12 Of The Coolest Concept Cars That Actually Made It To Production

Ever since legendary automotive designer Harley Earl penned his beloved Buick Y-Job in 1938, the concept car has foreshadowed trends in auto design and upcoming models from all manufacturers. When Earl created it, nobody had yet built a car with a forward-thinking design never meant for production. It featured cutting-edge details and prefaced what cars would soon come to look like. Furthermore, he had no idea that building the Y-Job would start an auto industry tradition, the concept car.

For automotive enthusiasts, a concept car often represents everything you might want in a car but can never have. They are seen at auto shows worldwide with futuristic features and cutting-edge design, showing off the coolest new technology and stunning flair. Furthermore, the bespoke nature of the one-off hand-built cars means they can incorporate details that would never be practical to integrate into a production model due to cost, feasibility, or even safety. Yet, they provide us something to dream about and consider what could be. However, sometimes concept cars become the same cars you eventually see in the showroom. Some change drastically on their way to production while others stay true to the original. Unsurprisingly, many of the latter turn out to be very cool cars, including the following 12 examples.

For a couple of decades after Lamborghini introduced its 1967 Miura, mid-engine supercars remained the domain of niche Italian automakers. Along with Ferrari, Maserati, DeTomaso, and a couple of other boutique carmakers, few challenged Italian hegemony. However, the end of Italy's dominance unexpectedly came in the form of a concept from Japanese automaker Honda when it presented the Acura NS-X concept at the 1989 Chicago Auto Show.

Under the codename New Sports Experimental, Honda developed a car that would fulfill a desire to introduce Honda as a company making not just practical, economical, and reliable cars, but one that could make desirable cars capable of delivering performance beyond expectations. Thus, the concept featured multiple sophisticated design and engineering choices such as four-channel anti-lock braking, electric power steering, and all-aluminum construction. 

When the NS-X concept became the production NSX, it saw only modest changes, such as being slightly longer to accommodate its DOHC VTEC V6. And although it only produced 270 horsepower, its low weight meant it was still very fast. Furthermore, the NSX offered a rare supercar attribute: reliability. Not only was it the first mass-produced car with an all-aluminum monocoque chassis, it was the first supercar you could drive every day like any other Honda.

Established in 1902 and named after the founder of Detroit, Cadillac is among the oldest car companies in the United States. Early on, Cadillac established itself as a leader in the luxury automobile market, selling opulent cars with the latest technology. As Cadillac prepared to celebrate its 50-year golden anniversary, it did so in the most appropriate way, with a car.

Built for display at the 1952 General Motors Motorama, it was a one-off concept convertible show car demonstrating the ample luxury that Cadillac offered. Consistent with the theme of golden anniversary, Cadillac named it Eldorado after the mythical city of gold. Built on the existing Series 62 model, the show car featured multiple luxury upgrades such as power windows, AM/FM radio, and disappearing top. A compass sat atop the dashboard and aviation style gauges were installed above the glove box. They included a tachometer, clock with stopwatch, altimeter, and manifold pressure gauge. The Eldorado was also one of the first Cadillacs to offer air conditioning as an option.

The success of the show car led to its inclusion in the lineup for the 1953 model year, starting at the extraordinarily high price of $7,700, although air conditioning would add $620 to that price. Clearly it was a success as Cadillac retained the Eldorado model until 2002, 50 years after its debut.

German automaker Porsche has an illustrious history of building cars pushing engineering to the limits in pursuit of extracting power from engines while maintaining phenomenal handling. And Porsche, like others, has a long history of building both prototype and concept cars. Some are wild styling exercises while others are meant to preview future production models. The latter describes Porsche's 2010 918 Spyder Concept.

Introduced in 2010, the Porsche 918 Spyder Concept was a follow-up to the phenomenal Carrera GT, which ended production in 2006. It was such a good car, its successor needed to really impress, so Porsche pulled out all the stops to deliver something not only visually appealing, but technologically superior. To accomplish this feat, Porsche created a new supercar incorporating a hybrid drive system, something most widely used at the time on the very non-performance Toyota Prius. Porsche promised just 3.2 seconds to hit 62 mph with a top speed of 198 mph and a possible economy of 78 mpg thanks to the Concept's 3.4-liter V8 with electric motors and 500 horsepower.

Due to a positive response, Porsche approved the 918, and with just three years of development, the production 918 Spyder was introduced in 2013. With relatively little change in styling, it was among the most sophisticated, expensive, and exhilarating cars ever created. The production 918 Spyder shaved the 0-60 mph time down to 2.6 seconds and remains among the most incredible hybrids to date.

While the reveal of the mid-engine 2020 Chevrolet Corvette generated excitement and revelry among fans of affordable American performance, a similar scene played out more than 70 years earlier when Chevrolet presented the first Corvette at the Waldorf-Astoria hotel in New York on January 17, 1953. The grand ballroom was filled with people while an orchestra, singers, and dancers entertained as the new roadster was revealed.

