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In 1997, we had the Karmann AFS. AFS stands, deliciously, for Aluminum Foam Sandwich, a novel new method of construction that Karmann was experimenting with. To show off their new AFS capabilities, they built a concept car. Well, they built half a concept car since it only had half a body, the other half remaining open to see the novel AFS construction. The bodied half, though, was the clearest and obvious update to the original Karmann-Ghia ever seen from Karmann. The line of the greenhouse and the distinctive rear quarter window/C-pillar is there (though now it looks like it sports a suicide back door), the rear lights are vertical like a K-G, there’s a detail on the trunk lid that suggests the license plate light housing of the original, upfront the shape of the nose and the presence of the whisker grilles are a dead giveaway. This looks like a modernized Karmann-Ghia. It’s a shame they only went halfway. Source: https://jalopnik.com/how-many-times-has-karmann-attempted-to-resurrect-the-k-1787767901 Image: Karmann

The ZACCAR was a new SUV with a compact sporty body and open deck providing free and easy utility space. Building upon its established diesel engineering leadership, Isuzu introduces its newest advanced concept SUV, Zaccar. Zaccar's name is derived from the words "zip, "active," and "creative." Zaccar is equipped with a clean-burning, lightweight, four-cylinder, 3.0-liter DOHC, turbocharged, direct-injection diesel. To further reduce emissions, the engine is equipped with an innovative Isuzu-designed ceramic diesel particulate filter that virtually eliminates particulate emissions. It also features distinctive styling with a multi-function open rear deck, an innovative rear third door on the passenger side, and a unique swing-action rear carrier arrangement. Zaccar's rear deck incorporates a removable cover and open tailgate area, allowing different configurations to accommodate storage for various loads. The swing-action rear carrier swings down to the rear for fitting such items as mountain bikes, skis, kayaks, surfboards, and other large recreational sports gear; it can then easily be swung back up to the roof, allowing access to the rear storage compartment. Inside, with generous headroom and a large glass area, the Zaccar generates a feeling of openness. A third door on the passenger side swings from hinges mounted toward the rear of the vehicle, opening up the entire passenger side and allowing very easy access to the spacious rear seating area. In addition, the Zaccar features four airbags, two for front and two for side impact. Zaccar is built on an Amigo chassis and features a four-speed automatic, the most advanced 4-wheel drive system available, TORQUE-ON-DEMAND®, a double-wishbone and torsion bar independent front suspension, five-link coil in the rear, four-wheel ventilated disc brakes, ABS, 17-inch alloy wheels, 245/65R17 tires, and electronic GP navigation system. Zaccar represents Isuzu's vision of the continuing evolution of the sports-utility vehicle, an efficient package design offering excellent utility combined with superb off-highway capability. Sources: www.tokyo-motorshow.com; www.difflock.com Images: Isuzu Motors Ltd.; www.iris.ne.jp

The VX-2 conveys a sporty image as well as spartan proportions. A stunning 4x4 concept car combines the technical look of a motorcycle with the hard-edged aggression of Japanese body armor. Despite its Oriental overtones, the Isuzu VX2 sports coupe project was led by Englishman, Simon Cox, who was also responsible for the earlier Vehi-CROSS - equally radical and now on sale in Japan. The thought-provoking exhibit will join many other show cars in a special exhibition hall dedicated to: "Concept Cars Of The 21st Century." It was first seen at last year's 32nd Tokyo Motor Show. Isuzu's VX2 appears capable of winning the Paris to Dakar Rally, with similar air intakes and outlets to the off-road competition cars and a rugged, go-anywhere stance. Sizeable 18ins diameter wheels dominate its styling with 255/60 tires inspired by training shoes, especially short overhangs, high ground clearance, and compact body proportions with a much lower roof height than conventional 4x4s. Large, vertical headlamps sweep up into the front wings, which form a muscular definition to the car's front. The windscreen is steeply angled and meets a T-bar targa roof arrangement with a triangular spine that acts as an air vent for the interior. Elsewhere, hard angles are contrasted with soft curves. Sources: www.tokyo-motorshow.com; www.difflock.com Images Sources: Isuzu Motors Ltd.; www.iris.ne.jp

