Incredible Concept Cars
Incredible Concept cars. A lot of them are very sick. We love them. They’re like looking into the fricking future, but like hover boards a lot of these cars never get made. Today we’re gonna talk about 10 super dope concept cars that didn’t get made, but definitely 100% should have been made. We’ll be looking at Japanese Porsche, futuristic semi trucks, and even a 70’s cybertruck. Strap in boys and girls ’cause we’re going to the future through the past.
Dodge Ram T-Rex
Dodge Ram T-Rex – Fricking look at this thing. Look at it, are you looking at it? Look at it. This fricking boy could be released tomorrow and would sell like dinosaur shaped hotcakes. You know, Post Malone would buy one right off the fricking bat. It was designed in 1997, two years after Post Malone was born, meaning it predates the Hennessy six by six, it predates the Raptor. In fact you might even say, it’s prehistoric. (groaning) Now just like a T-Rex has three arms. This truck had three axles and six wheel drive. It also had a big old Magnum V10 engine from the ram 3,500 that we talked about in our episode about the best cheap trucks that you can buy. Unfortunately the big.
Unfortunately the big wigs in the rich man offices at Dodge said that it was too awesome to produce, but there is a twist to this tale, a conspiracy theory, if you will. Dodge was owned by Mercedes at the time of the T-Rex. Okay. Mercedes decided, “Hey we can’t build this six wheeled dinosaur truck.” Then 10 years later, Mercedes made a six by six version of the G- Wagon. Coincidence? I keep trying to tell you guys there’s no fricking such things as coincidences, okay. (chuckles happily) Look at the facts, all right. Just, connect the dots. Follow the money. Follow the money. Follow the money. Follow the money.
Nissan MID4
Nissan MID4 . – Back in 1985, when I’m from before the NSX was even a twinkly twink twinkle in Honda’s eye, Nissan unveil a car which they said would be a competitor for Porsche and Ferrari. It was called the MID4. Now with a name like MID4, you’d think that it would be a mid-engine car with a four cylinder engine, right? Well, you’d be half right, but you’d also half dead wrong pal. It was designed to receive a brand new V6 and that V6 was gonna be mounted behind the driver and sideways, right in the middle of the four wheels. Get it MID4, makes perfect sense. Bing, bang, boom! MID4 was also supposed to get all-wheel-drive and four-wheel steering, really cool stuff for the time.
Then in 1987 they made another one. They called it the MID4-II and that one had two fricking turbos on it. If they weren’t gonna make it, then why did they make a second one, that was even cooler? What are they doing to us? Like a lot of concept cars, Nissan never actually planned to make this thing. It was meant to be a design study to showcase their cool technology in something that resembled a road going car. It’s like a mannequin at Old Navy where they just put an outfit on it.
That’s basically what a lot of these concept cars are. Mannequins at Old Navy where they put the outfits on them. Old Navy has the coolest mannequins and the most relaxed fit jeans. Cool fact though, the MID4 twin turbo V6 did end up getting used in the Z32 300ZX. So, you know, we’re all just stardust. Everything is connected. It’s the circle of life. I am made of the same things as you. You are made of the same things as a car. Carbon makes steel and you. Cars are boys.
Audi Avus Quattro
Audi Avus Quattro. – The Audi Quattro was the sickest Audi of the 80s. So when they stopped making it in 1991, it was a big deal. Question was, could Audi’s next car revolutionize the industry like the Quattros all-wheel-drive system did way back in 1980? What was Audi going to come up with, next? The answer was, the Audi Avus Quattro. Look at this fricking thing. It looks like it’s from a Will Smith movie about a bunch of eye robots. It looks like it’s from the future but in reality it’s from the past.
The design was apparently influenced by Audi’s streamliners, which were their land speed record cars from the 1930s. (soothing music) You can definitely see the connection. This shiny little concept that couldn’t, had an all aluminum space frame chassis making it incredibly light and strong, just like Nolan. His bones are wide but they’re hollow like a bird. The dude only weighs like 84 pounds, but he can deadlift like 850. This car was supposed to be powered by a 502 horsepower W2 engine. But when it debuted at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show, the engine was just a wooden model because they didn’t get the real one, done in time. But sadly, it just wasn’t meant to be.
