What a concept! LA Auto Show continues future car prototype spotlight — barely

The 1938 Buick Y-Job has a unique and dubious place in automotive history. It arguably had the worst name of any vehicle ever made. More important, it was the first concept car. It’s the practice of showcasing a vehicle to the public it may never be able to purchase.

Harley J. Earl, the automotive designer and industry executive icon whose “Project Opel” became the Chevrolet Corvette, drove the concept for years. It had electric windows, flush door handles, a “gunsight” hood ornament, power-operated hidden headlamps and wraparound bumpers.

The Y-Job, a 2-door convertible coupe with a 5.2-liter engine, also featured the waterfall grille design still used by Buick.

Its name, in part, was Earl’s penchant for being different. While other concepts include the letter “X,” Earl decided “Y” was better.

The Y-Job was never a consumer vehicle, but the concept car idea stuck. It’s how car manufacturers, mostly at automobile shows, test potential vehicles for the public’s reaction.

Books have been written about famous concepts that have become best-sellers. Books have also been authored about failed concepts, hideous cars that were never sold and vehicles that appeared promising but quickly flopped.

The Porsche 911 began as a concept car in 1961 and has been manufactured since 1964. In 1999, a Packard Twelve was introduced as a concept car with hopes of reviving the brand. The vehicle had the look of the 1941 Packard Clipper, which had the snout of a grouper. The concept failed.

Concept vehicles have flourished through the years at the Los Angeles Auto Show. The industry showcase is annually held in mid-November, an end-of-the-year precursor to a new year of vehicles. The show was understated this year, with several manufacturers absent.

Splashy concepts, one-off, attention-grabbers were gone. Recent concept manufacturers, Mullen, Canoo, Elio and Edison Future also disappeared.

Honda and Kia remained as concept stalwarts, both with caveats. Honda announced the return of the Prelude, the two-door couple first introduced in 1978. It ceased production after the 2001 model year and five generations. A manufacturer spokesperson said the hybrid-electric will be a consumer car but didn’t provide details.

“With concepts, the designers don’t need to consider the practical elements, like a car moving on streets,” said Carl Pulley, a Honda spokesman. “So when it becomes like the gap between the wheel and the wheel well or other elements, it allows the artists to extend the strings out.”

Kia’s concepts at the LA Auto Show, the EV3 and EV4, were announced in October. The former is a crossover and a smaller version of the pending EV9, Kia’s three-row electric SUV. The latter is a sedan, highlighted by minimalism and a futuristic exterior look.

Kia plans to manufacture both vehicles with sustainable bioplastics, natural dyes and recycled cotton. The new Kias are expected to debut at dealerships in 2024.

The potential success of the new Prelude and Kia’s two new vehicles is unknown. The vehicles’ respective manufacturers are optimistic, sometimes a warranted outlook.

Amid many failures, successful concepts-turned-production vehicles are plentiful. The 1989 Dodge Viper RT/10 started the performance car’s frenzy. The 1994 Volkswagen Concept One became the new Beetle. Many elements of the 1981 Ford Probe III transitioned into the Ford Taurus.

“You can see sketches or CGI, but without seeing something physical and how large it is and its presence live you can’t really judge it or see how people respond to it,” said Pulley of concept cars.

“Some prototypes (concepts) are so outlandishly wild, they can be polarizing. Some people will say, ‘I love it; that should be the future of what cars should look like.’ Others will say, ‘That’s awful.’ “