30 concept cars that never hit the mainstream

Mazda Nagare - Unveiled at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show, the Mazda Nagare concept vehicle has a beautifully futuristic design, with the only hard angle in the center of the grill. Unfortunately this vehicle is too beautiful for this cruel world, but the 2010 Mazda3 and the 2012 Mazda5 are inspired by the Nagare.

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Mini Superleggera Vision - It was one of the more anticipated vehicles of recent years, but this beautiful open-top Mini will remain a dream for the time being. This electric vehicle was axed in 2017 after demand was considered too low.

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Honda Fuya-Jo - Somewhere between a street cleaner and a bus, the Honda Fuya-Jo debuted at the 1999 Tokyo Auto Show. The hybrid vehicle was meant to be a nightclub on wheels, with a DJ-themed dashboard and a non-slip floor.

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BMW GINA - Covered in spandex to protect the vehicle from water and change in temperature, this highly experimental BMW was unveiled in 2008. The car's body "shape shifted" with the opening of its doors, as the fabric exterior stretched around it. We'll have to wait for the next century until this one's in driveways.

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Cadillac Sixteen - This 2003 concept vehicle was the winner of an in-house competition at General Motors. The Sixteen had V-16 engine that was a throwback to the brand's make from the 1930s. Though this beauty never made it to the production floor, it inspired the Cadillac CTS.

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Jaguar C-X75 - This hybrid plug-in two seater with 778 horsepower was first shown off at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. In 2011 the high-end C-X75 was scheduled to go into production, but was canceled due to the financial crisis's affect on demand for expensive vehicles. The C-X75 would have retailed for US$1.15 million.

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Spyker D12 Peking-to-Paris - Dutch automaker Spyker unveiled this luxury crossover SUV at the 2006 Geneva Auto Show. Named in honor of the 1907 Peking-to-Paris car rally, the vehicle was hugely popular immediately after its debut. But Spyker was in the midst of financial troubles and never got the vehicle into production. As recently as April 2017, rumors of a revival have resurfaced.

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Frisky Family Three -

Part of the peculiarly small British line of Medows Frisky cars, the three-wheeled vehicle debuted at the 1958 Earls Court Motor show and could be driven with a motorcycle license. Though the vehicle went into production in 1959, the company faced insolvency a few months later and only a handful were ever made.

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Maybach Exelero - Made by Mercedez-Benz subsidiary Maybach-Motorenbau GmbH, this beautiful concept car was intended to reach 350 km/h (217 mph). It was seen in both the German TV show 'Cobra 11' and Jay-Z's 'Lost One' music video, but only one Maybach Exelero was ever made.

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Infiniti Essence - The hybrid sports car was unveiled at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show for Infiniti's 20th anniversary, but was never meant to go into production. The Nissan-owned brand intended to incorporate the Essence into future vehicles.

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Plymouth XNR - Chrysler needed a way to compete with the Ford Falcon, so in 1960 the automaker developed the two-seater Plymouth XNR. But the vehicle never made it into production, and the singular concept car has been shipped to Italy, Kuwait, Lebanon, and Canada. It was sold at auction in 2012.

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Nissan IDx Nismo - First seen at the 2013 Tokyo Auto Show, the vehicle features side view mirrors that are actually cameras, which wholly impressed the public. Nissan appears to be using the IDx as a starting point for inspiration for other vehicles, but isn't putting it into production, despite Jay Leno's insistence on the matter.

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Phantom Corsair -

The ultimate supervillain ride, this 1938 six-passenger, two-door vehicle was designed by the Heinz family of ketchup fame. Rust Heinz, who financed the vehicle, died in a car crash in 1939 and the Corsair never went into production. The only model is now in the US National Automobile Museum.

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Ford Shelby GR-1 - With a maximum speed of 306 km/h (190 mph), many thought it was a crime that the Ford Shelby GR-1 never went into production after its 2005 debut. But a 2019 report from January has claimed that the vehicle is set to see the light of day.

