Concept Car reviews

Unveiled in 2017 as a replacement for the ill-fated CC, the Arteon keeps Volkswagen active in the rather tiny four-door coupe segment. Sportier than its predecessor and boasting more premium features than ever, the Arteon could finally establish the German firm as a powerful player on the premium market. Now also available in R-Line trim, the Arteon just gained a special paint finish and a set of wheels from Vossen to become the Highlight Concept.

Based on the R-Line model, the Highlight Concept explores the Arteon’s "potential to make a statement on the show field." Granted, the sleek and wide stance give the sedan a unique place among Volkswagen cars, and we will probably see a wide range of aftermarket upgrades at the upcoming tuning shows. Volkswagen’s is far from radical, but it shows what you can do with special paint, a set of custom wheels, and a lowered suspension.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volkswagen Arteon R-Line Highlight Concept.

The latest-generation Volkswagen Jetta was unveiled at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show and promises to reshape the affordable compact segment with its design and features. Although it’s slightly cheaper than the outgoing model, it’s decidedly more modern inside the cabin and has enough features to tackle the upper market of the affordable compact segment. It’s plenty powerful too, using a 1.4-liter four-cylinder rated at 147 horsepower and 184 pound-feet of torque. With the sedan arriving at dealers in May 2018, Volkswagen celebrates the new-generation Jetta with a tuned-up model developed by Fifteen52. It’s based on the R-Line model, and it’s called the SoCal Concept.

Inspired by the second-generation Jetta that was built between 1984 and 1992 in Pennsylvania, the SoCal concept is described as a "heritage-based design with modern accents." I can’t really spot those heritage design cues Volkswagen is talking about (I’m probably not old enough), but the concept sedan definitely looks unique. And it’s not too wild either, so the German could offer this four-door in a limited-edition production model. It probably won’t happen, but it remains an interesting take on a popular and affordable model.

Continue reading to learn more about the Volkswagen Jetta R-Line SoCal Concept.

The Volkswagen Tiguan was left to go stagnant on the market for 10 years after its launch, with Volkswagen finally giving in to introduce the second-gen model for the 2017 model year. It was, in fact, significantly more attractive, more modern than ever, and even had all the right technology. Be that as it may, once successful Tiguan isn’t doing quite as well on the U.S. market as VW would really like. So, as part of the SOWO show in Georgia, Volkswagen has debuted four new concepts, one of which is the Tiguan R-Line Areo Concept. It’s the most aggressive, stylistic, and attractive Tiguan we’ve ever seen. And, it sits excessively low to the ground – something that intrigues the low-rider in us and makes the Tiguan look like an oddly overgrown Golf with a cool wrap.

The Volkswagen Golf doesn’t really need an introduction. It’s one of the hottest hatchbacks on the market, and it’s well-known across all of the major markets on the planet. Unlike the Tiguan, the Golf manages to sell well, so it doesn’t really need any special attention, but VW decided to give it some anyway. That’s why you’re looking at this crazy-looking Golf R with a custom wrap, aftermarket wheels, performance exhaust, and new side skirts among other things. Based on the new Golf R, it’s the best-equipped car showcased at this year’s SOWO event in Georgia.

Responsible for some of the greatest automotive designs, Giugiaro lost its place in the spotlight in recent years. But, even though it stopped working with the big automakers outside the Audi Q2 and some Chinese cars, Giugiaro rolled out a few spectacular concepts recently, including the Parcour and the Zerouno. The Italian firm introduced yet another in 2018. It’s called the GFG Sibylla, it’s fully electric, and it was developed in cooperation with Envision, a Chinese company specialized in wind turbines, energy management software, and energy technology services.

Created to celebrate Giorgetto Giugiaro’s 80th birthday, the GFG Sibylla uses Envision’s EnOS energy IoT platform, which allows the car to become intelligently integrated into the wider energy ecosystem. In short, it’s integrating EV charging into the electricity grid, a system that other automakers have been studying for quite a few years now. The Sibylla name was chosen accordingly, as it references a figure from Latin mythology endowed with the ability to provide answers and predict the future. It is also a tribute to Giorgetto’s mother, named Sibylla. Let’s find out more about the concept car in the review below.

Continue reading to learn more about the Giugiaro GFG Sibylla EV Concept.

Remember the Nissan Armada Snow Patrol from the 2018 Chicago Auto Show? Well, Nissan is moving from cold to hot with the new Nissan Armada Mountain Patrol – a concept designed for the rugged outdoors with everything you need to survive outside of a built-in fire pit and a toilet. It’s even powered by Nissan’s 5.6-liter V-8 with some 390 horsepower on tap and an 8,500-pound towing capacity. So what all does this concept offer and why do you wish Nissan would offer it as a production model? Keep reading to find out.

