The Showboat Syndrome-The Concept of a Concept Car

Every year, just about every motor manufacturer on the planet produces at least one new concept car. These are often the highlights of various auto shows in and around the world. They are big and bold, sometimes outrageous, which fall anywhere between exciting and risible in terms of the effect they create. Some are masterpieces and some are the automotive equivalent to bad karaoke. They have solid backing to work to and the underpinnings are concrete, but the finished results are excruciatingly embarrassing to behold. But regardless of their success or failure what is the point of the creation of these exotic machines? The answer would be to reflect the ability of the company to transform from a niche manufacturer to one of the players in the premium car segment.



Jeep Renegade Concept



This provides a long term insight into the philosophy, reaffirming the commitment to create cars that stir the sentiments and emotions of the people. Unfortunately, it isn’t always the case. Sometimes it seems that the masterworks are produced for a completely different reason; the desire to show off. These are cars that will never become production realities, but which just show how clever the designers draftsmen and the prototype builders with various manufacturers really are. The mentioning of the show off stuff mostly goes on inside the car. This is where the designers can take off into flights of fancy because they know they probably won’t ever have to make it work.

Audi Future Concept

Regardless of their raison d’etre, show cars still fulfill a vital role in the world of automobiles; they provide a respite from the relative monotony of regular road cars. They give the visitor something to ogle at (and maybe dream about) for a minute or two and offer the manufacturers with more or less guaranteed media attention. This is the reason more than any other that the cars will continue to be fanciful and enrapture the audience at the auto shows around the world.

BMW M5 Concept

But these concept cars sometimes also draw the flak of the media and other auto experts. My earlier Blog was on the repercussions when the concept cars unveiled by these particular automobile giants didn’t go too well with the critics. Therefore, the idea of  an automobile manufacturer while designing a new concept car is to simply go beyond the ordinary; in terms of design, features, utility etc.

So it won't be long before you see an Indian auto manufacturer coming up with some out of this world concept car which will not only make you drool but also compel you to think whether your eyes are functioning properly or not.

Till the next post

Ciao..... ;)