Three More Lost Concepts from Detroit
Yesterday we examined a trio of compact concepts from a variety of manufacturers, most of which probably would have gone on to garner some decent sales numbers had beancounters not gotten in the way. Alas.
This go around, we have three large-car concepts from Detroit. All of them created a decent bit of buzz when making the rounds at auto shows but, for one reason or another, never saw the light of day. We’re definitely playing to a type here, since most of John Q. Public will simply buy a crossover-type appliance instead of a large-and-in-charge car. But that won’t stop us from complaining.
[Images: Dodge, Ford]
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Ford Interceptor
Imagine if Ford actually had the cojones to build this thing. Showing up around 2007, before the cross-town bankruptcies and all the belt tightening that went with it (remember, it is generally agreed that Ford avoided such a fate because Alan Mullaly had the foresight to circle the wagons ahead of time - he even mortgaged the Blue Oval on the side of the Glass House, fer chrissake).
Ford Interceptor
The rear-drive Interceptor had great proportions and would have given Ford a true competitor to the then-new Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger. Imagine a timeline in which Dearborn went toe-to-toe with the Hellcat variants of those cars. Sure, some of the basic design language made it onto other vehicles - but nothing like this ever popped out of a Ford factory and ready to give the Charger a black eye.
Dodge Super 8 Hemi
In contrast, one can argue that Dodge did plow forward with wide swaths of the Super 8 Hemi concept, even if large parts of it - especially impractical but devastatingly cool bits like the windshield - were never formally translated to production.
Dodge Super 8 Hemi
At least into what would become the 2006 Dodge Charger.
Dodge Charger R/T
Even prior to this concept, we were treated to the Dodge Charger R/T concept in 1999. Again, not a direct descendant of what eventually hove forth from the factory but we challenge anyone to look at elements of these cars (such as the rear haunches of the Charger R/T and the bluff front of the Super 8 Hemi) and tell us they don’t see shadows of what wound up being the triumvirate of 300, Charger, and Magnum.
Dodge Charger R/T
The Charger R/T concept was a functional concept as well, featuring rear blended into the rear area with the overall design supervised by Tom Gale. There was a real interior with bucket seats for four people and and a tri-spoke steering wheel allegedly inspired by the ones found at the time in NASCAR.