The recession of the early 90s led Audi to shelve the Avus project. It wasn’t a total bust though. The aluminum frame and W12 did both find their way into the 1994 Audi A8. Maybe we’ll do an episode on big old luxury barges that you can get for cheap. I don’t know, lemme know in the comments if you want that. I definitely love those. Me and max both, we just love those big old boys.
Honda HP-X
Honda HP-X. – Is it HP-X or Hipaxs? I’m going with HP-X. The Honda HP-X is one of the most recognizable concept cars ever made. All thanks to the company that designed it. Pininfarina, the peeps behind some of the most beautiful cars ever, were asked Honda to design them a car that would show the world how capable this Japanese company was. I wanna point out that at this time in the late 80s, Honda was still known more for its fast bikes and slow cars so, this was a big swing.
This was a big deal. Pininfarina put their Ferrari designs away for a few months and whipped up the HP-X which is short for Honda Pininfarina Xperimental. It’s not experimental if you use the E. Yeah just, go straight for the X. Xperimental! Xperimental! HP-X featured a mid-mounted V6, which was basically a Honda Formula 2 V8 with two cylinders chopped off. The coolest thing about the HP-X was it’s fighter jet style (beeping sound)pit.
It had single piece plexiglass bubble that slid forward when you wanna get in and out of the car. Just like Goose or Maverick. And honestly, the worst thing that COVID has caused was pushing back the premiere of Top Gun two. I’m not even getting sponsored by those guys even though we tried, we tried they said, no. But Top Gun two is gonna be the sickest movie of our lifetimes, I’m calling it. Tom cruise is kind of a weirdo, but he’s a national treasure and straight up professional.
Volkswagen W12
Volkswagen W12. – VW, my favorite car company has never made a supercar. Have they made some super duper cars? 100%, but never a supercar. Volkswagen has a long history of making really good economy cars with a fun little twist. And that’s why it was so surprising when they teased the world with a W12 Nardo in 1997. It was named after the Nardo ring, VW’s test facility, where this very car smashed 12 speed records in a 24 hour test. During this test, the W12 maintained an average speed of 200.6 miles per hour. And that’s including stops for gas and to fill up the drivers big gulps.
One thing you gotta know about Volkswagen test drivers, they love their sodie pop boy. No ice though cause they’re German. “It’s already cold why would we add ice.” I took German in high school and we had like a German guy come talk to us. And someone was like, “Hey is it true that you guys don’t put ice in your sodas?” And that was his answer he’s like, “Yes it’s already cold why would you put ice in it.” (chuckles lightly) VW chief at the time, Ferdinand Piech. Piech! Piech! Piech! Ordered that VW have a supercar in their fleet. It borrowed the technology for its DW12 engine from the Audi Avus, which we just talked about. Time is a circle. And it was designed by Giorgetto Giugiaro.
The genius, legendary designer behind some of the most beautiful and innovative cars in the history of cars. I’m talking about the BMW M1 and the Daewoo Lanos. Obviously a W12 powered supercar was gonna cost a lot of money, but even Piech didn’t realize just how much money it was actually going to cost. When the bean counters counted all the beans it was gonna take to make every car, they were like, “No way guys. That is way too many beans.” And they vetoed the project.
But there is a happy ending to this story because in 1998, Piech convinced the VW board to purchase Bugatti. So in the years that follow VW turned over their W12 technology to Bugatti, and it was that technology and development which led to, the Veyron! For more on that check out our D-List episode on the fastest car for every year. Listen, I know that I ask you guys to watch a lot of my other videos, but I really want you to watch this one.
