A glance into the rearview mirror is sometimes the best preparation for a major leap forward. But it is also useful if you no longer have any inspiration. A top 10 of beautiful concept cars, which have never been taken into production.
1. Abarth 127
In the 70s there was no such thing as a fiery Abarth version of the Fiat 127. But industrial designer David Obendorfer has not prevented it from imagining what a retro version might look like today.
2. Audi Rosemeyer
This beast, inspired by the Silver Arrows, was named after racing driver Bernd Rosemeyer and filled with an eight-liter W16 engine. It was a concept for the R8 that caused a great deal of commotion in 2000, but was considered too expensive to build.
3. BMW 1 Homage
Many drooled out when BMW presented this M1 Homage in Villa d’Este in 2008. Modern accents were combined with references to the original from the mid-1970s.
4. Miura concept
Forty years after Lamborghini made the supercar, design commander Walter de Silva gave this astonishing reinterpretation of the Miura in 1996.
5. VW Ecoracer
From 2005, the EcoRacer made of carbon fiber was a mobile laboratory for new ideas. With a weight of only 850 kg and driven by a 1.5 TDI engine, it jumped from 0-100 km/hour in 6.3 seconds.
6. Infiniti Prototype 9
Creating a concept car that refers to the 1940s, while your brand is only 18 years old, is a significant challenge. Yet that is precisely what Infiniti did with Project 9. It is a pity that the market for two-seaters from the 40s is so small.
7. Ford 021C
In the 1990s, Ford had Marc Newson make a car for the 2000s. He could appear in an episode of The Jetsons.
8. Ford GT
The Ford GT40 from the 60s was a striking appearance at Le Mans. He served as a model for a series of concepts – including those from 2002 – followed by a production version in 2004.
9. Land Rover DC100
This concept was an attempt to replace the 63-year-old Defender, so it’s not really a retro design in that regard.
10. Nissan IDXM
With the pricey 370Z it was time for a new affordable sports car from Nissan. This IDx concept, inspired by the Datsun 510, which was shown for the first time at the Tokyo Show in 2013, was a big hit.