Originally Posted by NiftySVX
From being around the industry for awhile now I thought I might share some information about how the japanese usually do things, as I have heard it. Typically, after the initial launch and mass reception of the model, during the first model year, several suggestions for the mid life freshening are made. These are shelved and blueprinted, and then selected from when the manufacturer is ready to do the change, based on which one they think would freshen the design best after a few years run and they have analyzed public impression of the car. I would bet everyone a dollar that the SVX had a few of such drawings presented to the big wigs for evaluation in 92-93, if only as a formality. I am and have always been surprised that the SVX was still sold in the US after 1995. The OBDII was quite a refit, which happened at substantial cost. especially considering that it only exists on less than 2000 SVXs. Of course, they probably had it ready and it was being approved by the US in 93 or 94, before they had accepted that the SVX would be a dismal sales failure. This has always led me to believe that, for some odd reason, there was at least a consideration to continue the alcyone line beyond the CX (svx) model life cycle. Again, I believe that there would have been several conceptual drawings that were presented to the people who made the decision to discontinue that line. If we had seen a 1998 model, I believe it would have been a major redesign, not a freshening. 5 years is the end of a run usually, especially from a japanese manufacturer of that time. (remember, the legacy of that time period only lived 4 model years), especially for a halo car like the SVX. I do not think what we are seeing is a factory prototype. I believe that it is a modification made to an existing model, because I don't think that is the direction that they would have gone with it. Like has been said earlier, the wider front bumper totally clashes with the overall design of the car.
Having said that, I think that there could have been a redesign of the SVX model that would have freshened the shape and extened it to still look modern up through the early 2000s. Changing the linear nature of the lights would have done alot, and of course different wheels. The "wrap around" light fad was over, and I think the center finish light would have been deleted and the side lights made more angular, sort of like the current Lexus IS, along with the hood and headligts being changed so as not to have such square shapes. I also think the interior would have needed to be substantially redone to maintain the original concept of the vehicle, but I don't really know how they would have gone about that.
Had the SVX model continued as per the original design concept, I think we would have had a really nice second generation. But I think the cost would have been very high.
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