Popular Concept Cars That Never Made It to Production

Some concept cars make it to production models, while others only serve as inspirational vehicles to offer some elements to the production lineup.

Automakers build concept vehicles to bring many ideas together in a way that could eventually lead to new models with modern elements. Most concept vehicles aren’t production-ready, but some are. Those that capture our attention and pique our imagination to show us what automakers and their design teams are capable of creating.

Here are several popular concept cars that never made it to production, but maybe they should have.

Dodge Copperhead

We know all about the Dodge Viper, but you probably have never heard of the Copperhead. This Dodge concept came to the auto show circuit in 1997 to be a smaller, more affordable version of the Viper, which was relatively new at the time. The Copperhead wouldn’t have been quite as mean, especially since it was powered by a V6 engine. This Dodge had some funky looks, but that could have been ironed out if Dodge had ever seen fit to bring the Copperhead to the market.

Audi PB18 e-Tron

One of the most recent concept cars that never made it to the production line is the Audi PB18 e-Tron. This car showed up at Monterey Car Week in 2018 as an impressive all-electric shooting brake that could have been an exciting car with extra cargo room for the stuff you need to take with you. This concept showed off Audi’s future design plans with a center seating position. This car could have been a lot of fun for drivers who love to hit the track and have a great time.

Mercedes-Benz C112

If you want to enjoy a car with the same look as the Sauber C11 race car, this Mercedes-Benz C112 is that car. This Merc is a stunning mid-engine supercar that showed up in 1991 as a new concept. This car featured a massive 6.0-liter V12 engine, active aero, and impressive tech, or the time. The person who pushed for this concept to be built was no longer around when the car hit the auto show circuit, which meant no one was left to see this car move from concept to production.

Yamaha OX99-11

The bubble economy that hit Japan caused this incredible sports car to never make it to the production line. The Yamaha OX99-11 is one of the most incredible concept cars that ever came from the brand, but it didn’t come about at a good time. This sports car was a mid-engine, tandem-seat supercar with a massive 3.5-liter V12 that could have been an incredible machine. We might have never seen this car in America, but it could have been fun in Japan and Europe.

Chrysler ME Four-Twelve

In 2004, this amazing Chrysler car came to the show circuit to give us a look at something amazing from the Chrysler brand. The ME Four-Twelve is one of the coolest cars to ever show up, featuring a carbon monocoque and a Mercedes V12 engine. This was a fully operational prototype that could have been a big part of the racing world if it had ever been produced. Unfortunately, this concept was the victim of the decade’s financial crisis, leaving this car behind and dead.

Mitsubishi Concept-RA

The 2008 New York Auto Show features one of the most interesting concept cars to ever hit the state. The Mitsubishi Concept-RA featured a recyclable plastic resin body and a turbocharged diesel engine, which seems like a strange combination. Unfortunately, this Mitsubishi had the same problem as the ME Four-Twelve and fell victim to the recession that crushed plans for many cars that were in the pipeline. This concept could have been the car to bring a new presence to turbocharging sports cars for the future, but it never got a chance.

Audi Quattro

This car showed up as a concept model in 2010 to be a modern take on the legendary original model that came with Audi’s AWD system and a turbocharged five-cylinder engine. This car could have been a limited production model that would have sold like hot cakes, but it never made its way to the production line. Thankfully, the Quattro became an influential machine with some of the design cues appearing on the Audi TT that we see today.

These seven concept cars were popular choices that we hoped to see cross the production line, but they never did. Which one would you have wanted to drive and enjoy?