6 ms·

Can someone explain to me why these incredible concept cars never really get built, even in small batches as a limited edition?

agumonkey 9y ago
Egypt didn't give them the rights to adapt Pyramids on Citroen local market ?
Aissen 9y ago
I'm pretty sure the answer is "it's complicated". They'd probably cost as much as a supercar, wouldn't be homologated to be used on roads, etc. Maybe there's a business plan here, see all the "pimp my car" TV shows where specialists "enhance" existing vehicules. Actually, some of those cars get built, but only in Hollywood ;-)
csours 9y ago
So many reasons, but the two big ones are: 1. Cost vs Reward. 2. Regulations. 1) Many concept cars are non-functional or only partially functional. Making them fully functional and production ready, even at prototype levels would be extremely costly. 2) Many features in concept cars are not evaluated against FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) and other standards, they are not crash tested, they may not meet EPA regulations. There are a lot of other reasons, but they all basically boil down to cost vs reward. --- There is also the backwards case, where many modern "concept cars" are actually just pre-production teasers with fancy cosmetics. Disclaimer: I work for GM, but not on concept cars, sadly =(
- cm2187 9y ago
  Are Ferrari models crash tested?
  - trymas 9y ago
    Yes. Even super rare koenigseggs, and paganis are crash tested. If I recall right, koenigsegg uses one or two monocoque carbon frames to pass the tests.
  - csours 9y ago
    http://blog.dupontregistry.com/news/crash-test-2-million-hypercar/ http://blog.dupontregistry.com/news/crash-test-2-million-hyp... https://www.carkeys.co.uk/news/do-you-have-to-crash-test-supercars-and-how-safe-are-they https://www.carkeys.co.uk/news/do-you-have-to-crash-test-sup... Yes, usually at least once. Part of the reason supercars are so expensive is that the engineering costs are only amortized over a small number of vehicles. The crash test can be considered part of that cost. The actual incremental cost to produce a supercar is a fraction of the price tag. In addition to official government crash tests, non-governmental groups such as IIHS also crash test mass market vehicles, but they actually have to purchase the vehicles they test - hoping to make money by selling back the information they collect. It's pretty much never cost effective for IIHS to buy supercars for crash testing. http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings
    - cm2187 9y ago
      Interesting. The other thing I was curious about: aren't there regulations in term of maximum noise emitted by new cars? If that's the case I wonder how these supercars are roadworthy.
      - gambiting 9y ago
        Tests apply in "default" configuration. So I drive a Mercedes AMG which has a button to open the exhaust which makes it way louder. But the test is conducted in the state in which the car starts in by default - so with the exhaust closed and quiet. Same with emissions - if the car starts by default with Start/Stop system on, it's tested with it on. But obviously you can switch the system off which increases the emissions.
      - exDM69 9y ago
        Yes there are and that's why e.g. Ferrari have been going towards turbo charged cars with conservative exhaust pipes recently. At least where I'm from, most regulations don't apply retroactively. You can still drive around in an old V12 with short tailpipes but a new one wouldn't be allowed.
_ph_ 9y ago
With electrical drivetrains making custom cars more feasible (easier to obtain for small car makers, simpler to integrate into a custom setup), we can hope for more of such design becoming reality in small numbers. This concept car probably really was just designed to be maximal crazy :), but I think it is a great concept. It would only require a few small changes to become a really cool and modern car.
- maxerickson 9y ago
  Small shops in the US regularly turn out custom made vehicles with modern engines. Lots of them use parts out of junked cars, but also "crate engines" are a thing, you can just buy a powertrain from any number of suppliers (for instance, GM: http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines ). And then there are specialist machine shops that build linkages and such to go between whatever components, at whatever length. I imagine safety regulations and cost are the big blocker for small scale manufacturing.
  - dsfyu404ed 9y ago
    People have been doing EV conversions since forever. If electric becomes a viable alternative to remans and crate engines the OEMs will just offer a "crate engine" electric drive-train that bolts where an LS or SBC would go and the stuff needed to make it plug and play. You don't need a custom vehicle, just an S10 with a blown motor.
    - maxerickson 9y ago
      I was responding to the other poster's assertion that electric drivetrains will be easier to obtain. I don't see how there can be anything that is really meaningfully easier than ordering something out of a catalog.
rando444 9y ago
With this car you can tell in a rollover it would likely kill everyone inside nearly every time.

agumonkey 9y ago

Egypt didn't give them the rights to adapt Pyramids on Citroen local market ?

