From time to time, innovation arises in the automobile industry, and not all the creations get a chance to enter the market. There are cars so creative and full of promise that never make it to dealerships. Here are 10 unique cars that should have been released, stolen enthusiasts’ hearts, and changed the game.
The Most Unique Cars
Ford GT90 (1995)
The Ford GT90 was a vision of supercar brilliance, designed to go head-to-head with Ferrari and Lamborghini. With its quad-turbo V12 barking 720 horsepower, it would zip from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds. Alas, though, production went the way of distant rumor, leaving an important hole in the high-performance market.
BMW Z8 Roadster 2000
The Z8 was a tribute to BMW’s legendary 507 roadster. This car is equipped with the 4.9-liter V8 engine and stunning design by Henrik Fisker with modern performance, touched by just a bit of classic panache. Due to its very limited production, the Z8 is extremely rare, but if it had received wider production, it would most certainly have become an automotive icon.
Audi Quattro Spyder, 1991
One of the most valuable concepts is Audi Quattro Spyder. It blended an all-wheel drive by Audi with a mid-engine structure along with a very futuristic design. Its light construction with its turbocharged engine made it a real pleasure to drive. However, Audi would never go beyond this stage.
Lamborghini Estoque (2008)
It was called the Estoque, Lamborghini’s gambit to corner the luxury sedan market. Sharp and angular, it was a looker with power coming from a V10. However, this failed production foray took a back seat as the company emphasized SUVs and the Estoque never made it out of the archives.
Porsche 917 (1969)
The Porsche 917 is the stuff of legends, embodying endurance racing success. While the achievements of the car on the racing circuit are very well documented, the dream was always for a street version. The road-going 917 would redefine what was possible in performance cars.
Toyota FT-1 (2014)
The FT-1 is a mouth-dropping concept vehicle of what Toyota’s future sports cars could be. Aggressive in design and hybrid power, it embodied the spirit of Supra and hinted at what the brand could offer in the modern sports car market. Unfortunately, it wasn’t produced.
Jaguar C-X75 (2010)
Jaguar’s C-X75 is one of the hybrid supercars that use electric motors in combination with a gas turbine engine to deliver unmatched performance and efficiency. This is among the most futuristically conceptual cars ever built, as it bore a scintillating design with even better specs. It was canceled, unfortunately, because its production costs were just too expensive.
Chevrolet Corvette C7 ZR1 (2019)
Though the Corvette C7 ZR1 was produced in limited numbers, it was rumored that a more potent and sophisticated version would be launched, that would give tough competition to European supercars. As the sales volumes were increased, the Corvette’s prestige would have improved even more on a global scale.
Nissan IDX (2013)
Another retro-inspired sports car, the Nissan IDX concept was a particularly strong example of nostalgic charm combined with modern technology. Fans might have been enthusiastic for the model, but Nissan chose not to put it into production and let slip an opportunity to cash in on the growing market for affordable sports cars that were stylish.
Mercedes-Benz Vision SLR 1999
The Vision SLR was a fantastic design concept that actually formed the basis of the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren. The car surely would have wreaked havoc in the market of luxury sports cars if indeed it were produced with this totally futuristic design and nonpareil technological outfitting. Although several aspects of the design inspired some of the subsequent models, full-size scale status of the Vision SLR concept remained purely aspirational.
These cars were a visionary concept, full of revolutionary designs and capabilities that could have changed the course of automobile development. Unfortunately, they never came to full realization, but their concepts are ever so appealing to car manufacturers and enthusiasts today.
