The Dome Zero Prototype Would Have Ignited Japan Differently

Dome Zero never made it past prototype phase

Over the years, we’ve come to appreciate the fact that some vehicle projects come around merely to be seen and never to be experienced on the road. When they come, no matter how badly or how soon they fade away, they quite often leave a taste of the creator’s thoughts and a piece of their mind.

They are a good way to express some inner thoughts. Take, for instance, the Dome Zero supercar concept fronted by Japanese Dome Company Ltd in 1978.

Observes agree that had this car hit to market, it could have injected a very different approach to the Japanese motoring industry. In addition, it had been timed at a prime period for the Asian giant when the economy there was sprinting full throttle into a decade of plausible growth and success.

The main challenge with the Dome Zero is said to have been homologation challenges at home. Dome tried the US market and introduced the car at both the Los Angeles and Chicago motor shows of 1979. But that was as far as things went.

The Dome Zero prototype had been built with the reigning wedge design, which was won by several vehicles at the time. Even without making it to production and road design, this provoked the vibrant Japanese market positively.