Honda 3R-C
Honda 3R-C Concept
Introduced at 2010 Geneva Motor Show
Is this the future of cars or tricycles? This one-occupant, electric powered 4-wheeler is powerfully weird, looks almost impossible to get in and out of, and delivers neither the enveloping protection of an enclosed cockpit vehicle nor the maneuverability of a 2-wheeled motorcycle. Yet it does have the design cues of a "Star Wars" Stormtrooper, which have to count for something.
Hyundai Nuvis
Hyundai Nuvis Concept
Introduced at 2009 New York Auto Show
First the good news about the Hyundai Nuvis: It serves as one of the concept showcases for Hyundai's innovative parallel-hybrid Blue Drive system. Now the bad news: The front end looks so scrunched up it's as if this car has been sucking on lemons, and the rear end has far more bumper than window glass, so little kids beware. Add to that the totally unnecessary, massive gullwing doors that provide access to both the front and back seats, and you have a car that's so totally unrealistic for everyday driving that it undermines the message that Hyundai has a serious hybrid system coming around the bend.
Aston Martin Lagonda Concept
Aston Martin Lagonda Concept
Introduced at 2009 Geneva Motor Show
Et tu, Aston Martin? In yet another idiotic nod to the "shooting brake" revival, Aston Martin dusted off the Lagonda nameplate and tried to split the difference among a wagon, sports car and SUV. The result is a front end with the legendary Aston grille stretched so tall and wide it evokes the feeling of a forced grin found in so many family holiday pictures. And the bubble-butt rear end is all C-pillar and trunk, with such an egregious lack of rear visibility that we're tempted to conclude that rich folks must use the reverse gear as an excuse to run people over on purpose.
Bing: Aston Martin Lagonda Concept
Lincoln C Concept
Lincoln C
Introduced at 2009 Detroit Auto Show
We hope the designers at Ford know that Lincolns are not compact cars. At its best, a Lincoln is a big, glorious boat that glides over asphalt like a classic Chris-Craft yacht does on water. Kennedy's limo — that was a Lincoln. The car in "The Matrix" — that was a Lincoln. The C Concept, on the other hand, is a Fiat Multipla — a stubby, high-domed monstrosity with a protuberant rear end that doesn't deserve to wear the classic Lincoln suicide doors. We're all for efficiency; we love that the marvelous EcoBoost engine gives the V6 MKS the feeling of a V8. But there's a time and a place. If we want a fuel-efficient compact car, we'll get a Fiesta.
View Slideshow: Concepts That Are All Wet, But Work
Nissan Round Box
Nissan Round Box Concept
Introduced at 2007 Tokyo Motor Show
OK, one final stab at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show. The concept in the cross-hairs: Nissan's Round Box, which is neither round nor boxy. Instead, it looks like a child's toy version of an open-cockpit race car (we'd rather not have our performance cars elicit adorable ewwws and awwws when revving at stoplights) with a steering wheel that resembles a carnival mask. The Round Box also serves as a showcase for Nissan's technology, with an innovative Play Catch dashboard system that allows passengers and driver to share information. This should let the passenger enter a destination into the navigation system, then throw it over to the driver. Not a terrible idea, but really no more advanced than the driver and passenger handing a portable GPS unit back and forth.
Sam Foley is a Connecticut-based automotive journalist who has written for GQ, Forbes, USA Today, the New York Post and various other publications.
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