Tiburon (the first syllable rhymes with “bib”) sounds like the title of a John Wayne oat opera. In reality, it is the Spanish word for shark. Personally, I think the Hyundai Halibut would have been better. But let’s not be nattering nabobs of negativism. Let’s concede that the Tiburon has a lousy name and move on to the more noteworthy aspects of a nifty, modestly priced funster. The neatest thing about the Tiburon is the way it looks. This highly original hatchback coupe is based on the HCD-11 concept car, a creation of Hyundai California Design that made the auto-show rounds in 1993. Unlike most production cars based on concept vehicles, the Tiburon was not blanded down very much. Its styling is surprisingly close to that of the wonderfully wild HCD-11. Source: https://www.cars.com/reviews/our-view-1997-hyundai-tiburon-1420689180339/

Embodying pure prestige and uncompromising luxury, the SLV (Super Luxury Vehicle) reaches for the pinnacle of the automaker's art and craft. The SLV could represent the ultimate luxury motoring for the VIPs, business tycoons, and royalty of tomorrow. With an overall 5630mm length, 1980mm width, and 1580mm height, the SLV can offer a generously sized interior that can do double duty as a fully functional mobile office or as a relaxation space. While the styling concept adopts the classic 3-box design, the lines and curves sweep dramatically to create a stunning futuristic silhouette with distinctive retro-styling elements that echo the classic limousine design of years past. The SLV wears a fiber-reinforced polymer skin and features the fullest imaginable array of sophisticated convenience, including a power-operated door, a rear-vision display system, and state-of-the-art telecommunications. Seoul's motor show was so clogged with concepts in the 90s that at one point, they were confined to a separate area to quell complaints of meaningless corporate posturing. Hyundai's SLV, revealed in 1997, parked itself squarely in that category. Vertically ascending front and rear doors suggested self-coshing would be a daily event, while the snow-plow jowl and hearse-like rear pointed to a somber future for executives. Source: Hyundai; Simon Hacker/MSN Cars Images Source: Concept Car Central

The 1997 Honda J-WJ was a wagon with cross country suspension. This is the concept that gave birth to the radical yet pleasurable new J-WJ wagon. This was the concept version of the Honda H-RV, which was deceased in early 2006. This concept looks weird because of the large tires and a raised body. Source: www.tokyo-motorshow.com Images Sources: Honda; www.hondazine.com

Even among sports cars, the J-VX was remarkably lightweight. Its compact, aerodynamic form housed a front-engine configuration, 2+2 seating, and nearly ideal front/rear weight ratio delivering true sports car performance. Honda developed a hybrid sports car powertrain that was among the world’s lowest emission rates thanks to its 1.0-liter, 3-cylinder direct-injection gasoline engine with Integrated Motor Assist (IMA) system. The IMA system featured a slim electric motor connected with the engine and functioned as a supplemental power source during acceleration. The combination hybrid powertrain and continuously variable Honda Multi-Matic transmission resulted in smooth acceleration. Moreover, the compact, super-light body and powertrain combine to offer the kind of quick, agile handling only available in lightweight sports cars. Futuristic styling incorporated a top glass roof, and the cockpit housed snug-fitting one-piece, full-bucket seats reminiscent of Formula racing cars. Source: www.chicagoautoshow.com Images Source: Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

The 1997 Honda J-MWA was a new concept vehicle with the combined advantages of a wagon and minivan, the multi-wagon J-MW. This car was delivered from the Logo platform. Later this car was named the Honda Capa. Source: www.tokyo-motorshow.com Images Sources: Honda; www.hondazine.com

But not only designers from Nissan know a lot about geometry. Honda specialists also received A's in this subject at school. They even came up with a memorable slogan for their small cars: Small is smart. "Small means smart" is how this motto translates. There were plenty of small cars at the company's stand. Probably the most "square" at the exhibition was a small four-wheel-drive car Honda J-MJ. The pinnacle of constructivism! J-MJ seems to be made of flat panels. Even the round headlights were hidden under flat windows, and the vertical false radiator grille was created as if despite the laws of aerodynamics. Is it possible to find at least a few curved lines in the appearance of J-MJ? You can: four wheels and a steering wheel. Everything else is rectangular. Even the huge liquid crystal instrument panel seems to be drawn with a ruler: this is a rectangle with a size of 60x15 cm glowing with numbers and a map of the navigation system, under which a narrow (again rectangular!) stretched out the strip is a console with buttons and keys. Similar geometric ideas once captured the minds of designers all over the world. It was from the mid-60s to the mid-70s. Do you remember when square and rectangular clocks began to appear in our homes instead of round alarm clocks, strict straight lines began to prevail in clothes again, shoes on a high platform became fashionable, beautiful "handwritten" fonts were replaced by strict block letters in the credits of feature films, architecture was finally replaced by construction on Khrushchev's instructions, and instead of the "four hundred and seventh" Muscovite and the "twenty-first" Volga, M-408 and GAZ-24 appeared on the conveyor belt? The Japanese are experiencing about the same thing now, only at a higher stage of development. This round makes its adjustments. Since the congested Japanese highways have long resembled rivers with fish going to spawn, cars are growing not in breadth but upwards. So, if earlier it was necessary to get into a Japanese subcompact bent over, a Japanese of average height can enter most cars only slightly bent over. A perfect example of this is the Honda J-MJ. The length of the four-seat five-door car is 3770 mm (like a 3-door Tavria), and the "height" is 1650 mm (240 mm higher than the Ukrainian car!). The high roof facilitates entry and exit. Passengers sit as if on chairs - increased, "legs dangling." The main advantage of such a landing is good visibility and additional legroom for rear passengers (no need to "push" the legs under the front seats). However, short but tall cars are not new for Japan. For example, Honda already sells a similar S-MX car, which was recently listed in concept cars. Source: www.hondazine.com; Газета АВТОРЕВЮ - N 21 (160) 1997 (translated from Russian) Images Sources: Honda; www.hondazine.com

