They’re much more than show ponies.
It’s September next month and if you’re a car industry lifer like me that has always meant one thing: Frankfurt Motor Show.
It’s traditionally one of the biggest tier-1 motor shows on the calendar. It’s been the show where all of the big Euro cars brands have traditionally unveiled their biggest, best and brightest new cars.
Stroll back in time and you’ll discover the Frankfurt show is where famous cars like the Porsche 911 (1963) and VW Golf GTI (1975) first met their adoring publics.
Today, the show is a bit different. Its official title is ‘IAA Mobility’ and it’s held in Munich, not Frankfurt.
And thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic and the rapid rise of electrified powertrains, the show has expanded its focus beyond cars to all things mobility.
Despite the changes, one tradition remains, and that’s the unveiling of concept cars.
I love concept cars. These one-offs showcase an automaker’s future styling plans and technologies.
Some people think they’re a folly (incorrect) and a just chance for car designers to cut loose (sometimes correct) but they serve a valuable purpose.
If you watch a major automaker’s future models very closely you’ll often find details, features and even entire exteriors and interiors showcased in concept form some years prior.
Concept cars are great displays of innovation and future ideas.
They’re effective at creating lasting marketing effects for car brands and they help them understand what the buying public want and don’t want, long before detailed future-model planning takes place.
This makes them a fascinating form of market research and brand building.
We’ve built concept cars and prototypes for automakers for years. They’re among the coolest and most fascinating builds we get to undertake. They take real thought and care and – more often than not – the odd leap of faith.
The best part about concept cars is watching them take shape on assembly lines in the years that follow.
So, pay attention to them. You might be surprised by what comes next.
About Premcar:
Premcar Pty Ltd is a leading Australian vehicle engineering business that specialises in the automotive, defence and aerospace industries. For more than 25 years, global car-makers have made Premcar their go-to partner for the complete design, engineering and manufacture of niche-model new cars, full-scale new-vehicle development programs, and electric vehicle (EV) conversions and manufacturing. Premcar’s body of work is extensive. It is the name behind more than 200,000 new cars and 55,000 new-vehicle engines. The company has delivered technical advancements and sales success for major car brands from Europe, the USA, Japan, China and Australia. Visit premcar.au.
