Yesterday Patrick took a look at the Mini-That-Never-Was, the Mini Spiritual. Conceived as the original clean-sheet design for a new Mini, it never left the concept stage. I'm happy for that, and I'm happy that we got the sporty, fun Mini instead. But many cars are better than their initial concepts.
Usually, the production version of a car tones down everything you loved about an original concept. Big wheels and chunky tires? Gone. A crazy-sounding engine? Gone. Lime-green nylon seats? Gone. Although maybe those should stay gone.
Every so often, though, the production car is better than the concept. The Lexus LF-A follows that line of thinking perfectly. We were originally shown an aluminum-bodied monstrosity with no face, beautifully exemplified here, by the second concept Lexus was showing around:
And what we got instead was this carbon fiber beauty:
A few slight tweaks, but it makes a world of difference.
So what car are you happy for because it looks nothing like its concept? Let us know in the comments below!
Photo credits: Wikicommons, David Villarreal Fernández
What Car Is Better Than Its Concept?