Concept Car reviews

Man, I can’t remember the last time I was as stoked about a rally car as I am about this one. Ever since the rally scene migrated from awesome sedans (Lancer Evo, WRX, or that magnificent Skoda Octavia), I was a bit disappointed watching small city cars tackling the courses. They are supremely fast, granted, but lack the drama, or the seriousness of the larger machines. Or sports cars. And that is where the newest Porsche Motorsport Rally concept comes into play. This is the Porsche Cayman GT4 Clubsport Rallye Concept. A mouthful isn’t it. Well, after I saw it the first thing I thought about was the 959 Dakar Porsche from the Eighties. It was sublime and, while the new Cayman GT4 Clubsport Rallye isn’t a 918 Rallye, I feel happy to have an opportunity to see it at all.

Let’s not beat around the bush here. The Infiniti Q60 is like the girl next door of the car world. She’s sexy, teases you from a distance with her sweet curves, and has an attitude to back up her good looks. In this case, however, the Q60 has a hotter sister, and the Project Black S is it. Go ahead, you know you want to add some car porn to your desktop ;)

Toyota showed up to Goodwood with a camouflaged Supra in hopes of stealing the spotlight, but Aston Martin, Land Rover, Jaguar, Brabham, and others made sure to get their own attention by bringing their latest gear. BMW was particularly eager to show off here, as next to their all-new 8 Series, they will be revealing this - the BMW M Performance Parts Concept M2.

Debuting at the 2018 Goodwood Festival of Speed, the car will showcase all the breadth of BMW M Performance division who spruced up the M2 to previously unimaginable levels. It is a lighter, meaner, and angrier version of the BMW M2 Coupe. Some of the parts showcased here are destined for the new BMW M2 Competition.

While it might be a world-class performance icon, the Nissan GT-R was never really considered “pretty.” However, that all changes with the introduction of the one-off GT-R50 prototype, a collaborative effort between Nissan and the legendary Italian design house, Italdesign. Built to commemorate the overlapping 50th anniversary of both the Skyline GT-R nameplate and the birth of Italdesign, the GT-R50 is rolling eye candy laid atop an engineering masterpiece, bringing form and function into stunning harmony.

Continue reading to learn more about the Nissan GT-R50 by Italdesign.

Porsche just celebrated 70 years since its very first automobile, the 356 "No. 1," was created on June 8, 1948, and unveiled a speedster model based on the 911. But, while we were expecting a production model this year, the Germans showcased a production-ready concept car.

Developed at the Porsche Motorsport Center in Weissach, which is the birthplace of the 911 GT3, 911 GT3 RS, and the 911 GT2 RS, the Speedster Concept also celebrates the company’s long-standing tradition of making speedster-type roadsters, which don’t have folding roofs and are usually stripped of convenience features. The concept car likely previews a production model, further feeding rumors that a 911 Speedster will follow toward the end of 2018. But until that happens, let’s have a closer look at this concept car.

Tata Motors might not be a big name in Europe and the U.S., but it one of the most important carmakers in Asia. Founded in 1945, Tata is now selling a wide range of cars and commercial vehicles, but it’s better known for owning Jaguar Land Rover, which it purchased from Ford in 2008. The Indian company is now trying to expand in markets outside Asia, and it’s joining the bigger, global auto shows with new concept cars. One such vehicle is the H5X, which was launched at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show as a preview for an upcoming crossover.

Tata says that the H5X "provides a glimpse of the future generation of Tata Motors SUV’s in terms of design, technology, and sheer capabilities" and that it sports the brand’s upcoming design language, called the Impact 2.0. It’s also the first vehicle based the new Optimal Modular Efficient Global Advanced Architecture, which developed in collaboration with Jaguar Land Rover. Local media says that the production version will be aimed at crossovers like the Jeep Compass and the Mahindra XUV500 in India. But needless to say, the H5X will probably hit global markets as Tata’s first truly contemporary crossover sometime in 2019.

Continue reading to learn more about the Tata H5X Concept.

While it hasn’t introduced many brand-new models in recent years, Subaru was pretty busy showcasing new design features and technologies with a range of concepts under the Viziv name. The first one arrived in 2013, and since then Subaru has launched a new Viziv design each year. The latest iteration, known as the Viziv Tourer Concept, broke cover at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, and it features a five-door body layout.

Naturally, the Tourer shares many design features with previous Viziv concept cars. It also shares upcoming driver-assist technologies that we will find in production models starting 2020. But unlike some Viziv concepts, which featured hybrid powertrains, the Tourer uses a boxer engine only. The concept could preview a hatchback or wagon version of the WRX, but it could also be an early preview of the next-generation Outback.

Continue reading to learn more about the Subaru Viziv Tourer Concept.

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.