:27 pm Post subject:

Of course, you realise with this thread we've totally fucked "Guess the car" for the next six months ...

Blarno · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:28 pm Post subject:

I'm pretty fucked when it comes to 'guess the car' anyway, they're always obscure oldies...
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Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:29 pm Post subject:

Now considerably more obscure

Incidentally, amazing how much of this has ended up in the last two Lagunas ...

Matt · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:36 pm Post subject:

This will be stickied and moved to 'best of' when it's stopped growing. Love it.
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Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:37 pm Post subject:

Nice one, Matt - if nothing else, it's an amazing reference source ...

Matt · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:47 pm Post subject:

That is beautiful beyond words. Shame it wasn't made.

I found a tenner on the way to school once and with it I bought two car books from Woolworths. One was a concept car book, which I still have and enjoy a look through once a while.

Some favourites from it

BMW Just 4/2

Vauxhall Equus - the last car Vauxhall designed before the merger with Opel.

Renault Fiftie - It was thanks to this concept and the rendered picture in the book with the original mirrored underneath it that I fell in love with the Renault 4CV

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M. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:53 pm Post subject:

Love this, BMW Just 4/2:

How the Mini should have developed:

Anyone see a bit of Focus in this?

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M. · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:54 pm Post subject:

Matt, have you just been flicking through Concept Cars by Jonathan Wood by any chance?
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Matt · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:54 pm Post subject:

Those last two are in the book.

The very same!
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Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 10:56 pm Post subject:

Is it just me or is there a hint of R8 in that? If they'd extended the contrasting colour all the way up ...

Roadrunner · Posted: Wed Aug 13, 2008 11:54 pm Post subject:

The 100EX is my favourite concept car of recent times:

I wonder if I can get a gratuitous RR photo into every thread?
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BeN · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:46 am Post subject:

My favourite recent concepts were the Audi Nuvolari (much more beautiful somehow than the A5 which it spawned) and the Lancia Fulvia.
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Guest · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:13 am Post subject:

A couple of super sexy Italdesign BMW's from the early 90's

Italdesign BMW Nazca C2

Italdesign BMW Nazca M12

Dr. Hfuhruhurr · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:43 am Post subject:

Quite similar to this, which was always one of my favourites ...

BeN · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 8:46 am Post subject:

I remember the Nazca. Was included in the game Need For Speed 2, along with an early Pagani Zonda (way back in 1995!).
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D. · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 9:40 am Post subject:

Concept cars do go further back than the Y-Job.

There was the 1933 Cadillac Aerodynamic Concept Car:

The Volvo Venus Bilo from 1933:

And even the 1905 Cadillac Osceola Concept Car:

Matt · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:08 am Post subject:

Ah, so that's where Suzuki got the idea for the X90...
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Gurney · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:18 am Post subject:

What a marvellous thread, have we had the Fulvietta yet?
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Matt · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:24 am Post subject:

We do now!

Love the front end on it.

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Gurney · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:29 am Post subject:

Lovely, front end is surely production ready, very neat indeed. Still want one.
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kraftwerk · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:37 am Post subject:

Renault Nepta

Aetek FYK

Saab Aero X

Ford Airstream

Maybach Excelero (!)

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Matt · Posted: Thu Aug 14, 2008 11:44 am Post subject:

The Nepta is stunning, Riva-esque in profile

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