Top 5 Concepts that shouldn't have been left on the shelf

[Drew Dowdell]

<center><big><big><big>Top

5 Concepts:<br>

That should not have been left on the shelf</center><br>

</big></big></big><br>

<div style="text-align: left;">January 9th, 2010 - Drew

Dowdell - Chief Editor - CheerandGears.com<br>

<br>

Tomorrow begins the 2011 North American International Show in Detroit.

At every auto show, manufacturers bring out their freshest designs,

technologies and visions of the future. After a ho-hum 2010 auto show,

a resurgent General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler are promising to kick

things up a notch for the 2011 season. However, every season there are

concepts that are shown that end up collecting dust on the shelf. We

conducted a poll to select our favorite top 5, and as always, we

narrowed it down to a conservative 11.<br>

<br>

<a

href="

target="_blank">Concept Nominations Thread</a><br>

<a

href="

Voting Thread</a><br>

<br>

5. Hummer HX - Tie - 13 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 263px;"

alt="Hummer HX Concept"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_86094.png"><br>

<br>

The <a

href="

target="_blank">Hummer HX Concept</a> was GM's

bonifide Wrangler killer, a package that was innovative and exciting. A

real opportunity to both save the Hummer brand and trounce the

venerable Jeep was lost when Hummer was axed. This no-nonsense concept

was on the fast track to production and a bright future vs. Wrangler

when disaster struck. Like the G8 ST, the Hummer HX is too good to waste

and would be a natural under the GMC nameplate. Imagine this sitting

next to a productionized Sierra All-Terrain HD in a GMC showroom circa

2012. <br>

<br>

5. <a

href="

Converj</a> - Tie - 13 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 190px;"

alt="Cadillac Converj Concept"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_38266.png"><br>

<br>

Built on the architecture that underpins the Chevrolet Volt, this

Cadillac wouldn't have been the fastest luxury coupe out there, but it

certainly would have been the most technologically advanced. <br>

<br>

<br>

4. Ford Interceptor - Tie - 14 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 185px;"

alt="Ford Interceptor Concept"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_29446.png"><br>

<br>

An obvious platform mate to the <a

href="

target="_blank">Lincoln Continental concept that we wished

for in our previous poll</a>, this car was even more of a

no-brainer as a replacement for the ancient Crown Vic than the

Continental Concept was for the Continental. On both cars the styling

has a timeless appeal and the business case had a built in base. Ford

dropped the ball on both.<br>

<br>

4. Chrysler 200c - Tie - 14 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 251px;" alt="Chrysler 200c"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_9301.png"><br>

<br>

This is the car that could help turn Chrysler around, bring it

upmarket, and make it more than just a reskinned/rebadged Dodge brand.

A very handsome, RWD midsize premium sedan with a hybrid powertrain

from the start.. Being based on a shortened version of the LX platform,

it wasn't some pie-in-the-sky dream machine, it's very production

feasible.<br>

<br>

4. Jeep Gladiator - Tie 14 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 262px;" alt="Jeep Gladiator"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_194103.png"><br>

<br>

A Jeep mid-size truck based on the already popular Wrangler. Do I even

need to explain this one?<br>

<br>

<br>

3. Holden Torena -  Tie - 15 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 261px;"

alt="Holden Torana Concept"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_114375.png"><br>

<br>

<p>In 2004, Holden released a sporty five-door concept car called

the Torana

TT36 (TT = Twin Turbo; 36 = 3.6 litre V6). The model was said

to debut a new platform for General Motors and previews the look of the

2006 VE Commodore

In terms of size, it was marginally bigger than the BMW 3 Series on the

outside,

though considerably roomier inside with BMW 5 Series rivaling

interior space.</p>

<p>3. 

Holden Coupe 60 - Tie - 15 Votes</p>

<p><img alt="Holden Coupe 60"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_141550.png"> </p>

This one is easy. We liked the GTO. This would have been it's successor.<br>

<br>

3. Buick Veilte - Tie - 15 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 254px;"

alt="Buick Velite Concept"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_133506.png"><br>

<br>

Yet another concept on GM's venerable Zeta platform that underpins the

famous Holdens, the Pontiac G8, and the Chevrolet Camaro. See how many

potentially great cars can come from a single platform if you put your

mind to it? 

