Concept cars are like high-end couture for the automobile industry. They’re show ponies never meant for mass production. A chance to throw some money around and upstage rival manufacturers.
Concept cars have been with us since the very first days of the automobile industry. They give designers a chance to get creative and mess around with their sketch pads. To create something truly outlandish and to hell with the environment/good taste/baby seals used to make the seat covers. To paraphrase some car blog somewhere, they’re “the point where dreams and technology meet".
While few concept cars make it to market, the ideas and technology they showcase often do filter down the chain and end up being utilised in everyday sedans. Except when they’re weird mutant freaks... With almost 100 years of car development now behind us, there’s been plenty of time to come up with some truly awful, strange and wonderful concepts. Here’s a selection.