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Can you buy concept cars?
My loudmouth neighbor goes on and on about getting an early Tesla Roadster. My wife keeps telling me “it’s not a competition”...but I’ll be damned if Herb one-ups me **again**. Jerry, can I buy a concept car?
Jason Tushinski · Updated on
Reviewed by Shannon Martin, Licensed Insurance Agent.
Concepts cars are almost never sold by automakers to private citizens due to legal liability, lack of safety testing, not meeting emissions regulations, etc.—however, you might be able to find a concept car through a private sale if you have serious money to spend.
Legal liability and safety
Legal liability is the primary reason automakers don’t sell their concept cars. Many concept cars are slapped together with aluminum, plywood, and other materials, and are never crash-tested. Many don’t have functioning powertrains and don’t meet safety or emissions regulations. A concept car driven on a public road could lead to massive liability for a carmaker, hence why they’re often cataloged, stored, and left to collect dust in warehouses after they’re displayed.
But…you’re saying there’s a chance?
Well, technically, yes, there’s a chance that you can find a concept car on the private market. There are collectors out there who, via various cloak-and-dagger methods, approach carmakers in an effort to add a concept car to their collection. This is usually done by car industry insiders or known collectors, with the contacts and the pull to get their hands on one of these cars—not someone engaged in a neighborhood beef.
Do carmakers ever sell concept cars to the public?
Very occasionally, some automakers will auction off concept cars as works of art—not as drivable cars—to raise money for charity while clearing space in their warehouse. Both
Ford
and GMC
have done so in the past. English automaker Aston Martin
sometimes sells its concept cars after a period of time, but you’ll have to sign a hefty contract spelling out that your new toy is not to be driven—ever.Whatever car you acquire in your neighborhood arms race with Herb, protect it with a robust
car insurance
policy by using Jerry
. The average Jerry user saves more than $800 per year on insurance!View full answer
- Gregory R.
WHY YOU CAN TRUST JERRY
Jerry partners with more than 50 insurance companies, but our content is independently researched, written, and fact-checked by our team of editors and agents. We aren’t paid for reviews or other content.
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