<p>2. Chevrolet Kappa Nomad - 16 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 247px;"

alt="Chevrolet Kappa Nomad Concept"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_43782.png"><br>

<br>

The Chevrolet Nomad concept was built on the same platform as the

Pontiac Solstice and Saturn Sky. In fact, GM showed the Nomad off as a

way to demonstrate the flexibility of the Kappa platform on which it

was based. Nomad would have been a trend setter considering it had

utility, sports, and uniqueness. It would have allowed GM to diversify

Kappa and given it more legs to make profit. Furthermore, with Chevy's

dealership reach it would have had a good market capitalization, if

priced right. And the plus - no competitors.<br>

<br>

<span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Cadillac Sixteen - Tie</span>

- 20 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 235px;"

alt="Cadillac Sixteen Concept"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_79660.png"><br>

<br>

The car just says "F#@k you! I'm a Cadillac! You cannot afford me."

Cadillac should have made 500 of them per year and priced them so that

only the most elite could afford them. It would have lifted the brand's

prestige tremendously. The Sixteen should have been offered painted in

any color the customer wanted with any type of material on the interior

that the customer wanted. The engine specs should have remained close

to the concept. If you <span style="font-style: italic;">could

</span>afford one and didn't get one of those 500, well tough

luck and try again next year. That's what happens with exclusive cars. <br>

<br>

<span style="font-weight: bold;">1. Pontiac G8 ST - Tie</span>

- 20 Votes<br>

<br>

<img style="width: 500px; height: 244px;" alt="Pontiac G8 ST"

src="http://www.cheersandgears.com/uploads/1294328842/gallery_51_2_16564.png"><br>

<br>

To those of you who have been around Cheers and Gears more than a

minute, this one will be completely unsurprising to you. Unlike any

other category 1 nominee, the G8 ST was actually announced for

production. In fact, GM even ran the "Tame the Name" contest to name

the new model. The top prize was the G8 ST itself. In an extraordinary

reversal, the G8 ST was canceled just ahead of the entire Pontiac

brand. The contest winner had to choose his prize from among other

Pontiacs.<br>

<br>

The Holden Ute on which it was based remains in production, and sells

in several markets around the world.Here in the US, a genuine niche

market exists for this entry as a re-born Chevy El Camino. In fact, it

took some effort to understand why GM didn't plan to offer the Ute as a

Chevy from the start. The notion was a that an expanded G8 family of

body styles would strengthen the brand - after some serious thought, I

accepted that it was a valid strategy. In an era of lackluster

offerings among compact trucks, and a real fear of fuel costs, this

excellent Zeta variant is still something GM should be selling. The

federal testing is already done, and capacity exists at Holden to make

it happen. It would be the ideal companion model to the rumored Chevy

Zeta SS sedan badged as El Camino. It's a no-brainer, and more than

"shovel-ready", so what's taking so

long, GM? </p><br><br>

So as I make my way to Detroit to the 2011 show, we'll see a bunch of

new concepts revealed, hopefully some surprises, probably a few "what

were they thinking", but more than likely a number of concepts that

leave us with the hope that they won't be left on the shelf like our

favorites above. </div>

</div>

[Camino LS6]

Worth the wait, a fine article.

[loki]

only thing.. ties would have brought this down to 3 places... oh well. nice choices.

[ocnblu]

All worthy. More worthy than most of what we got.

[Camino LS6]

I expect that some will reappear, if only in spirit.

[Drew Dowdell]

There is clearly going to have to be some election reform around here too.

[Camino LS6]

There is clearly going to have to be some election reform around here too.

How's that?

[Z-06]

Good article Drew.

[Croc]

There is clearly going to have to be some election reform around here too.

+1

These results were super-predictable, and last time I checked 11 winners in a Top 5 is...bizarre. Why is the Jeep Gladiator or anything above it even listed? Due to ties, the "Top 5" would then only be a Top 6, far preferable to 11.

Edited January 9, 2011 by Croc

[Camino LS6]

The votes fell where they fell.

It was supposed to be a top ten list initially - that would have been even more crowded.

The results actually surprised me.