The 1997’s Powerforce F-150 was cited by J Mays, Ford’s vice president of Design, for setting up “a generation of design DNA for [Ford] trucks,” and one look at the Ranger Powerforce nose instantly establishes where that DNA is strongest. The power bulge hood flared fenders and, most of all, the vertical “bull bars” flanked by nostril-like ducts come straight from Powerforce F-150 and now find expression in the visage of its Ranger based little brother. The evocative personality, rugged look, and tough performance of Ranger Powerforce is calculated to appeal to a particular market segment. The “Grandfather of Ford Super Duty Trucks,” this prototype was the first time Ford introduced the drop-side window and was powered by a prototype of Ford’s gas V-10 engine. The Ranger Powerforce was constructed on a 2-door Ranger 4×4 chassis. Painted in vivid tangerine, its interior is standard Ranger upholstered in grey cloth. In addition to the Powerforce nose, hood, and fender well flares, Ranger Powerforce rides on 17″ cast alloy 2-piece wheels with custom tread pattern 33×12.50R-17 BFGoodrich Proto T/A tires. The sills and bed top rail are clad with matte grey plastic, and there is a black cloth bed cover. The Ranger Powerforce concept also incorporates a number of aftermarket accessories, just as Ranger owners frequently add on their own to make their trucks distinctive and adapt them to specific requirements. A full stainless steel dual exhaust system by Borla improves performance and looks with its polished tips protruding from below the rear bumper. Catz MSX gold iridium fog lamps mount inside the matte grey panel below the front bumper. Design Automotive’s Back Country polished tubular side steps ease entry and exit while enhancing the Ranger Powerforce concept’s side view. Source: https://www.therangerstation.com/1999-ford-ranger-powerforce-concept/

The 1997 Ford Powerforce Concept could be viewed as a somewhat delayed response to the big rig looks of the Dodge Ram 1500, which had debuted just three years earlier and shocked the entire industry with its brawny personality. With integrated bull bars, a chunky front end design, and a V10 engine of its own to go up against Mopar's three-quarter and full-ton ten-cylinder option, the Powerforce was dramatically different from the F-150 at the time. That was intentional because the Powerforce was intended to point the way towards what Ford's new Super Duty lineup of trucks would have to offer commercial customers and those who needed extra towing and hauling power. Ford was serious about splitting its light-duty and heavy-duty truck lines along two different design forks. In that sense, the Powerforce previewed that the heftier pickups would look a lot less aerodynamic than their standard counterparts. The massive wheels, integrated tailgate lift, retractable running boards, hater stacks in the bed, and big bull bars weren't exactly on the wish list of most truck customers, however, and they were present in the concept to attract attention rather than point at what the production model would look like. Strangely, a Ranger version of the Powerforce Concept was also built, even though a Super Duty compact truck was never once seriously considered. The new and larger Super Duty trucks would debut for the 1999 model year, and they bore more than a passing resemblance to the Powerforce (including, for the first time, the use of the concept's drop-side windows on the front doors). However, many of the gee-whiz features found on the concept—the running boards, multi-function tailgate, reverse sensor system—would only appear further down the line on much more expensive pickups. Source: https://www.drivingline.com/articles/5-forgotten-ford-truck-concepts-that-were-never-built-and-what-we-got-instead/

