Every year, every automaker designs a number of “concept cars” and puts them on display. The purpose of these cars is to showcase new technology, design skills, and the like. Very few of these become actual production models, and in most cases, there is no intention to push for production; the car is built merely as an experiment. Here’s my question: what happens to these cars once the auto shows have ended? Are they dismantled? Are they shoved into a warehouse somewhere? Do the designers get to keep them as personal vehicles? Or are the parts merely re-used in future design experiments?
I’m not sure but most of them go into a warehouse,some are dismantled,some are sold,and some go to museums.
The most famous concept car of all time is the Ford Thunderbird Futura. Design started in 1952 and was finished by 1955. It made the auto show circuit from 1955 to 1959. It appeared in a movie or two. I once had a model car kit of it, purchased in the early 60’s, so it was still quite famous for a surprisingly long time.
In 1965 it was purchased and modified to become the (KaPow!) Batmobile. It remains the Batmobile to this day, even appearing here in Atlanta in this winter’s auto show. (It was prominently mentioned in the TV ads! It’s over 45 years old; the TV show was cancelled 30+ years ago, egad.)
Go to http://www.javelinamx.com/Batmobile/ for more info.
Apparently most concept cars are not so lucky. Many are just plain junked, never really being road ready and/or designed for a significant lifetime. Some temporarily end up as conversation pieces for auto execs but they usually don’t maintain or use them. So they also get junked eventually. Very few ever end up in the hands of a collector.
If you want one, I would suggest becoming a major exec at your desired auto company.
FtG aka GLP
Most don’t even have functional engines in them. They actually have to be pushed and towed into their places at car shows, I’ve read.
Not having working engines – lots of show cars are like that. Almost every racing show car is put on the circuit without a viable motor. As a matter of fact I’ve only seen two that still had teh engines in 'em, and one of them had important parts removed so that you couldn’t hot-wire it, but could still look at it. (The other one had some parts disconnected but still there; the handler connected them for me and let me start the car.)
I saw a special on TSN a while ago that featured a ‘top secret’ view of a warehouse where all of GM’s concept cars are stored. They claimed that except for a few small few, every concept car made since about the 1930’s was in that warehouse.