The unveiling of a concept car can be almost as exciting as the real thing. You could even say they've attracted something of a cult following down the years.
That's due to their often wacky design and almost mythical nature due to being cars that 'could have been'. True, a lot have gone on to hit the roads and become great successes as actual production cars, but others never make it past the drawing board . . . which is probably for the best. And you'll find out why later on, because we'll be showing you some of the most bizarre concept cars to have met the eye, but also some of the prettiest.
We would say that you can't drive any, but that's not exactly true. Some have made it into certain video games, whilst others have been reproduced as scale models or toys. Not to mention the fact that there's vehicles on the road today which have been inspired or part-inspired by concept cars from the past.
So, let's get into the nitty gritty!
Definition
At its most basic level, a concept car is a blueprint or a manufacturer’s idea about how an actual future car could look in terms of design and appearance. So think of it as the drawing board for a vehicle. 'Concept' does refer does to principles and ideas, after all. That's why you'll see many concept cars which are practically props on a stage set, with no running engine or interior.
In saying that though, concept cars aren't just always on paper. Some of them come with real engines and can be driven in controlled test environments, so they can still be 'flesh and blood' things (or metal and oil, in this case).
How Have Concept Cars Evolved Over the Years?
Seventy or eighty years ago (which is practically the Stone Age in terms of the automobile industry), a lot of concept cars just consisted of wooden structures or sheet-metal models which didn't really express themselves and only artificially represented how the car would look. They didn't specify any of the key features, like powertrain.
But in the present day, most concept cars have gotten a whole lot more glamorous and sophisticated in their execution. Today, advanced computing power means that automakers can lay out every single inch of a car long before the production process even begins, leading to a level of detail never seen before. As a result, concept cars are more captivating than ever, especially if they feature an extravagant design.
Concept Car vs Prototype: What's the Difference?
Judging by the names alone, it can be easy to think they're the same thing, but that's not the case at all. A concept vehicle is the stage before the prototype. If the manufacturers (and the market) like a concept car enough, then development will begin into making it a working prototype.
But why not just go straight from the concept car to the real thing? Why have the middle man in the form of the prototype?
Well, manufacturers need a prototype for testing purposes and to determine the car's effectiveness in the real world. Concept cars can sometimes just be props and not a fully-functioning car, after all, so these prototype tests involve everything from calculating the performance to the durability, and more. Needless to say, the tests will also be able to identify any potential shortcomings and faults. These can then be rectified or changed prior to the vehicle's official launch.
What Do Car Companies Do With Concept Cars?
Concept cars aren't just meant to be eye candy for manufacturers to show off every now and then. Well, okay . . . they are that, and sometimes manufacturers produce 'one-off' concept cars with no view to producing them, but they also serve a very practical commercial purpose.
It's how automotive manufacturers test their designs to determine whether they are ready for mainstream production, and you'll notice that a concept car's styling is usually pretty 'out there' and ahead of its time. The reason for that is to grab people's attention much quicker and receive more detailed feedback.
From a marketing standpoint, they're a way to provide insight into what kind of vehicle can be sold in the future. They are created by car-makers to measure feedback on the styling and to decide if the design should be adapted for the final version or if it should be scrapped altogether. So it's trial and error and a way to anticipate future vehicles. Concept cars also determine what type of car the final model could be, whether that's a sedan, a hatchback, a coupe, or an SUV. So they narrow down the scope of work for the design team.
In the past, concepts cars could often lack interiors and other features by being a sort of artificial incomplete car, but manufacturers nowadays are increasingly loading their concept cars with every feature that the fully-developed car would have at launch. However, there could be some minor changes in the actual car’s specifications at launch. The concept car may also feature vital exterior elements such as LED headlights, tail lamps, anti-pinch windows, rear cameras, and so forth. It could also demonstrate the specific interior key features such as seating, upholstery, and a dashboard.
Where Can I See Concept Cars?