Aissen 9y ago

I'm pretty sure the answer is "it's complicated". They'd probably cost as much as a supercar, wouldn't be homologated to be used on roads, etc. Maybe there's a business plan here, see all the "pimp my car" TV shows where specialists "enhance" existing vehicules. Actually, some of those cars get built, but only in Hollywood ;-)

csours 9y ago

So many reasons, but the two big ones are: 1. Cost vs Reward. 2. Regulations. 1) Many concept cars are non-functional or only partially functional. Making them fully functional and production ready, even at prototype levels would be extremely costly. 2) Many features in concept cars are not evaluated against FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards) and other standards, they are not crash tested, they may not meet EPA regulations. There are a lot of other reasons, but they all basically boil down to cost vs reward. --- There is also the backwards case, where many modern "concept cars" are actually just pre-production teasers with fancy cosmetics. Disclaimer: I work for GM, but not on concept cars, sadly =(

cm2187 9y ago
Are Ferrari models crash tested?
- trymas 9y ago
  Yes. Even super rare koenigseggs, and paganis are crash tested. If I recall right, koenigsegg uses one or two monocoque carbon frames to pass the tests.
- csours 9y ago
  http://blog.dupontregistry.com/news/crash-test-2-million-hypercar/ http://blog.dupontregistry.com/news/crash-test-2-million-hyp... https://www.carkeys.co.uk/news/do-you-have-to-crash-test-supercars-and-how-safe-are-they https://www.carkeys.co.uk/news/do-you-have-to-crash-test-sup... Yes, usually at least once. Part of the reason supercars are so expensive is that the engineering costs are only amortized over a small number of vehicles. The crash test can be considered part of that cost. The actual incremental cost to produce a supercar is a fraction of the price tag. In addition to official government crash tests, non-governmental groups such as IIHS also crash test mass market vehicles, but they actually have to purchase the vehicles they test - hoping to make money by selling back the information they collect. It's pretty much never cost effective for IIHS to buy supercars for crash testing. http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings
  - cm2187 9y ago
    Interesting. The other thing I was curious about: aren't there regulations in term of maximum noise emitted by new cars? If that's the case I wonder how these supercars are roadworthy.
    - gambiting 9y ago
      Tests apply in "default" configuration. So I drive a Mercedes AMG which has a button to open the exhaust which makes it way louder. But the test is conducted in the state in which the car starts in by default - so with the exhaust closed and quiet. Same with emissions - if the car starts by default with Start/Stop system on, it's tested with it on. But obviously you can switch the system off which increases the emissions.
    - exDM69 9y ago
      Yes there are and that's why e.g. Ferrari have been going towards turbo charged cars with conservative exhaust pipes recently. At least where I'm from, most regulations don't apply retroactively. You can still drive around in an old V12 with short tailpipes but a new one wouldn't be allowed.

_ph_ 9y ago

With electrical drivetrains making custom cars more feasible (easier to obtain for small car makers, simpler to integrate into a custom setup), we can hope for more of such design becoming reality in small numbers. This concept car probably really was just designed to be maximal crazy :), but I think it is a great concept. It would only require a few small changes to become a really cool and modern car.

maxerickson 9y ago
Small shops in the US regularly turn out custom made vehicles with modern engines. Lots of them use parts out of junked cars, but also "crate engines" are a thing, you can just buy a powertrain from any number of suppliers (for instance, GM: http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines http://www.chevrolet.com/performance/crate-engines ). And then there are specialist machine shops that build linkages and such to go between whatever components, at whatever length. I imagine safety regulations and cost are the big blocker for small scale manufacturing.
- dsfyu404ed 9y ago
  People have been doing EV conversions since forever. If electric becomes a viable alternative to remans and crate engines the OEMs will just offer a "crate engine" electric drive-train that bolts where an LS or SBC would go and the stuff needed to make it plug and play. You don't need a custom vehicle, just an S10 with a blown motor.
  - maxerickson 9y ago
    I was responding to the other poster's assertion that electric drivetrains will be easier to obtain. I don't see how there can be anything that is really meaningfully easier than ordering something out of a catalog.

rando444 9y ago

With this car you can tell in a rollover it would likely kill everyone inside nearly every time.