Year after year, with the creation of the Audi A6, similar work began at the European branch of Ford, where the original new edge style was developed, resembling funny patterns of colored kaleidoscope glasses, which formed either a Ka model or a concept for Mercury. The design of both cars can equally claim to be a trendsetter of the 90s: Audi as a reconstructor and continuator of the ideology of classical functionalism in automotive design and Ford as having developed its artistic reinterpretation. Source: Н. Розанов, Журнал "АВТОМОБИЛИ", 1-2000 (translated from Russian) Images Source: Ford Motor Company

The Dodge Sidewinder is a concept car unveiled by Dodge in 1997 at the SEMA convention in Las Vegas. The Dodge Dakota Sidewinder uses the front-mounted Viper GTS-R engine to power the rear wheels. The engine is rated at 640 hp and 530 ft·lbf of torque, which allows the car to hit 60 mph in just under 4 seconds. The top speed of the Sidewinder is 170 mph, and the car surprisingly has a 4-speed automatic transmission. Source: Wikipedia Images: Dodge; www.kimballstock.com

If the Dodge Viper reinvented the Shelby Cobra, the Copperhead sought to resurrect the Austin Healey, so Dodge claimed. This 1997 design exercise served up a V6 2.7-liter 200bhp engine in a compact (by US standards) package. True to its name, Reptilian cues included faux snakeskin upholstery and tires that left a snakeskin print in their wake. On test, the Copperhead reached 135mph and clocked 62mph in 6.5 seconds. Maybe it was just too "venomous" to market? "If Dodge Viper is credited for reinventing the Shelby Cobra, then Dodge Copperhead should be credited for reinventing a car in the tradition of the Austin-Healey 3000," said John E. Herlitz, Chrysler Corporation’s Vice President of Product Design. "Copperhead will fit comfortably into any sports car enthusiast’s garage — and budget." "Copperhead will be the sports car of choice for those enthusiasts who like lithe, aerodynamic treatments combined with a low center of gravity," said K. Neil Walling, Chrysler Corporation’s Design Director. "We designed Copperhead to look fast by utilizing minimal overhang and pushing the wheels way out to the front and rear corners." Sources: Simon Hacker/MSN Cars; Wikipedia Image Sources: Dodge

Appearing in the Tokyo Motor Show, this innovative one-liter car suggests a new sense of value in every respect-styling, driving, high-quality feel, and safety. This concept for a compact car went into production in 1998 as Daihatsu Sirion. Source: www.tokyo-motorshow.com Images Source: Daihatsu

"WE ARE MAKING A COMPACT!" - This is how Daihatsu, known for its small cars and SUVs, declares. Indeed, there were plenty of compacts — both serial and experienced. A strange-looking Daihatsu Naked caused the most contradictory emotions. Some snorted, others admired, others shrugged their shoulders in bewilderment. But no one passed by. The styling of the car is solved in the so-called industrial design. The impression is that the car was turned inside out: all the structural elements of the body - stiffeners, joints, door hinges, mounting bolts - "look" out. By the way, naked translates from English as naked, unprotected, so the name entirely reflects the essence. Outwardly, Naked looks more like a rough army car than a "civilian" car. A comparison with the famous Citroen Mehari and Volkswagen Kubelwagen cars suggests itself. However, Naked does not pull on the SUV yet: the engine with only 660 cubic meters volume develops 62 hp and drives only the front wheels. And the dimensions of the machine are not an army at all: length 3295 mm (like an Eye), width 1395 mm. Source: Газета АВТОРЕВЮ N21 (160) 1997 (translated from Russian)

This FR Front Engine Rear-drive lightweight 2+2 sports car may well be the world's smallest GT car. Its 850cc powerplant, compact, lightweight (750 kg) body, and robust yet lithe styling provide the driver with the unmistakable experience of FR racing. Source: www.tokyo-motorshow.com Images Source: DAIHATSU MOTOR CO.

The Japanese companies decided its time to show Europe how a real minicar should look like. Forget the silly Ford Ka - the Japanese automakers have been fine-tuning the concept for about 30 years. Daihatsu and Suzuki started a massive campaign in Europe. Daihatsu even held a world premiere in Geneva! The new Terios, a rival of the RAV4 but with a promise of more passenger-car-like behavior, was debuted under the MS-X97 code name. Source: www.theautochannel.com Images Source: Daihatsu

Presented at the Tokyo Motor Show, the 1997 Daihatsu Akindo was a small concept van with a folding gull-wing rear hatch Source: https://www.carstyling.ru/en/car/1997_daihatsu_akindo/ (translated from Russian).

Presented at the 1997 Seoul Motor Show is the 1997 Daewoo Tacuma. Comment below if you know anything about this rare Daewoo concept car. Source: Daewoo