Online obviously, but you can also see them in the flesh at big auto shows scattered around the world. There you'll come across all sorts of car enthusiasts, buyers, and manufacturers.
The most well-known ones are:
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Frankfurt Motor Show
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Geneva Motor Show
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Detroit Motor Show
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Paris Motor Show
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Tokyo Motor Show
These are known as the 'Big Five' auto shows, but if you're looking for something closer to home, then the British International Motor Show is your best bet. It's not as major as the ones above, but still in the top ten.
All-Time Best Concept Cars
Just for fun, we've compiled a list of some of the most notable concept cars to have sprung up over the years. Some are mesmerising to look at, some are just downright wacky, and some could have made very good cars in their own right.
Nonetheless, it's probably better that these stayed as concepts.
1938 Buick Y-Job
Might as well start with the very first concept car to have existed, which was simply a classic.
Smooth, jazzy, the Y-Job practically screams the late 40s. It was the creation of General Motors design boss Harley Earl, who went on to dictate the direction of Buick during the 1950s. Based on the Buick Series 50 Super, the Y-Job had many details that made it unique: the obscured headlights, the concealed running boards, the recessed door handles, and more.
As the first concept car, the Y-Job was so popular that it set the stage for the concept car to become a regular staple of the car industry, giving other manufacturers the confidence to dream big and present their top ideas to the general public.
1957 Ford Nucleon
Unlike the Y-Job, this one only made it as far as a scale model. In the age of the Space Race, the Cold War and the rise of nuclear technology, it's maybe only natural that someone came up with the loony idea of a nuclear-powered car. Because yep, making it go is a uranium-fuelled nuclear reactor.
Or at least that was the idea, because the Ford Nucleon concept all but vanished into thin air soon after its unveiling. That's due to the simple fact that nuclear energy technology was (and still is) nowhere near ready to engineer a mass-produced, everyday passenger car. Plus, the idea of a nuclear-powered vehicle roaming the streets might not have sat well with a lot of people in the late 50s!
1970 Ferrari Modulo
Looking like it drove straight out of a sci-fi film rather than an express highway, you can't deny that this odd-seeming contraption makes quite the sight. In a time when wedge-shaped concept car designs were immensely popular, it may be that the 1970 Ferrari 512 Modulo set the trend for future ones to come. Its style was inspired by Pininfarina, Ferrari's long-time styling company. The space-like atmosphere even extends into the glass canopy wraparound that slides upwards.
An ambitious exercise in Italian styling, but undoubtedly a step too far.
1980 Aston Martin Bulldog
One for all you British petrolheads, the Bulldog concept looks more like a DeLorean (the car from Back to the Future) than your everyday Aston Martin. And that's no surprise, because in an age of wedge-shaped supercars, the manufacturer was bound to chip in with one of their own luxury cars of the future.
The motorised gullwing doors are a nice touch, giving way to one of the luxury interiors in leather and wood which the brand is known for. As for the 5.3-litre twin-turbo V8 engine (delivering 650 horsepower), it would have had enough kick to compete with today's technology, but for the 1980s, that kind of spec was off the charts. And for that reason, off the production list as well.
2012 Peugeot Onyx
Presented at the 2012 Paris Motor Show, the copper-bodied Onyx is one of the best supercars that money can't buy. Top Gear even got to drive it.
A functional race car with a real-life engine that actually works, it's probably one of the more 'real' concept cars to have graced the stage. The design is stylish and edgy, blending futuristic looks with natural materials. It even has its own section on Peugeot's website, complete with engine specs and performance data. The company quotes it as being able to go from nought to sixty in 2.9 seconds before reaching a staggering top speed of 223mph. The aerodynamics are impressive as well, featuring an active rear wing and a flat floor to generate ground-effect suction.
Such is its appeal that some of Peugeot's current generation vehicles (like the new 5008) have taken design cues from the Onyx supercar concept.
1972 BMW Turbo
Probably the most un-BMW-like BMW you'll ever see, it's safe to say that the BMW Turbo concept from 1972 stands out like a sore thumb.
