Everyday production cars are packaged to conform to the realities of safety restrictions, practicality, and budget, while concept cars are spinal taps into the wildest uncorked dreams of what transportation can become when unfettered by the parameters of the real world.
Most notably, a modded 8.3-liter V-10 was shoehorned into an improbable quadrangle framed by four thin tires. But the Tron-like bike was not the only dramatic reveal at the North American International Auto Show that year: it debuted alongside the stunning Cadillac Sixteen, Ford 427, and GM Hy-wire.The Cadillac Sixteen broke cover at the 2003 North American International Auto Show boasting a dash-to-axle ratio that rivaled the outlandish 16-cylinder Caddies from the 1930s.
Despite being penned by the polarizing Chris Bangle, the M1 redux was universally praised, raising buzz about the possibility of the Bavarian brand creating a 21st century flagship that harkened the original, Giugiaro-designed model. Enthusiasts never did see a new M1, though a trio of M1s—the original Paul Bracq–penned 1972 Turbo concept, the production version, and the M1 Hommage—were reunited at Villa d’Este in 2022.
With a total of 738 hp from electric motors at each wheel, the Vision 6 Cabriolet has a claimed cruising range of 200 miles, making it a roadster that prioritizes presence over practicality. Perhaps the concept will become resuscitated in another form as Mercedes dives deeper into electrification.Renault’s Trezor debuted at the 2016 Paris Motor Show with an impossibly swoopy body that seemed to prevent it from ever becoming a real production car.