Hyundai is ready to look at the future as it reinvents itself and the Le Fil Rouge Concept is a display of how the Korean brand sees its destiny. It’s all-electric, it’s sleek, and it’s luxurious. How a model like this would wear a Hyundai badge and not a Genesis badge is a complete mystery, but the point is that Hyundai has high hopes and extreme desires. You can already see that the exterior is attractive and commanding, but inside you’ll find wood, unique styling, and heaps of technology. Oh, and like all cool-guy concepts these days, it has suicide doors as well. What else does the concept offer as far as vision goes and how much will make it to production? Let’s find out.

Under Aston Martin ownership since 1947, Lagonda stopped making production cars in 1990, with a handful of models unveiled after the Aston Martin Lagonda sedan was discontinued. Rumored to make a comeback in the late 2000s, Lagonda finally returned to the market in 2014, when the limited-edition Taraf sedan was introduced. Four years have passed, since and Lagonda has now unveiled the Vision Concept at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.

A futuristic vehicle with a sleek, shooting brake-like design, the Vision Concept sports a luxurious, four-seat interior that’s ready to give Rolls-Royce and Bentley products a run for their money. Like many modern concepts, it also has autonomous drive and uses a zero-emission drivetrain. More importantly, Lagonda says that the Vision Concept previews a production model that’s scheduled to hit the assembly line in 2021. The upcoming model will have an SUV body style and will borrow styling features from the Geneva show car. Until Lagonda gives us more info on the production model, let’s have a closer look at this intriguing concept vehicle.

Continue reading to learn more about the Lagonda Vision Concept.

Volkswagen has just showcased the Golf GTI TCR Concept – a model that will sit between the standard Golf GTI and Golf R as far as power is concerned. On top of an extra 45 horsepower over the standard GTI, the concept shows off an intriguing exterior look and an attractively upholstered cabin. The concept is set to become an official road-going model, despite its classification as a design study, by the end of 2018. As a model that’s derived from motorsport and based on the TCR race car, it’s quite likely the concept will end up being a special-edition model, but it could wind up being the car that fills the gap between the standard Golf GTI and Golf R, two models separated by more than 60 horsepower.

The annual GTI Fest at Lake Worthersee in Austria is currently underway, and per tradition, Volkswagen is bringing along a pair of custom rides built by a select group of apprentices to show off the next generation’s skill set. In addition to the GTI Next Level that we featured earlier this week, there’s also this spruced-up five-door wagon dubbed the GMOTION, intended to bring a combination of “sporting character, elegance, and off-road capabilities.”

Continue reading to learn what makes the Volkswagen Golf Estate TGI GMOTION special.

Every year, Volkswagen drops the sheets on a unique, customized Golf at the annual GTI Fest at Lake Worthersee in Austria. As a showcase of the skills of its various apprentices, the custom ride is typically a real jaw-dropper, and this latest example is no different.

Continue reading to learn what makes the Volkswagen Golf GTI Next Level special.

Renault has been big on the whole EV self-driver thing for the past few years now, pulling the sheets on several SYMBIOZ concepts back in 2017. The EZ-GO is the latest follow-up, offering the same drivetrain and autonomous tech as before, but with an extra dash of shared mobility services and connected features to boot. The result is a vision of the future of urban mobility, promising improvements to both energy efficiency and quality of life.

Continue reading to learn more about the Renault EZ-GO.

Citroen has a reputation in the auto industry for designing some of the most extreme concept cars in the business. The Survolt and the Cxperience are two that come to mind. Since the company launched the DS sub-brand in 2009, that design creativity has extended to give us creations like the Divine DS and the E-Tense concept vehicles. Today, DS takes us on another wild ride with the arrival of its latest brainchild, the DS X E-Tense concept, a car that the company describes as “a vision of what a dream car might resemble in the year 2035.”

The Pininfarina K350 concept finally broke cover at the 2018 Beijing Auto Show. Designed for Hong Kong-based automaker Hybrid Kinetic Group (HKG), the K350 is a fully electric SUV concept that the automaker is preparing to develop with the H600 and H500 electric sedan concepts. It’s still not confirmed if HKG is giving the green light to build any of these concepts, but if it does, look for the K350 SUV to be the most prominent of the three. Not only is it an EV, but it’s also an SUV, which, as we all know, is a segment that’s selling like hotcakes these days.

Tata Motors isn’t very well known outside of its own market, but if it manages to turn out production models from its most recent concepts, it could find itself in the limelight. The 45X Coupe and H5X Concepts weren’t bad, but it’s almost like we’re watching the brand grow a little bit at a time, and you’ll think the same thing once you take a good look at the Tata E-Vision – an electric concept that has the looks to put some serious hurt on some of the big boys, if Tata can ever actually bring it to the market.

