And for the record, there were a lot of really awesome concepts from the early 2000s, so it was hard to narrow down my top 5 list.
Photograph courtesy Dodge
Ever daydream about alternative realities? Like a world in which we don’t sit in cars but stand in them, or a timeline in which the Miata was front-wheel drive, or what would have happened if Archduke Franz Ferdinand’s car hadn’t made that wrong turn in Sarajevo?
Well, I certainly do, but with promising concept cars that never made it to production.
While some concepts are tangible exercises meant to either show off a design team’s skills or indicate the direction of a brand’s styling language, there are several others that show promise.
Here are five concepts from the early 2000s that possibly could have changed our world if they were put into production.
Photograph courtesy Chrysler
Take a Viper, lop off two cylinders and make the inside a little plusher, and you pretty much have the Chrysler Firepower.
Sure, no V10 noises or 600 horsepower on tap under your right foot, but the concept’s planned 6.1-liter V8 would likely have been plenty quick–at least in a grand touring sense.
I think there was–and still is–serious value in offering a V8 in the Viper platform. While the Chrysler badge would have done little to bring down the price, I’m confident that enough interest in the V8-powered Firepower could have had the V8 trickle into the Viper as well.
Of course, the powers that be didn’t see a viable path forward to production, so the Firepower remained a concept–even if it did make the cover of Car and Driver.
Photograph courtesy Chevrolet
No, the Code 130R isn’t an experimental new flavor of Mountain Dew. Rather, it was a concept unveiled at the 2012 North American International Auto Show that channeled inspiration, according to Chevy, from the early Nova.
Unlike the Nova, however, the 130R featured a 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four that was supposedly capable of 150 horsepower.
And if you peeked under the bodywork, you’d see the very same Alpha platform that underpinned the contemporary Cadillac ATS and CTS as well as the Chevy Camaro.
So, it may not have blown the doors off the likes of the Miata or Toyoburu, but it likely would have attracted similar niche buyers.
While the 130R never went into production, I guess you could say that its spirit lived on in the turbo-four powered Camaro.
Nissan IDx Freeflow (top) and IDx Nismo (bottom). Photograph courtesy Nissan
I’d trade the new Nissan Z–the Nismo one, too–if it meant we could get the IDx.
Following up on a motorsports legend is no easy task, yet Nissan seemingly managed to do just that when it unveiled the IDx at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show.
The recipe was right there: engine up front, power delivery out back and measuring in at 162 inches long and around 70 inches wide–nearly the same size as the 163-inch long, 61-inch wide 510.
While the IDx “Freeflow” (the not-so-sporty one) was designed with a sub-2.0-liter engine backed by a CVT, the IDx Nismo was the one on virtually everyone’s radar.
Power came from the same 1.6-liter turbocharged inline-four from the Juke Nismo, with either a genuine six-speed manual or a CVT.
While I understand that a production model would look at least partially different from the concept, it’s still a shame it never materialized.
Photograph courtesy Dodge
Dodge really seems to enjoy reusing names and attaching them to various types of models. Ask someone to show you a picture of a Dodge Demon, and you could be greeted by one of three cars:
In this case, we’re talking about that third Demon, which would have competed with the likes of the Miata as well as the Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky.
Estimated to weigh around 2600 pounds–comparable to the soft-top NC Miata’s 2400-pound curb weight–the Demon was planned to use a 2.4-liter inline-four backed by a six-speed manual, sending all 172 horses to the rear wheels (as nature intended).
Photograph courtesy Spyker
Remember Spyker? While the company is currently stuck in some sort of financial limbo (I guess that’s what happens when you go bankrupt twice), that wasn’t the case when the Peking-to-Paris made its debut at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show.
(When first unveiled in 2006, the concept was designed to make use of a VW W12 engine, hence the D12 name. Later, however, as the money dried up, the plan was switched to use a V8, so the name was changed to D8.)
While its planned performance certainly sounds impressive–in either 500-horsepower W12 or 500-horsepower V8 configuration–what really made the D8/D12 so promising is that it was very much ahead of its time. Don’t believe me? Google the Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupe or the BMW X6 and try to tell me that you can’t see the resemblance.
Unlike some of the others on this list, however, the D8/D12 was very much heading to production, though Spyker’s financial woes prevented that from ever really happening.
And for the record, there were a lot of really awesome concepts from the early 2000s, so it was hard to narrow down my top 5 list.
I would love a modern 510,maybe Nissan wouldn't be in the position it is if they hadn't gone down the boring vehicle road.
I like this one; Hayabusa engine in the back!
In reply to jerel77494 :
I recall driving that one a ton in GT4 when I was a kid. I didn't really understand what it was at the time, but I knew I liked the way it looked.
Now that I know more about it, I love it even more.
"And now we enter the weird Chrysler portion of our tour":
Ah, yes, I remember the iDx and thought it would actually make it into production. Silly me.
Every time early 2000's concept cars get brought up, I always think about how mad I was that Pontiac never released the Grand Am SC/T:
It was your standard Grand Am but had a supercharged 260hp V6 and a 5-speed manual. Pretty sure it had limited slip, too. Thing was basically production ready, but in classic GM fashion, the only thing that made it to the showroom was a non-functional version of the hood. Back then in the early 00's, this would have made a really fun daily driver.
Honorable Mention: The Grand Prix G8
Grand Prix, except with an AWD drivetrain and V8 LS power. Also close to production but never made it. I do like the actual G8 that did eventually get released, especially the GXP version.
In reply to STM317 :
Tom Gale made some incredible looking concepts in the '90s.
The 1991 Chrysler 300 concept, based on a stretched Viper has been one of my favorites. I still think about building a homage to the cockpit style interior with the blacked out driver section.
Some of those look fun. The 2012 Chevy 130R looks like it had the 2015+ S550 Mustang headlights ahead of Ford, though.
The Chrysler Firepower has curves on the rear fenders that are dangerously close to being sexy.
I loved the idea of a new Nissan 510 but that back pillar, hood length, grill inset and front windshield made it feel like it was more of a new 1977 Nissan Celica.
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