[Croc]

If it were a Top 10 list, then having 11 entries due to a tie would be acceptable. The rankings are just screwed up here...they should be listed as:

2. G8 ST

2. Sixteen

3. Nomad

6. Velite

6. Coupe 60

6. Torana

...which for a Top 5 list still looks silly, so maybe runoffs were necessary, or perhaps in the future the Feature's author should abstain from voting and only vote in the event of a tie, i.e. only voting for one of the 2nd place ties, and then voting among the 6th place ties to determine 4th and 5th place.

[Camino LS6]

All it really needed where a few more votes, or perhaps a restriction on how many could be voted for.

The field of nominations was huge, so the last thing I expected to see were so many ties.

The finishing positions of many of the nominations did surprise me.

[Croc]

All it really needed where a few more votes, or perhaps a restriction on how many could be voted for.

The field of nominations was huge, so the last thing I expected to see were so many ties.

The finishing positions of many of the nominations did surprise me.

Really? All but one were RWD or RWD-based. Of the actual Top 5/6, you have a Kappa, 3 Holdens and 2 uber-lux halos. Pretty predictable to me...

[mang01]

Incredible to see so many Holdens - once the distant unknown relation - on this list!

[Drew Dowdell]

Incredible to see so many Holdens - once the distant unknown relation - on this list!

Indeed, Holden has usually be decent with engineering, but their design has really come a long way.

[Camino LS6]

Really? All but one were RWD or RWD-based. Of the actual Top 5/6, you have a Kappa, 3 Holdens and 2 uber-lux halos. Pretty predictable to me...

The halos didn't surprise me, but the RWD dominance did. You know it's fine with me, but I expected more folks not to go that way. I thought that the G8ST would finish mid-pack, rather than tied for first place. And, I had doubts that the Hummer HX would even make the top ten.

So yeah, I'm surprised.

Incredible to see so many Holdens - once the distant unknown relation - on this list!

This bit doesn't surprise me, I see Holden as the most creative arm of GM.

[heintz]

I would have had the Dodge Copperhead and the Buick Y-Job in there somewhere. But my other choices, the Velite, The Cad 16 and the Nomad ARE there.

[Justin Bimmer]

Croc- the reason why all but one (the Converj) are RWD based, is because for the most part, FWD concepts make it into production.

[Drew Dowdell]

I would have had the Dodge Copperhead and the Buick Y-Job in there somewhere. But my other choices, the Velite, The Cad 16 and the Nomad ARE there.

Next nomination thread ;-) Hope you'll come back for it!

[SAmadei]

Two things... first, I think due to the large number of items that could be voted on, it seems that placement in the list helped some entries.

Second, because people could vote for a large number of entries, I think people were more flexible with their voting... leading to many of us voting the same way... and therefore, lots of ties. In the future, I think we have to limit the number of entries one can vote for... or have a two stage election. Unlimited entry selection for the first round, one entry vote in the final round.

[Croc]

Two things... first, I think due to the large number of items that could be voted on, it seems that placement in the list helped some entries.

Second, because people could vote for a large number of entries, I think people were more flexible with their voting... leading to many of us voting the same way... and therefore, lots of ties. In the future, I think we have to limit the number of entries one can vote for... or have a two stage election. Unlimited entry selection for the first round, one entry vote in the final round.

Agreed.

[MikeyMo84]

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/01/11/marchionne-jeep-is-finally-getting-a-pickup-kinda/

Marchionne: Jeep is finally getting a pickup... kinda

by Damon Lavrinc (RSS feed) on Jan 11th 2011 at 11:55AM

Jeep Gladiator Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery

During a roundtable meeting in Detroit, Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne confirmed that Jeep will be getting a new model in the near future, one that he's classifying as a "multipurpose" vehicle fitted with "a truck bed."

Although Marchionne stopped short of calling the Jeep a pickup, he did reference the 2005 Gladiator concept (above) and said "there's better than a 50% chance that you'll get one."

Just as intriguing, the perpetually sweatered-CEO told the assembled media that the cargo-hauling Jeep will come to market whether the Ram brand likes it or not, saying, "They're totally peeved off at the fact that we're going to have anything that looks like a pickup truck with a Jeep badge on it. I actually think there's space for it." So do we Mr. Marchionne. So do we...

Edited January 11, 2011 by MikeyMo84

[Camino LS6]

That's great news!

The Gladiator is a no-brainer.