Production cars that missed the mark

[the Teuton]

What are your favorite cars that looked awesome in concept, but weren't nearly as cool when they came out? 

Chrysler Crossfire




Pontiac GTO




Chrysler Pronto Cruizer/PT Cruiser

[CJ]

I rather like the Crossfire. 

[Raza]

The Crossfire and GTO both look better than their concept counterparts.  The Crossfire concept looks like a grinning idiot, and the GTO concept looks like a car in a 1980s special "What flying cars will look like in the year 2000".

[the Teuton]

Cheyenne/Silverado

[the Teuton]

The Crossfire and GTO both look better than their concept counterparts.  The Crossfire concept looks like a grinning idiot, and the GTO concept looks like a car in a 1980s special "What flying cars will look like in the year 2000".

But the front end matches the character of the rest of the Crossfire concept car, unlike the production model.  The GTO looks far too conservative in real life, too, like a Catera coupe with hood scoops.

[the Teuton]

Porsche Boxster




I wouldn't say they missed the mark with this one, but the concept was cooler-looking.

[Raghavan]

Porsche Boxster




I wouldn't say they missed the mark with this one, but the concept was cooler-looking.

Those are quite identical.

[the Teuton]

Those are quite identical.

Pick up a September 1996 Automobile Magazine (I have it at home) and read Robert Cumberford's analysis of the car.  You will see how wrong you are.  They actually changed a lot.

[Raza]

But the front end matches the character of the rest of the Crossfire concept car, unlike the production model.  The GTO looks far too conservative in real life, too, like a Catera coupe with hood scoops.

I disagree completely.  And I think the Silverado looks better.  And the 986 production model looks better than the concept.

Most concepts look like ass.

[the Teuton]

I humbly disagree with your disagreeing.

[Raza]

I humbly disagree with your disagreeing.

I can't even think of a concept car that looks good.  Other than the Porsche, which still doesn't look as good as the 986, they're all ugly as sin.

My problem with concepts, at least as of late, is that they all look like toy cars.  The Cheyenne looks like a Hot Wheels car. 

[TheIntrepid]

The 986 concept looks like that James Dean car.

[Raza]

The 986 concept looks like that James Dean car.

550 Spyder.

That's kind of the point of the Boxster; the rebirth of the 550.

[Eye of the Tiger]

The 986 concept looks like that James Dean car.

That's Jimmy Dean to you, Canada boy.

[Soup DeVille]

That's Jimmy Dean to you, Canada boy.

A sausage, on a stick, wrapped in a chocolate chip pancake: all prepackaged and ready to go.

It's like the world's most perfectest food ever.

[280Z Turbo]

No discussion of half-assed cars would be complete without mentioning the DeLorean DMC-12. They were running out of money and had to the car on the lots. Compromises were made.

[Eye of the Tiger]

A sausage, on a stick, wrapped in a chocolate chip pancake: all prepackaged and ready to go.

It's like the world's most perfectest food ever.

I'm surprised the Michigan State Senate hasn't yet proposed a bill to outlaw public consumption of this.

[Soup DeVille]

No discussion of half-assed cars would be complete without mentioning the DeLorean DMC-12. They were running out of money and had to the car on the lots. Compromises were made.

They also realized that with only one car in the line-up that car had to make CAFE averages all on its own, and thus had to equip with one of the world's least extraordinary performance engines.

[Soup DeVille]

I'm surprised the Michigan State Senate hasn't yet proposed a bill to outlaw public consumption of this.

I'm buying all I can now before they do!

[Eye of the Tiger]

I'm buying all I can now before they do!

NOOoOOOOOOOO!!!!! THEY'RE MINE! THEY'RE ALL MINE!!!!!!!! 

[the Teuton]

Here's the 1976 prototype:



And a full-size model:

[Raghavan]

They also realized that with only one car in the line-up that car had to make CAFE averages all on its own, and thus had to equip with one of the world's least extraordinary performance engines.

185 hp GM V6 lump FTL?

[280Z Turbo]

185 hp GM V6 lump FTL?

The Delorean had a 2.8L Peugeut-Renault-Volvo V6 with 130 hp.

[Raghavan]

The Delorean had a 2.8L Peugeut-Renault-Volvo V6 with 130 hp.

I thought it had 185 hp because that's what I thought I saw in GT4.

[omicron]

What are your favorite cars that looked awesome in concept, but weren't nearly as cool when they came out? 

Pontiac GTO

This is the 1998 Holden Coupe concept:

[TheIntrepid]

NOOoOOOOOOOO!!!!! THEY'RE MINE! THEY'RE ALL MINE!!!!!!!! 

It looks like a piece of shit.

[SVT666]

The PT Cruiser concept car is actually very cool and the production version is kinda....soft.

[TheIntrepid]

The PT Cruiser concept car is actually very cool and the production version is kinda....soft.

I don't like the Pronto's roofline. I like the overall look of the PT, though.

[SVT666]

I don't like the Pronto's roofline. I like the overall look of the PT, though.

The roofline is the best part.

[the Teuton]

One of the three final Corvette C5 concepts, the Stingray III vs. C5





Another that didn't exactly miss the mark, but I fell in love with the Stingray III idea while the C5 came out looking a lot like the Mazda RX-7.