Steainwinter Supercargo
Steainwinter Supercargo. – Now this next car is not at all a supercar, but very much a semi truck. The Steainwinter Supercargo was designed and built in Stuttgart and they butted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 1983. The idea behind this ridiculous, pretty awesome looking vehicle was to reduce the footprint of semis on the world’s roads. Normal semi-trucks are big bricks, and bricks aren’t very aerodynamic, especially when they’re big. Also the gap between the cab and the trailer creates a lot of drag. So, what do you do? Well, you make your cab flat and put it under the trailer.
Problem solved, Bing bang boom! Let’s all go home and have dinner with our wives. Finally, I can see my kids for once. Maybe I’ll help Tommy with his homework. This thing had a big old Mercedes diesel that made 753 twerks. And the whole thing was only a half inch taller than a Lamborghini Huracan, which is a very short car. The thing could carry a fully loaded shipping container on its roof while towing another one behind it. So, you’ve got this super buff, versatile truck the size of a Lambo.
Sounds really good on paper, right? Unfortunately this bad boy had his flaws, just like me. The driver’s vision was really, really bad compared to a regular semi, which sits high up and has huge windows. And it turns out that Lambos aren’t the most practical height for towing shipping containers. Reliability was also an issue. I mean, the stress put on trucks is incredible with engines and chassis expected to go like a million miles with just minor maintenance. Sadly the super cargo just couldn’t cut it.
Mercedes pulled their funding and that’s all it took for the semi-truck of the future to become a concept of the past. ♪ But you’re a little short ♪ ♪ Can I’ll see you again ♪ But just like all great, great ideas, this one refused to die, and it finally got its rightful place in history when it was featured in Power Rangers Time Force. Which is basically the coolest thing that could ever happen to anybody.
Mazda RX-Vision
Mazda RX-Vision – Have I seen it in person? Yes. Did I touch it? Yes. Did I get in trouble? Yes. But guys already knew I’m a bad boy for life. The Mazda RX-Vision was released at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2015 and was meant to be a glimpse into the future of Mazda Sports Cars. Obviously drawing inspiration from their long line of incredibly successful road and race cars. The RX-Vision was a long, sleek, front-engine, rear-wheel-drive beastie with yes, you guessed it, a rotary engine. (vrooming sound) That’s a good looking car. It was designed using the Kodo philosophy.
What is the Kodo philosophy you ask? Well, Mazda designers try to make cars that encapsulate the beauty of life in the hope that by doing so they can give the car a soul. Did I mention that this thing had a fricking rotary. In spite all the positives and all the cool stuff, the beauty, and the rotary and all that, it just wasn’t meant to be. The RX vision never made it into production, which sucks because this car would have been phenomenal. We can see this thing’s DNA splattered all over the 4th Gen Miata, which was designed at the same time, but it’s a shame that we haven’t got a new rotary Mazda sports car and, I’m not sure if we ever will.
Mercury Montego Sportshauler
Mercury Montego Sportshauler. – You guys probably don’t remember the Mercury Montego. It was a mid-size sedan released all the way back in the grandpa times in 1968. It was powered by range of four V8 and was available as a four door sedan, a two door hardtop, a four door station wagon, or a two door converter. But one Montego that never made it to market was this one. The Sportshauler. Sportshauler. Unveiled at the 1972 Detroit Auto Show, the Sportshauler looked like a Montego from the front, but carried a surprise in the back.
Kinda like the tale I was born with, but had to have removed, and that’s why I got this tramp stamp to cover the scar. This fricking boy had a compartment behind the two front seats that had a fricking ATV in it, and the freaking ATV looks like a fricking Moon Rover. The rear window and deck lid opened electronically, then a tailgate dropped to the ground to form a ramp. So you could bring your Moon Rover out. Moon rovers aren’t your jam. Okay, well it could be with a mini bike or a snowmobile. Pick your awesome poison, Juliet. This thing is a Gosh Dern cybertruck before the cybertruck was the cybertruck, but it’s not even a truck, it’s a cybercar.
