Designed to Drive

In recent years the trend for automotive companies appears to be a more direct transition from the conceptual stages of a vehicles directly to the production line.  The most recent display of this is, the Land Rover Evoque. I saw the Evoque at this past years Canadian International Auto Show and I have to say I was very impressed.  It's unique styling and  aggressive design was tantalizing to those who in all reality will not be rock climbing on the weekend.  More significant to me though was the fact that this production vehicle was essentially unchanged from the concept vehicle we had seen not too long before. 



In 2009 the Evoque is explored as the next generation of Land Rover;

http://youtu.be/F1XujhLuKXU

It made me wonder why we are seeing a more direct transition of the design to dealership floor.  Maybe it is because the buyers are demanding more dramatic designs.  Like I have mentioned in previous discussions that I believe there is such a demand.  It may well be more simple than this though, it might just be that it is now more possible to make these concepts fiscally possible. 

Think about some of the concept cars you have dreamed up over the years, with their awe inspiring power plants, incredible interiors and 'out of this world' technology.  It appears though that now by the grace of brilliant engineers that these out of reach ideas have been made possible.  It is my opinion that the car has become a BING BANG In the truest sense of the collision of art and technology.  It appears that the car industry has become the experimental ground for those technologies that link our lives together.