For good or bad, its design is certainly striking, and its unlikely release could have sent the brand in a different direction. Only two models were ever made, with the original being a running vehicle and the other serving as a static car for use at various events. It had an influence on the very successful BMW 2002 turbo (which despite the name, actually released in 1973), but other than that, this concept 2006 remained very much a concept.
2006 Saab Aero-X
Despite its Bugatti Veyron-esque shape and appearance, the Saab Aero-X manages to retain the Swedish manufacturer's design language. Yet whilst it keeps the trademark Saab front fascia, the rear styling is a nod to legendary sports cars like the C3 Corvette and the Jaguar XKE roadster. The car's midsection lifts like the canopy of a jet fighter cockpit rather than replicating the traditional side opening door or the popular supercar-life scissor doors.
In terms of real-life cameo appearances, the Aero-X was rumoured to make a cinematic début in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen, with speculation that it would be used for the Autobot Wheeljack. But in the end that sadly never went ahead.
2008 Citroën GT
This is a strange one, because the car first appeared in a video game and was then created physically. Long-time fans of the PlayStation series Gran Turismo may well be familiar with it, because that's where it first appeared. It was specially created, designed and produced for Gran Turismo 5 and was included as downloadable concept in Gran Turismo 5 Prologue, itself a test release for the full game which would hit the shelves several years later.
Yep, and the French brand liked the GT so much that they sprung it to life as a production concept car. The version in the game is a zero-emissions car running on 646 horsepower hydrogen fuel cells, but unlike its digital counterpart, the real-life GT is powered by a carbon-spewing non-eco friendly V8 engine. Which doesn't make it any less epic.
2001 Toyota Pod
The ’pod’ is very much a common theme at motor shows today, promising to whizz people around the cities of the future. But back in 2001, Toyota joined the bandwagon (or 'podwagon') early with their ahead-of-the-game Toyota Pod concept. Unlike the pod concepts today, it made no pretensions to driverless, autonomous travel, but instead offered something better: sensing your moods by collecting data and having a gentle word to calm you down if your pulse got too high!
We like it, and it could well be part of the driving future, but 2001 was maybe a little too soon for it to be hitting the streets of Glasgow or Birmingham. But as luck would have it, you can drive the Pod in Gran Turismo Concept for the PlayStation 2 (but without the pulse-sensing detector thing!).
2006 Lamborghini Miura Concept
One of the more 'normal-looking' concept cars, Lamborghini celebrated the 40th anniversary of the original Miura sports car by releasing this teaser model. Styled from the original, it had all the makings of a potential success, with all the right curves and design cues to appeal to modern sensibilities. On the flipside, it's said that the windows are mega-tinted in order to hide the empty, non-existent interior.
The company were adamant that they weren't in the market to start churning out rehashes of retro cars, so the Miura Concept was just a one-off anniversary piece that Lamborghini had no intention of bringing to production. Which is a shame, because the Miura Concept set the motoring world ablaze with interest, particularly among Italian car lovers.
You can't pick it up in real-life, but you do get to drive the Miura Concept in the Forza Xbox racing game series.
Summary
Well amigos, that about covers it on concept cars.
They can be wacky, they can be downright outrageous, but they can also be very important for car manufacturers. Without them, there'd be less innovation in the car industry and less manufacturers coming up with and marketing their own ideas, which is after all what concept cars are all about. Plus, some are just so cool that we bet you'd wish you could drive them.
So why not load up a copy of Gran Turismo or Forza Horizon and do just that!
FAQs
What does concept car mean?
A concept car is a test vehicle intended to showcase new designs and ideas.
Are concept cars drivable?
Very rarely. They're best described as auto sculptures with no practical purpose, and some even lack an interior. Instead of actually being released to the public, they're intended to envision future possibilities and design direction for a manufacturer.
Can concept cars be bought?
Nope. As above, they're only made in order to showcase a certain style or vehicle design, and therefore they rarely make it beyond the car show circuit.