The EX-122 concept car displayed at the Waldorf was under development since 1951, and it would become the first sports car made by any GM division. Impressed with the nimble European roadsters coming into the country following World War II, automotive designer and GM vice president Harley Earl sought to create an American version and shared his idea with engineering chief Ed Cole. Both shared enthusiasm about the project and presented sketches in 1952 to GM management, receiving approval to develop a prototype.

Although it had been built only to gauge the potential of a new sports car, the positive response prompted Chevrolet to put the Corvette into production, delivering 300 hand-built examples of fiberglass-bodied vehicles in 1953. The finished version of the Corvette retained almost all exterior details of the concept, although the interior received several updates. Though the early Corvettes failed to deliver a brisk driving experience due to the underpowered Blue Flame inline-six, introducing a V8 turned it into a genuine performer and cemented its place in history.

Something nearly all cars ever built by Italian automaker Alfa Romeo have in common is beauty. Regardless of how well-built, efficient, powerful, or reliable any of them are, Alfa's styling through the decades manages to stir emotion through visual appeal. Its many concept cars share this trait whether they are likely to be produced or not. And while many concepts have little potential for production, the sporty 2002 Brera concept showed much more potential.

Styled by the inimitable Giorgetto Giugiaro, the Brera concept looks like an elegant blend of practicality and style. With an elongated roof terminating at a rear hatch, the Brera concept provides a space for luggage while the vertically opening doors serve no purpose but to show off, and that's okay. Without a doubt, Giugiario knows how to sculpt an attractive machine, and the Brera is no exception.

Once the Brera made it into production, the design was tamed but only a little. Alfa retained the shape and style almost completely but nixed the impractical doors and fitted it with a sensible interior. Otherwise, it remained a stunningly beautiful car. 

Toyota's first fuel-injected car came out in 1979 as an upgraded Celica called the Supra. It remained a decent choice for those who wanted a typically reliable and somewhat sporty Toyota with a little added punch, but it was in the 1990s that the Supra offered something more. Thanks to the hallowed 2JZ six-cylinder engine and a couple of turbos, the 1993 to 1998 MkIV Supra became a legend.

Thanks in part to multiple media appearances, the MkIV Supra gained a hardcore legion of fans. Supporters with a desire for its resurgence received nothing from Toyota for many years, but in 2014, a concept appeared that raised the spectre of a fifth-generation model. The FT-1 for Future Toyota 1 represented what a Supra wearing modern skin might look like. Clearly laid out to be a front-engine and rear-wheel-drive car, no specifications were released upon its debut, and Car and Driver, proclaiming the death of the inline-6, opined that a 5.0-liter V8 would be an appropriate choice.

At the time, Toyota and BMW were at the beginning stages of collaboration, but the FT-1 concept was an unrelated design out of Toyota's California design studio. Regardless, it looked good and obviously had the potential to be a follow-up to the MkIV Supra. Fortunately, Toyota decided to use the FT-1 as the basis for a Supra revival, releasing the GR Supra featuring a BMW engine on a jointly developed platform for the 2020 model year.

Few would argue the original NS-X prototype and resulting production car from Acura was anything less than a rousing success. Fans were sad to see it go when it ended production. For years after it ended, many wondered if Acura would revisit it, and a 2006 concept left many thinking the next NSX would be front-engine with a V10, but the Acura Advanced Sports Car Concept of that year never amounted to anything. What did was the 2012 NSX concept, which previewed another Honda-built supercar, only this time it would be a hybrid.

Hybrid performance is commonplace among the world's most exclusive and fastest automobiles, but in 2012, it was new territory. Honda introduced its second concept NSX again with a Honda V6, but this time, it was mated to an electric motor, and AWD was achieved by including additional motors on the front wheels, much like how Chevrolet made its first-ever AWD Corvette.

Much like the original, Honda engineers sought to make performance of the new NSX excel not because of brute force power from a huge engine, but by applying proven Honda technology and making the car as light as possible. With relatively few cosmetic changes, the new NSX finally arrived in production form in 2017. An excellent car packed with technology and nearly 600 horsepower, the new NSX has failed to garner attention in the way the original car did. Perhaps playing in a crowded field as a known entity excites a bit less.

Roadsters have long been an integral part of BMW. The first came in 1929, and BMW has continued to build fun open-top two-seaters ever since. Highlights include the beautiful 507, while the Z1 of 1988 ushered in the modern BMW line of Z roadsters. The Z4 roadster, which was later introduced for the 2019 model year, first appeared as a concept back in 2017.

While it appeared big and a bit aggressive with a shark-like quality to its nose, the kidney grille immediately branded it a BMW. However, as this concept made its way through the various Bavarian committees that approve new BMW models, it received a bit of Tokyo influence. It might be more specific to say the influence came from Toyota City because Toyota and BMW jointly developed the Z4 along with the new GR Supra.