Revived in 1997 after more than 50 years of absence, the Maybach brand didn’t make much of an impact on the luxury market, with its S-Class-based models failing to impress against the Rolls-Royces and the Bentleys. As a result, Mercedes-Benz discontinued the name in 2012. The brand returned as Mercedes-Maybach in 2015, and although it still delivers revised S-Class sedans with longer wheelbases and more luxury features, it aims to offer other Mercedes vehicles too. Unlike its predecessor, Mercedes-Maybach also produced concept cars, with a pair of Vision 6 two-door models showcasing spectacular designs. Come 2018 and Maybach unveiled its third concept car, this time around design to preview an upcoming SUV.

Called the Vision Ultimate Luxury, this new concept vehicle is said to preview the Maybach version of the Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class. However, the concept itself isn’t exactly an SUV, but a hybrid design that combines the features of a utility vehicle with the rear end of a notchback sedan. Inside the cabin, the Ultimate Luxury is actually more production friendly than the Vision 6 coupe, while its all-electric drivetrain is identical with the other two Maybach concept cars. It definitely won’t make it into production in this form, but it previews a few interesting design cues and technologies. Let’s find out more in the review below.

Continue reading to learn more about the Mercedes-Maybach Vision Ultimate Luxury

BMW has eased into the electric future, starting with the BMW X5 I Performance – it’s first plug-in hybrid – back in 2015. Fast forward a few years and here we are looking at the BMW iX3 Concept, an X3-based, all-electric SUV (or SAV as BMW likes to call it) that features the brand’s fifth-gen electric drive system, modular batteries, and some i-specific design cues that we’ll surely see when the iX3 goes into production. As a concept that’s practically ready to roll off the production line, there’s a lot to talk about, so let’s get to it.

The year is 2018, and every automaker has their vision for the future. With the current trend, it should come as no surprise that most of those “vision” concepts are crossovers, SUVs or coupe-like crossovers. Such is the case with Bucks latest concept, the Enspire – a model Buick says is an “exploration of its bold design ideas and innovative technologies for future mobility.” PR Talk aside, it does have a stylish and sleek design that’s still somewhat within the realm of reality. It’s said to feature augmented reality, a conceptual form of 5G internet connectivity, and has an all-electric drivetrain that’s powerful enough to get it up to 60 mph in just four seconds. Whether or not Buick will last long enough for a concept like this to come to life remains to be seen but let’s take a closer look at it anyway.

Launched in 2013, the Vision Gran Turismo program gave mainstream automakers to develop wild concept cars for the Gran Turismo 6 and Gran Turismo Sport video games. No fewer than 26 virtual vehicles were created by more than 20 carmakers until 2018, with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Aston Martin, Toyota, Chevrolet, Lexus, and Bugatti having joined the ranks. Come 2018 and Audi launched its first concept car for the Gran Turismo Sport video game. But unlike the competition, the Audi e-Tron Vision Gran Turismo is a fully functional vehicle.

While most Vision Gran Turismo concepts were developed exclusively for the pixelated world of Gran Turismo, some were built as full-scale models, and only a small fraction had an actual drivetrain. But none of them were able to function as actual race cars outside the video game. Audi is the first to deploy its Vision Gran Turismo car to real-world racetracks, as the fully-electric vehicle will be used as a taxi during Formula E events.

One of the first manufacturers to enter Formula E with a factory-backed team, Audi is now the first carmaker to offer its customers and guests the opportunity to experience Formula E’s city circuits as passengers in the e-Tron Vision Gran Turismo. This will happen starting April 14, when Formula E goes to Rome, Italy, for the seventh race of the 2017-2018 season. There’s no specific information as to how you can sign up for a ride, but a Vision Gran Turismo concept that actually works in the real world is a might big accomplishment.

Continue reading to learn more about the Audi e-Tron Vision Gran Turismo.

There’s no denying that Hyundai has made huge steps in the way of shedding its econobox past and when turned the Genesis name into a standalone brand, it was finally able to compete with the big boys. Now, Genesis is looking even further into the future with the Essentia Concept and boy does it put some of the vision concepts we’ve seen from other big brands to shame. It’s got the right proportions, all the luxury you would need, and there are even butterfly doors in the mix. Genesis hasn’t disclosed much in the way of performance specs, but it does promise a 60-mph sprint of just 3.0-seconds, putting it deep into supercar territory. Even more interesting is the fact that Genesis Boss, Manfred Fitzgerald, is pushing for this thing to go into production. What a time to be alive, huh?

The Volkswagen Atlas Tanoak Concept wasn’t supposed to appear at the2018 New York Auto Show. But as the story goes, VW execs liked the design study so much it made an 11th-hour decision and brought the Tanoak Concept as a surprise debut. Now that we’ve seen it, we’re glad Volkswagen made the audible because the prototype pickup received such a favorable response that there’s a groundswell of support building on turning the concept car into a full-blown production vehicle. It’s too early to tell if Volkswagen is going to give the people what they want, but don’t be surprised if that light bulb turns on soon.