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Dodge Deora -

Perfect for taking your friends around in the back, this 1967 pickup debuted at the Detroit Autorama. Though it never went into production, it was immortalized as a Hot Wheels car. The one and only model was sold for US$324,500 at a California auction.

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Maserati Tipo 61 - Better known as the Birdcage, this racing car from 1959 to 1961 got a commercial concept makeover in 2005. The beautiful vehicle got its name from the vertically opening bubble. The vehicle appears to have been just a test.

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Tucker 48 - Only 51 Tucker Torpedos, as they were commonly known, were ever produced due to stock fraud allegations. Despite its limited production, the Tucker 48 is still regarded as an example of American ingenuity. The Tucker Corporation went bankrupt in 1950, two years after the Tucker 48 halted production.

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Mazda Furai - With high hopes the Furai would hit both the racing circuit and commercial production, Mazda unveiled this beauty in 2008. But a 2013 fire during testing seems to have put a damper on those plans.

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Alfa Romeo BAT 5 -

A car made in 1953 that could reach 200km/h (124 mph) is astonishing to think about. This experiment in aerodynamics was followed by BAT 7, BAT 9, and BAT 11—vehicles that were more advancements in technology than actual road-ready cars.

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Lamborghini Miura - The Miura was in production between 1966 and 1973, making it possibly the world's first supercar. In 2006, a modern Miura concept car was unveiled at the North American Auto Show in Detroit. But the concept vehicle was only an homage for the 40th anniversary of the supercar, and was never intended for production.

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Chrysler ME 4-12 - Only two models have ever been made of the ME4-12, standing for mid-engine with four turbochargers on a 12-cylinder engine. The two-door coupe had seven speeds and is capable of reaching 399 km/h (248 mph). It's possible this vehicle was too expensive for the showroom.

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Dymaxion -

Resembling more of a submarine than a car, the Dymaxion name was a combination of the words dynamic, maximum, and tension. The highly aerodynamic vehicle is believed to have changed the way cars are made, but was never intended as a commercial venture. Only three original models were ever produced.

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Cadillac Escala - Debuted at the 2016 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, the Escala has been teased as a future production car, however nothing concrete has come of it.

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Chevrolet Aerovette -

Originating in the 1960s, disagreements over the practicality of this heavy, gas-guzzling, Corvette-like sports car culminated in delays in the Aerovette's production. It was finally looking like it would enter into commercial production in 1980, but due to the energy crisis at the time, the plan was scrapped.

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Audi Quattro - The Audi Quattro was in production from 1980 to 1991, and the vehicle appeared to have been revived at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. But the Quattro remains a car of the past for now. The later versions of the Audi TT and Audi R8 are based on the 2010 Quattro concept.

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Audi Sport Quattro Laserlight - In 2014 Audi released this concept vehicle with lasers for headlights, but it only appears as a demonstration car.

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Vauxhall SRV -

Made back in 1970, this vehicle sat four but was modeled after a racing car. It never made it into production and Vauxhall is now Peugeot-owned.

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Lamborghini Asterion - Debuted at the 2014 Paris Motor Show, this concept vehicle was Lamborghini's first hybrid vehicle. After what the automaker called a negative response, the Asterion was canceled in favor of the Urus SUV.

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Peugeot Moovie -

With an entirely see-through circular body that pedestrians might confuse for a mobile aquarium, the 2005 Peugeot Moovie was truly one of a kind. Unfortunately, it's remained a concept.

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Toyota PM -

Personal mobility is what this 2003 concept vehicle is all about, which is possibly even better suited to the current self-driving technology trend. Look out for a reboot of this roadster in the future.

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30 concept cars that never hit the mainstream

Some of these are beautiful, others not so much

08/09/21 | StarsInsider

LIFESTYLE Auto

When designers are asked to paint the future for automakers, they sometimes create a piece of art so stunning it could never go into production. Car manufacturing is about mass appeal after all, and a vehicle that's too unique won't sell as well to the masses. Others are fully intended to go into production immediately, only to have financial or legal challenges get in the way.

Here are some incredible vehicles that never made it into our driveways.