When the partnership became public, BMW insisted the Z4 and Supra would not be the same cars wearing different badges, and that proved to be true. While the Supra is a Japanese performance icon with a Bavarian heart, the Z4 remains a purely Teutonic luxury roadster as expected from the company. And while the concept strikes an impressive pose, the production car toned down some of its panache into something sensible for the buying public.

Ever since Audi introduced its Quattro system of AWD and began dominating on the rally circuit, it has been known for the high-performance versions of its regular passenger cars. But when it introduced its 2003 concept car trilogy, one of them stood out for its stunning and unorthodox-for-Audi design.

The Audi Le Mans Quattro Concept gave the public a glimpse of what it might look like if Audi were to build a proper supercar. An Audi with an engine sitting in the middle with only two low-slung passengers in a car with almost no luggage capacity was an enticing thought, but looking at the concept at the time, it was probably as likely to happen as the nuclear-powered Ford from the 1960s. Still, with a twin-turbo V10, courtesy of Lamborghini, pushing 600 horsepower and built upon Audi's racing success, the Quattro Concept, which was a fully functional car, was a stunning idea, until it became real.

With few changes in styling, Audi produced the Quattro concept and dubbed it the R8, introduced in 2007. For 2009, the R8 returned to the V10 configuration, taking a V10 from Lamborghini, which was sourced from Audi in the first place. It entered Audi into an upper echelon of automakers and has kept it there to this day. With continuous improvements and modest updates in style, the R8 is still one of the most desirable cars from Germany as well as the fastest.

Starting around late 2019, Hyundai began presenting a series of electric concept cars blending the brand's past and future. One example introduced in 2021 was the restomod Heritage Pony EV concept, an EV mirroring Hyundai's first domestically designed and built breakaway success, the Pony. Before that, Hyundai introduced the 45 Concept, another EV similar to the Pony but with futuristically sharp and angular styling featuring lights that looked like pixels and an overall design unlike anything else on the road.

As with many concepts, the 45 Concept looked like a daring exercise in style that would be sculpted and trimmed by middle management until the final production model more closely resembled a sensible Korean family car. Remarkably, this watering down did not come to pass, and the concept turned into the Ioniq 5 EV with nearly every exterior line preserved. The results are striking, and the production Ioniq 5 is still unlike anything else on the road, but in a way that makes it a fashionable and desirable car.

The concept's interior pushed the boundaries and had to be toned down for production, although it still shuns convention. Nonetheless, the Ioniq 5 has already proven itself a serious contender in the EV market, while the high-performance Ioniq 5 N provides serious competition on the track. With this car, Hyundai looks well-positioned for the future of the automobile.

The first BMW with an engine amidships was the spectacular M1 from 1979, and it remained in a class of its own for decades. That definitely looked to be changing when BMW debuted its BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept in 2009. 

Introduced as part of a push by BMW to develop the next generation of automobiles, the Vision prefaced the launch of BMW's highly efficient i brand, featuring such illustrious vehicles as the BMW i3, a compact hybrid with a tiny gasoline engine for extending range. And much like the commuter Beemer, which could be ordered with a 647 cc range extender, the excitingly-styled Vision came with a three-cylinder diesel. It could hit 60 mph in under five seconds, but that is because of its powerful electric drivetrain. The Vision was built to showcase EV technology with the possibility of using fossil fuel only when necessary. And this is probably why the production BMW i8 never gained the same notoriety of the M1 a generation before.

While not nearly as wild in design as the concept, the i8 still pushed the envelope and retained supercar looks. With doors that open upward and forward and seats almost scraping the ground, all the elements of a true supercar were there. Unfortunately, it had a bit of baggage to carry and failed to live up to expectations, disappointing many who loved it.

The fastest and most brutal performance cars of today are also incredibly sophisticated technological marvels, combining state-of-the-art engineering with equally impressive computer science. But at the dawn of the digital age of automobiles was the Dodge Viper, a mostly analog beast that capitalized on the latest digital controls to deliver raw and unadulterated performance.

Before the Viper arrived at dealers nationwide, a Viper concept hit the road on the auto show circuit. It was presented as a possible performance car built in the spirit of the iconic Shelby Cobra — and even received Carroll Shelby's input – gaining hopeful fans from the start. Initially, the 1989 prototype featured Chrysler's largest engine at the time, a 360 V8 reserved mostly for trucks. But with some help from Chrysler-owned Lamborghini, a V10 truck engine cast in aluminum instead of iron and warmed over for performance made it to the final design.

The Dodge Viper debuted at the 1989 North American International Auto Show, and the concept stunned crowds with its flowing curves and sporting appeal. The fact that it lacked a roof mattered little to onlookers as the long hood and exhaust side pipes signaled this was a car built solely for speed. Reaction cemented momentum for it, and it made it to production for the 1992 model year, which was largely unchanged from the prototype. The fan-favorite Viper continued in production long past the planned five-year run, ending in 2017 as a legend.