Nissan IDx
Nissan IDx – The Datsun 510 is a great little car. People fricking love ’em. It’s just like (kissing sounds) In 2013 Nissan released this 21st century re-imagining of the 510 and the car community went wild. Wild. I cannot overstate how wild we all went. The IDx concept was marketed by Nissan as their answer to the rear-wheel-drive tuner craze, and they claimed that it could be a direct competitor for cars like the Hyundai Genesis Coupe and the GT866/BRZ/FRS.
The Nismo edition was set to have the same 230 horsepower engine from the Juke Nismo, which, somehow did get made. Nissan I love you, but you’re bringing me down. It was all looking so good, Nissan said they were gonna make it. Journalists were even allowed to drive the fully functioning concept car. Both younger Max and younger me we’re trying to figure out how long it would take them to depreciate until we could afford one. But as we know all too well from other cars on this list, hype doesn’t always turn into sales and when Nissan ran the numbers on this relatively pricey concept, it just wasn’t a viable option to be produced.
You know, like the Nismo Juke. What the fuck! To learn more about Nissan’s awesome, amazing decision making ability. Check out these two episodes of the WheelHouse that Nolan hosts. I’ll put a link in the description below. It’s such a shame that this thing never got made because Toyota had already proven that there was a market for front engine rear-wheel-drive sports cars with the GT 86.
Dodge copperhead
Dodge Copperhead. – That’s right! In at number one on the list of 10 concept cars that we wish they would have made is the Dodge Copperhead. And as a fellow snake boy, I like the name. Kentucky Cobra March, coming soon. This thing is sick. The Copperhead was first shown at the 1997 North American Auto Show and was envisioned, you guys ready, as a smaller, more affordable version of the Dodge Viper. Sounds awesome. Sign me up. Where’s the waiting list. I would love to at least drive one.
So not only did Dodge shrink down the proportions of the Viper, giving the copperhead a perfect ‘Baby Viper’ look. You gotta be careful with the baby snakes cause they don’t know how much venom they’re supposed to let out and they’ll, they’ll just let it all out and they’ll kill you.
They also added sick Arrow, which would help the Copperhead to get the most out of its modest 220 horsepower, V6 motor. It was low and wide, which gave it excellent handling overall. But by far the best part of the Copperhead was that it came with a five-speed manual and rear-wheel-drive you guys.
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It would have been a fricking American Miata. It was gonna be priced at around $30,000. That’s $45,000 less than a Viper. And you can imagine that at that price, they would have sold a freaking boatload of them. Just like every other awesome car on this list, It wasn’t meant to be. First, and this is honestly so lame.
Billy Gibbons, the guitarist for ZZ top had built and customized a 1950 Ford Coupe and registered it as the Ford Kopperhead, with a K. And they had to rename the car, the Dodge Concept Car to keep from getting in a legal battle. I do think that they could have put a little more effort into it and named it something a little bit cooler like, there is a million snakes.
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Name it the Dodge Baby Viper, or name it the Dodge Black Moccasin, the Dodge yellow bellied sea snake. That sounds like a, that sounds like an insult that a pirate would say to a pirate. “Here is so yellow bellied sea snake.” At the time Dodge was owned by Daimler and Mercedes had their own small drop top sports car.
The SLK, which was selling well in America. So that also contributed to the Copperhead not being made. But the main reason that the Copperhead didn’t get made was because of the SUV. Dodge wanted to focus on more lucrative areas of the market.
So they decided to shelve the Copperhead and gave us the Dodge Durango. I mean it’s a good looking SUV, I suppose. Dodge would use some of the Copperhead styling when they redesigned the Viper in 2003 for the 2nd generation, and then even made a limited run of 300 Copperhead Vipers in 2005. But still guys, we were so close to having an American Miata.
I imagine an alternate universe where the Moneypit Miata is a Dodge and we’re all just cruising around in our little American Miatas. But unfortunately the only place that that can happen right now, is in Gran Turismo one and Gran Turismo two, because the car was featured in both of those. Thank you guys so much for Reading this Incredible Concept Cars Article.
