The Stuff Of Automotive Dreams

Whether you're a petrol head or just a human who appreciates beauty, these stunning concept cars are sure to make an impression. The one-of-a-kind or one-of-a-handful cars are pieces of automotive art, dreamt up by some of the world's most celebrated and innovative designers. Aside from their beauty, these cars showcase some of the most advanced auto technologies, improving the performance, safety, and driving dynamics of future production models. Even though we can't buy these prototypes, they continue to live rent-free in our minds and capture our collective imagination. Here are 20 of the most incredible concept cars ever to grace showroom floors that the world just wasn't ready for yet.

1. Ford GT90

The Ford GT90 was a concept hypercar unveiled at the 1995 Detroit Auto Show. Notable for its futuristic design characterized by its sharp angles, it also featured a mid-engine layout and a 720 horsepower engine. Although it never made it to production, probably due to its high costs, its design influenced other popular Fords like the Focus and the Taurus.

2. Dodge Copperhead

The Copperhead was conceived as a more affordable alternative to the Dodge Viper. It had a gorgeous, curvaceous body, similar to European sports cars, a driver-first two-seater design, and zippy, agile driving dynamics. Chryster's merger with Daimler-Benz, which already had a similar roadster, stopped it from ever making it to production.

3. Ferrari Mythos

The Mythos was a stunning 1989 collaboration between Ferrari and Italian design house Pininfarina. A true work of automotive art, the body had a dramatic aerodynamic wedge shape with large air compartments in front of the rear wheels. It shared the same engine as a Testarossa, which produced 390 horsepower and a top speed of around 180 miles per hour.

4. Audi Avus Quattro

The Avus Quattro was a concept sports car unveiled by Audi at the 1991 Tokyo Motor Show. The car was particularly notable for its highly polished aluminum body, giving it a chrome-like finish, and its futuristic silhouette, which was particularly wide and placed the cockpit substantially forward.

5. Aston Martin Bulldog

The Bulldog was built in 1979, originally with the goal of creating the fastest production car in the world in mind. It had a striking, angular, wedge-shaped design, gullwing doors, hidden headlights, a mid-engine layout, and a top speed of 237 miles per hour. Unfortunately, the project was deemed too costly and was abandoned, with only one Bulldog ever made.

6. Mercedes-Benz C112

The C112 was a mid-engine concept sports car that Mercedes-Benz used to test new technologies before implementing them into their new car designs. It featured rear-wheel steering, gullwing doors, a V-12 engine, and active aerodynamics, which, even though this car was never put into production, can be seen in other Mercedes-Benzes.

7. BMW Nazca C2

The Nazca C2 was BMW's concept supercar with a mid-engine layout. Its design was sleek, aerodynamic, and aggressive with a lightweight build, gullwing doors, and a powerful engine. Only three of them were ever made, but certain elements of its design can be seen in the i8 and other modern BMWs.

8. Cadillac Sixteen

The Sixteen was a luxury concept car that paid homage to the grandiose Cadillacs of the 1930s. It had a massive 1,000 horsepower V-16 engine, a meticulously handcrafted interior, and an all-glass roof.

9. Yamaha OX99-11

Yamaha aimed to bring Formula 1 technology to the streets with their OX99-11 concept car. The car boasted exhilarating performance, a near-perfect weight distribution, lightweight design, and F1-derived suspension. Despite its incredible specs, it never made it to production due to costs.

10. Ferrari 512S Modulo

A truly creative design for a concept car, the Ferrari 512S Modulo was unveiled in 1970. Created for the Italian carrozzeria Pininfarina, it had an intriguingly low, wedge-shaped, futuristic-looking body, which earned it much acclaim and 22 international design awards. However, it was also built for performance, boasting a top speed of 220 miles per hour.

11. Buick Avista

Unveiled in 2016, the Buick Avista was a luxury coupe notable for its elegant body. It was equipped with a powerful V6 engine and boasted a lavish interior with cutting-edge features like air purifiers and 3D-printed details.

12. Chrysler ME Four-Twelve

The Chrysler ME Four-Twelve was a concept supercar that debuted at the 2004 North American International Auto Show. In addition to its stunning aerodynamic design, it was outfitted with a powerful V-12 engine and a lightweight carbon fiber and aluminum honeycomb chassis.

13. Mitsubishi Concept-RA

The Mitsubishi Concept-RA was a bold and sporty coupe that debuted at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. It featured a dynamic design, butterfly doors, lightweight construction, a driver-first cockpit design, and an efficient, high-performance engine.

14. Lamborghini Estoque

A four-seat, four-door sedan, the Estoque was a departure from Lamborghini's traditional supercar design. It also featured a front mid-engine layout, which made it more suitable for daily driving. Despite public interest, it never made it to production, but it probably influenced the design of Lamborghini's Urus SUV, which was released in 2018.

15. Hyundai N Vision 74

The Hyundai N Vision 74 was unveiled in 2022 as a drivable prototype used to test advanced technologies before implementing them into new production models. It's a blend of 70s and 80s car aesthetics with futuristic design components and cutting-edge technology. It's the company's first hydrogen-electric hybrid.

16. Dome Zero

Dome Zero was a concept sports car unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show in 1978 by DOME Co., a Japanese car company with a focus on building limited edition sports cars for the Japanese market. It featured a fiberglass body and had a striking aerodynamic wedge shape reminiscent of the iconic supercars of the era. Although the car never made it to production, it was the precursor to the company's Le Mans contender, the Zero RL.

17. Chrysler Atlantic

Unveiled at the 1995 Detroit Auto Show, the Chrysler Atlantic was a concept car inspired by the luxurious, iconic automobiles of the 1930s, notable for their exaggerated curves, long hoods, and short decks. It was Chrysler's most popular concept car, but although it made several public appearances and was used for advertising purposes, it was never put into production.

18. Audi Quattro

The 2010 Quattro debuted at the 2010 Paris Motor Show and was created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the original 1980s sports car. The retro styling was intended to pay homage to the original Quattro, but it was jam-packed with advanced technology, had a powerful engine, and was incredibly lightweight.

19. BMW GINA

A truly groundbreaking design, the GINA's body was covered in a durable, flexible fabric instead of metal, aluminum, or carbon fiber, allowing the car to change its shape. The fabric would peel open to reveal the headlights, a slit would form to access the engine, the doors could subtly reshape, and buttons would only be revealed when needed.

20. Saab Aero-X

This striking car was unveiled at the 2006 Salon International de l'Auto. It had not just butterfly doors or even gullwing doors, but an entire cockpit that opened up and slid forward, paying homage to Saab's origins in aviation.