10 Amazing Things Manufacturers Made To Prove A Point

1. Ford GT40

We’ve all heard the famous story, but in case you need reminding, here’s the TL;DR: Enzo Ferrari agreed to sell his company to Henry Ford II, however Ferrari pulled out at the last minute over a clause that required Ferrari to request funds for racing operations. Ford, incensed, decided to put his best men on the job of beating Ferrari at Le Mans. It worked, and after a couple of false starts, Ford won in 1966, 1967, 1968 and 1969, ending Ferrari’s domination.

2. Bugatti Veyron

The Veyron gets a lot of hate from keyboard warriors, but I’ve never really understood why. It’s a fascinating car, and one that was built purely as a way of proving that it could be done. Ferdinand Piech, VW Group chairman at the time, challenged his engineers to build a car with a top speed of 250mph, making 1000bhp, hitting 0-62mph in under three seconds, and still being comfortable to drive on the road.

It’s an engineering marvel, and VW lost money on every one sold.

3. Honda Asimo

Asimo was built by Honda "to be a helper to people." The Japanese manufacturer makes many things, from cars to lawnmowers, motorcycles to marine engines, and this is just another string to its eclectic bow. Honda might have a reputation for making boring cars these days - though it’s got its mojo back with the Civic Type R - but us car enthusiasts know it’s all about technological evolution.

Asimo is Honda’s way of proving technology is a force for good, with the ‘autonomous machine’ designed to help those less able to help themselves: "ASIMO’s height of 4ft 3in makes it the perfect size for helping around the house, or assisting a person confined to a bed or a wheelchair."

4. BMW Goldfish V16

This engine was developed in the late 1980s. Based on the M70 V12 engine, it was a 6.7-litre V16 making 408bhp and 470lb ft of torque. It was placed into a long wheelbase 7-series, though never made production, and was built purely to prove what BMW’s engineers were capable of.

Okay, so I appreciate this isn’t quite as jaw-dropping as a V16 engine or an intelligent robot, but it’s pretty cool nonetheless. Basically, Nissan wanted a way to transport bits and bobs around its facility. The Leaf pickup truck became an excellent team building project that also served a purpose. Proof that every problem has a quirky solution.

6. Toyota Mirai

There are a lot of hydrogen naysayers out there, Elon Musk chief among them. The biggest problem has always been storing the gas safely, but technology has advanced to the stage where that’s no longer such a concern. Toyota has backed hydrogen, and the Mirai is a genuine production car that proves there’s nothing holding the technology back, other than a refuelling infrastructure; that’s where EV technology has a massive advantage right now.

This one still requires a little skepticism, admittedly, but Lexus claims to have made a fully functioning hoverboard. Why? Well, why the hell not?

8. BMW i8

When the i8 first appeared as the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept in 2009, we were blown away by its futuristic looks. Incredibly, by the time it hit production it didn’t just retain its futuristic styling, it arguably looked even better than before.

BMW’s ‘i’ range is a sub-brand focused on plug-in electric future technologies, with the i8 designed to prove efficiency and performance are not mutually exclusive, and its extensive use of carbonfibre has advanced our ability to produce it in large quantities, potentially revolutionising vehicle manufacturing.

9. Porsche 924

This one is kind of a swing and a miss, as it never actually lived up to its potential, but it’s cool nonetheless. Created by Porsche in 1976, this particular version of the 924 was built to break Mercedes-Benz’s high speed endurance record. The engine was turned up to 247bhp, with loads of aerodynamic work resulting in a drag coefficient of just Cd 0.268, only marginally worse than a modern Prius.

To beat the record, it had to travel 10,000 miles above 155mph, and its top speed of 174mph made this achievable. Unfortunately, Mercedes decided to jump back into the race late in the 924’s development, and Porsche canned the project. Still, such incredible aerodynamic efficiency built 40 years ago deserves huge respect.

10. Tesla Model S

Established manufacturers have been dragging their feet on the subject of electric cars. Only recently have they started to take the whole battery thing seriously, and even so ranges are dominated by pure petrol or diesel powerplants. Elon Musk decided to prove that EVs were the future; they could be fast, comfortable, useable every day, and most importantly, that people would actually buy them.

After using the Roadster as a test bed to get his technology out there in an exciting product, he moved onto the Model S. Its interior quality might be lagging a little behind other luxury cars, but it’s an incredible driving experience. And, thanks to the infrastructure that’s in place, people are buying them and using them every day.