RAPE of a concept car.

Watching the thread posted by Johnny Apollo, I came across the cover of a magazine with a PT cruiser.
It made me think back to 1998 when I saw the Pronto cruiser at the Amsterdam car show.
I was euforic: they were going to build this?????????????
http://www.ptcruisercotedazur.com/ph...th_pronto1.jpghttp://www.cars.com/features/mvp/chr...s/cruizer3.jpg

Where could I order one?
Then this came out:

http://images.safeform.com/stock/300...202.4%20GT.JPGhttp://asprise.net/product/jtwain/ap...-cruiser-1.jpg

How disappointed can you get?

I'm with you, Dutchy.

Concept cars often promote form over function (as does the VX with blind spots from the side pillars and spare tire, but it looks good). Once the concept gets out of the design studio, it's function over form....turns gems to turds, albeit safe, practical turds. :mad:

Sometimes, form wins out over function and you end up with things like the VX, the 1963 corvette split window coupe, etc.

As you say...the VX is as close to a concept car for the road as you can get. Love it.

Bim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bimati

Once the concept gets out of the design studio, it's function over form....turns gems to turds, albeit safe, practical turds. :mad:

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I disagree. When the concept goes to production, it's primarily COST rather than function that causes the change in design. A lot of times, the function is reduced in a production car. :shrug:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bimati

Sometimes, form wins out over function and you end up with things like the VX, the 1963 corvette split window coupe, etc.

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And sometimes form FOLLOWS function, and you wind up with true gems of design like the McLaren F1 and the Ariel Atom. :)

Sad, aint it? I followed that Pronto as well back in the day, then the PT arrived and I lost all faith.

Transio: Points well taken. Production costs are a major consideration. I didn't feel like writing a thesis on the topic before my morning coffee.... :p

Hmmm, while the Pronto does look a little better than the production version, I still think they are both quite ugly. No offense to anyone who likes it....

The VX is an exception here I think. The VX concepts I have seen are cool, but the production version we all have actually looks better than the prototype. But then again, I guess the VX is nothing but a production concept vehicle...

Bart

Yeah, Me too on these.
Sure wish Toyota would have followed up on the RSC. I think they would have a much better winner in sales than the FJ Cruiser.

The RSc is so bad@$$, if they produce it, I'm all over it. It would totoally awesome as the first Hybrid sport SUV. Man, that would be soooo cool.

Bart

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Reg Hinnant

Yeah, Me too on these.
Sure wish Toyota would have followed up on the RSC. I think they would have a much better winner in sales than the FJ Cruiser.

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I was SO looking forward to this car coming out (even thought about getting rid of the VX!)...

http://english.pravda.ru/img/idb/photo/001-1228.jpg

http://www.autointell.com/Events/nai...e-show-800.JPG

http://www.autointell.com/Events/nai...e-rear-800.JPG

What do they give us? This...

http://a904.g.akamai.net/7/904/506/v...exfrpass34.jpg

http://a904.g.akamai.net/7/904/506/v...T_expasssd.jpg

http://a904.g.akamai.net/7/904/506/v...T_exfrhead.jpg

http://a904.g.akamai.net/7/904/506/v...T_exrrhead.jpg

Not quite the same thing...

Well, some people say that the Vehicross evolved from the Isuzu Deseo concept.

http://www.4wdonline.com/Isuzu/Deseo.html

http://www.4wdonline.com/Isuzu/Vehicross.html
"However, the Vehicross owes a styling and engineering debt to the Isuzu Deseo concept 4X4 as shown in Australia at the 1997 Melbourne Motor Show."


It would have been great to have those rear sliding doors!

...and here I thought the VX evolved from the VX concept.......

I believe the VX concept premiered in 93 at the Tokyo Auto Show so the Deseo is instead a decendent of the VX. (?)