New product development is a tricky process to navigate successfully. The truth of the matter is such that not always the inventor’s original idea and aim is what physically comes out the factory door. This reasoning can be illustrated by taking the example of the DeLorean.
The DeLorean was made famous by the film Back to the Future as a modified time machine. But in reality the original 1980s-manufactured vehicle was far removed from John DeLorean’s original vision. When it was first invented back in the early 1980s, it was originally designed to compete with other sports cars on the market at that time, but the manufactured car differed greatly from the original prototype.
The production of the 1980s design suffered with scheduling pressures as numerous revised parts were fitted to the vehicle. For example, the V6 engine was swapped for a ‘reliable’ non-sports version. Other replacement parts included brakes from a Ford Cortina, door locks from an Austin Allegro, the glove box originated from a Volkswagen, and the gear knob from a Renault. All of these changes meant a lot of re-engineering and a return to the drawing board for the engineers and designers alike at that time.
This specific example demonstrates that in reality it might not always be a cost-effective decision to produce a product exactly as an original concept was designed, particularly within demanding time restraints. I can certainly vouch that over the past 25 years, Sanstec Design has been involved with many products when it has taken numerous tweaks to get the balance right before hitting the manufacturing button and travelling back to the future.
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Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhanNmM1voc
https://www.irishnews.com/life/cars/deloreans-go-back-to-the-future-and-the-belfast-factory-and-test-track-where-it-all-began-LZUZPTDDR5BAFIJLQHCE7W6RXE/
