DETROIT REVISITED
Wild concepts from the past
Crossovers, SUVs and pickup trucks will reign supreme at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, which opens its doors on Jan. 13. We’ve recently been treated to a few high-end supercars, such as the Ford GT, but the creativity auto manufacturers put into designing concepts has progressively waned. When was the last time a concept car truly surprised you?
It wasn’t always that way. Detroit used to be where companies from all over the automotive spectrum unabashedly flaunted their design department’s wildest ideas. Here are some of the most jaw-dropping concepts that have broken cover in Detroit.
FORD MUSTANG MACH 1 (1966)
Even during the 1960s, when car enthusiasts were comfortably accustomed to wild-looking concepts, the Ford Mustang Mach 1 caused a stir. The wild, low-slung fastback looked like a life-size Hot Wheels car. Styling cues such as four round exhaust tips, enormous rear tires, and vents chiselled into the sides made it appreciably more muscular than the standard Mustang.
The production Mach 1 launched in time for the 1969 model year with a considerably more toneddown design. Its roof was much taller, a concession likely made in the name of comfort, and it retained the standard Mustang’s round headlights in lieu of the concept’s rectangular units. It wasn’t watered down, though. An aggressive stance accented by a hood scoop and a rear spoiler announced it meant business.
DODGE VIPER RT/10 CONCEPT (1989)
All eyes turned to Dodge as it unveiled the Viper RT/10 concept at the 1989 show. The Viper was a way to add much-needed excitement to the Dodge lineup, whose cars had become profitable (at last) but undeniably bland. Early on, Dodge officials referred to the Viper as a modern-day Shelby Cobra.
The concept’s long hood hid a V10 engine designed with input from Lamborghini (which Chrysler owned at the time) starting with a V8 plucked from a Ram truck. Enthusiasts went berserk. Dodge presented the production model during the 1991 Indianapolis 500.
CHEVROLET CORVETTE STING RAY III (1992)
With the Sting Ray III, Chevrolet tried answering the question of what a California Corvette would look like. It was unusually hightech, thanks to features such as four-wheel steering and an adaptive suspension, and it relied on carbon fibre to keep weight in check.
Designers originally envisioned a roadster powered by a high-output V6, but the configuration was deemed too contentious. The car made its debut in Detroit with a 300-horsepower V8 that shifted through a rear-mounted gearbox, which helped weight distribution.
Chevrolet’s archives department indicates the Sting Ray III was briefly considered for production but it would have been far too expensive to build. The brand finally introduced the fifth-generation Corvette in 1996, and it shared no styling cues with the 1992 concept.
PORSCHE BOXSTER (1993)
At first, it seemed like Porsche had made an odd decision by introducing the Boxster concept in Detroit rather than in Paris or Geneva. In hindsight, America’s Motor City made perfect sense.
The Boxster was not just another new model. In the early 1990s, Porsche found itself neck-deep in financial troubles that threatened its existence. As an entry-level roadster, the Boxster represented a last-ditch effort to boost sales and generate much-needed revenue. The brand couldn’t afford a flop.
Officials chose Detroit because they knew North America would be the Boxster’s biggest market. They were spot on, and the production model released in 1996 played a sizable role in saving Porsche from certain doom.
VOLKSWAGEN CONCEPT ONE (1994)
The original Volkswagen Beetle was one of the best-selling cars of all time, selling more than 21 million, and though production ended in 2002, North America hadn’t seen a new one since 1979. But when VW surprised Detroit with the modern-retro Concept One in 1994, the crowd went wild.
Worldwide reaction to the Concept One was so positive that Volkswagen had no choice but to resurrect the Beetle name and put it into production — with very few design changes — in 1997.
FORD GT90 (1995)
The specs — 720 horsepower from a quad-turbocharged V12 — sound like they describe an extravagant Italian sports car and are still impressive today. Imagine how awe-inspiring they were in 1995, when Ford unveiled the GT90 concept. Show-goers admired it with near-superstitious awe.
Shortly after the 1995 Detroit show, insiders suggested the wedge-shaped GT90 would spawn a production model before the end of the 1990s. Ford again wanted to beat Ferrari at its own game, but the coupe never made it past the concept stage … at least not as a full-size, fully functional car. Maisto sold a 1/18-scale GT90 as a consolation prize.
NISSAN Z (1999)
The turn of the millennium was on everyone’s mind in 1999. Product planners in the automotive industry schemed about ways to get buyers’ attention by designing cars “for the year 2000.” The Z concept unveiled in 1999 showed Nissan’s vision of a 21st century Z car.
Nissan introduced the 350Z in 2002. Its overall silhouette channelled the 1999 concept but its design had evolved considerably. The headlights became rectangular and vertical while the rear lights sat higher and stretched well into the quarter panels. No one predicted the coupe segment’s sharp decline, and in 1999 no one could imagine Nissan’s next Z concept would take the form of an SUV.
CHEVROLET BEL AIR (2002)
Chevrolet resurrected the Bel Air nameplate in 2002. It took the form of a two-door, four-seater convertible, a body style last offered by the third-generation Bel Air in the late 1950s.
The concept surfed the retro car wave with a heritage-laced design characterized by fake vertical vents behind each headlight and thick chrome trim around the windshield. The treatment continued inside with a front bench seat, the subtle use of chrome trim, and a horizontal speedometer.
There was nothing retro under the hood. The droptop used a thennew 3.5-litre five-cylinder engine turbocharged to 315 hp. There is little indication Chevrolet seriously considered building the Bel Air, but the five-cylinder later powered the considerably less sexy Colorado pickup truck and its GMC-badged twin.
DODGE RAZOR (2002)
The name Razor likely sounds familiar if you were a teen in the early 2000s. At the time, Razor scooters were the hottest thing on the block. Dodge teamed up with Razor to design a basic, driver-oriented two-seater sports car that would lure younger buyers into showrooms.
The specifications sheet read like an enthusiast’s dream come true. It used a turbocharged 2.4L four-cylinder engine bolted to a six-speed manual transmission that sent about 250 hp to the rear wheels. Rumours pointed to a production model named Scooter, but it never happened.
DODGE TOMAHAWK (2003)
No one expected then Chrysler chief executive Wolfgang Bernhard to wheel onto stage on something that looked like it came from a Mad Max film. Making this motorcycle even more outrageous was the fact it was powered by the Dodge Viper’s massive 500-hp, 8.3-L V10 engine. From a motorcycle-design standpoint, it was unique, with four separate tires and hub-centric steering. It never made it to production, but it sure got people talking.