Everyone loves ‘Before They Were Famous’ online galleries or TV shows. The opportunity to see celebrities before their public persona was shaped beyond recognition by slick PR operations holds undeniable appeal. These early, unfiltered images appall, astound or amuse in equal measure as they reveal a pre-fame version of an A-lister that he or she had rather hoped would remain in the past.
It’s possible to play Before They Were Famous with cars, too, by looking back at the concepts and prototypes that preceded some of the current showroom stars. Of course these early models were always intended for public consumption, often featuring at motor shows or press events. Nevertheless, it may surprise you to see just how far some of today’s most popular cars have evolved from what was originally planned. Here we look at six of 2021's big sellers as they are now… and Before They Were Famous.
Ford Fiesta
Few could have predicted what a phenomenal success the Fiesta would go on to become when the idea of a Ford smaller than the Escort was first mooted in the early Seventies. Fast forward nearly 50 years and the supermini is part of the furniture here in the UK, where it topped the annual best-sellers chart for the 12th year in a row in 2020. And as our pictures show, it has come a long way over nearly five decades. In 1975, as was the fashion at the time, the Fiesta Ghia prototype showcased a lot of straight lines and defined angles. In contrast, the current Fiesta is much softer, but instantly recognizable as a member of the Ford family and, in the right colour, surprisingly sporty looking.
How it started…
How it's going..
Mazda 3
The Japanese firm’s compact family hatch is the automotive equivalent of a film star who’s morphed from an attractive but unremarkable face in a high school yearbook into a global icon lauded for their glamorous look. The original 3, which debuted in 2003, was previewed by a concept, the MX Sportif, hailed at the time as a “design based on distinct, muscular proportions and dynamic athleticism.” While a big step forward from the bland 323 it was intended to replace, it boasted a solid look rather than a spectacular one. As Mazda has become an increasingly design-led company, though, its cars have become rather more aesthetically pleasing, culminating in the latest 3 – with its dramatic reflections of sunlight – winning the 2020 World Car Design of the Year.
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Toyota RAV4
The RAV4 was one of the original soft-roaders, making its debut in 1994 and subsequently establishing itself as a big-seller across the world over five generations. But the idea for such a car had been initially mooted at Toyota as early as 1986, and in 1989 the company’s original vision for it appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show in the form of the RAV Four concept. The fun and funky creation was described as a “neo-urban 4WD car”– an accurate prediction for the crossover craze that would take over the world – and showcased one or two elements that would eventually make production, most notably the straked side cladding. By the time the showroom car arrived five years later it had been toned down considerably, and over the years, as the RAV has racked up sales, it has adopted an ever more ‘grown-up’ look. It’s still the pre-fame 1989 version that looks most fun to hang out with, though.
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Range Rover Evoque
Sometimes early pictures of a celebrity are instantly recognizable, as they exude an appeal and confidence that suggest their stardom was pre-ordained. In the car world, this most definitely applies to the Land Rover LRX, a concept that was revealed at the 2008 Detroit Motor Show. Even the most cursory glance sparks a note of immediate familiarity, because the LRX made it to production with minimal changes, wearing a Range Rover Evoque badge, and even now – 13 years on and into its second generation – the connection is obvious. Admittedly the LRX was created from the outset with production in mind, but it’s important to remember what a dramatic impact some of its key features – such as the tapered floating roofline – made when it was first revealed. A defining look that has stood the test of time spectacularly well.
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Renault Captur
If the Mazda 3 was a plain Jane that developed into a dazzling beauty, the Renault Captur has proven to be the opposite: a brash, try-hard presence when it first emerged that has reined in the excess to become a more sensible, but stylish, fixture. As is often the case with show cars, Renault really overegged the Captur concept when it appeared at Geneva in 2011. Butterfly doors, a wraparound windscreen, 22-inch wheels and a removable hard-top roof were the stand-out features as the car shouted loudly for attention. Two years later, when the production version made its debut at Geneva, a more sober-suited but still sporty crossover appeared, and it went on to become a big sales success as the demand for small SUV-style models exploded. So it was no surprise when the second-generation Captur arrived last year with a subtle, slightly more muscular evolution of the original production car’s looks.
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Nissan Qashqai
There are certain celebrities who have been around for so long that it’s hard to recall a time they weren’t famous. The same applies to some cars; take for example the Sunderland-built Nissan Qashqai, the trend-setting family SUV that has sold by the million worldwide since its production debut in 2006. Two years previously, in 2004, it had been revealed as a concept at the Geneva Motor Show to a generally sceptical reception from the media. Looking back now, the design seems inoffensive and in some ways generic, given how ubiquitous family SUVs have become. The press material proved ominously accurate, though, when it stated: “Nissan is among the first manufacturers to recognize the evolution in customer tastes, which will see consumers increasingly buying cars like the Qashqai.” Since then, the Qashqai has done a good job of growing old gracefully, never having to reinvent itself with a dramatic makeover, and the sales have continued to mount up. We don’t expect things to be any different when an all-new Qashqai is unveiled to replace the current model (below) in a couple of weeks.
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Keyword: Cars before they were famous