What is a Concept Car?
The Concept Car or prototype is one of the most important stages of designing and developing the new car. It is the fundamental idea or very basic structure of the car as drawn on the drawing board. Most manufacturers have departments with dedicated teams that work on a concept vehicle. The ’concept car’ is the preliminary stage of the final product. In other words, it gives insights into the actual car to be launched in the future.
A concept car could be a Auto designer's or manufacturer’s idea about how the actual car would be in terms of design, looks, and appearance. It also decides what type of car it will be, such as a Sedan, a Hatchback, a Coupe, an SUV or MPV, etc. Thus, its contracted the scope of work for the designers and pre-production teams. Nowadays, many freelance designers and start-ups around the world working on this field.
Evolution of Concept Car :
In early days the concept cars were used to be the wooden structures, which showcased only how the car will look. They did not specify much of the main provisions, such as the car's power-train and other features. These days, the concept of concept cars got glamorous and are mostly complete in every aspect. They are more popular than ever before. This is mainly because they are futuristic. Also, they give an idea of what to expect in the coming years.
The concept cars are now loaded with all the features which the actual car will offer at the launch. Thus, it helps the prospective buyers in getting more accurate information about the product they will buy. However, there could be some minor changes at the launch in the actual car's specifications compared to the concept. The concept car may also feature some of the exterior key elements such as the LED headlights, tail-lamps, anti-pinch windows, rear camera, etc.
Concept Car vs Prototype Car :
After finalizing the concept car, the manufacturers make the prototypes of the car. These prototype cars are raw in nature and manufactured mainly for testing purposes. The prototype cars are tested in-house and on the roads to determine their effectiveness in the real world. The testing serves multiple purposes, such as the calculation of the performance, real-world efficiency. It can also point out any faults and carry out indirect marketing of the concept car. If any faults are found, they can be rectified and/or changes in the design be made before the vehicle's official launch.
However, the Auto-makers camouflage these vehicles with special stickers/covers to avoid leaking the design's crucial information to the general public/competitors. Sometimes, the manufacturers even hide the actual shape from the public view. At times, when the components are in the developmental stage, manufacturers use make-shift parts such as the head/tail lamps, exterior fittings, etc., as it is mandatory for a roadworthy vehicle as per the RTA rules.
This is mainly for producing the cars with 'zero-defect.' If the cars show any failure/error, they goes into the final adjustments. It includes setting up the dies and other alterations to the assembly line before the mass production begins. After the engineers eliminate these faults, then the prototype car again undergoes testing. Only after the engineers satisfy themselves with the results then the concept car goes into the final production.
However, the concept cars get maximum coverage in the media as the auto enthusiasts go crazy to get a glimpse of the future cars. Many people also try to capture these camouflaged prototypes in their cameras while the manufacturers carry out road tests. Nowadays, most of these pictures go viral due to sharing through social media, and many websites publish them.
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