Every so often car manufacturers like to give us a tease into what their future cars will look like, or even give us a slight glimpse into the future of automotive engineering and technology, and some manufacturers want to show off their drawing and engineering skills (ain’t naming anyone in particular here). Without further ado, here are the top 10 concept cars.
10: Audi PB-18 E-Tron
Starting off our list with this, the PB-18 E-Tron is Audi’s take on creating a two-door hatchback electric supercar that combines both speed and practicality, as most of the cars down this list this too is an all-electric concept car—expected to be equipped with three electric motors that when combined produce around 661 bhp with a range of 361 miles. Unfortunately, most concept cars never see their way into production. However, the PB-18 will go into production within the next two years, and around 50 examples will be built. Whether this will see mass production remains to be seen, but what I do know is that it is quite a looker. It combines both looks and speed since 0-62 mph can be achieved in around 2 seconds.
9: Rolls-Royce 103EX
Rolls Royce founder Sir Henry Royce once said “Take the best that exists and make it better. When it does not exist, design it”. That slogan fits perfectly with this, the Rolls Royce 103EX. It takes their history in coach works and coach building where back in the 1930s customers would by the chassis of a car and then send it off to a coachbuilding company where wealthy aristocrats were able to design vehicles with immense creativity and imagination. Nowadays cars are just bought as a single unit with limited customisation, so Rolls Royce decided to give their future customers that option of being able to design their 103EX from the ground up. Rolls Royce wanted to create the ultimate luxury long-distance cruiser and modernise their old heritage roots. Credit where credit is due, it is entirely a uniquely designed car and one I am certainly excited to see in the real world.
8: Mercedes Vision EQ Silver Arrow
Mercedes’ EQ Silver Arrow is a homage to the record-breaking W125 Silver Arrow back in 1937, the paintwork in alubeam silver pays respect to the original Silver Arrows which a fun fact was due to weight reasons why they were not painted with a white paint layer. The entire design of the car embodies elements of both the past and the future, with a unique futuristic exterior look which follows through into the interior; a curved panoramic screen that displays a £d image of the surroundings and it even allows you to take part in virtual races with other Silver Arrows both from the past and the present. The EQ Silver Arrow takes on the route of technological advancements and the future for electric vehicle technology.
7: Audi AI-Trail Quattro
Another intro from the infamous German Automotive brand, Audi, this time they’ve taken a different perspective into the future with the AI-Trail Quattro. In essence, the allrounder and the ultimate offroad machine, armed with four electric motors developing 435 bhp and 738 lb-ft of torque with a range of 311 miles. Though I wouldn’t want to go offroad somewhere too remote, doubt the woods have charging stations, but at least you’ll be able to sneak up on animals for the perfect Instagram pic. Oh and the other gimmick of this car are its headlights, it doesn’t have any, what it does have instead are five drones that illuminate the road ahead and around the surrounding area. The drones create a spotlight and alight the way forward to wherever it is you are driving, the use of 5 drones means that the entire area surrounding the AI-Trail is lit providing some sci-fi-like illumination and probably scare the local population into thinking Aliens are landing.
6: Mercedes Vision AVTR
AVTR in the Mercedes Vision stands for Advanced Vehicle Transformation is a look into the impossible future, and supposedly inspired by the Avatar movie directed by James Cameron is jam-packed with future technology. The Mercedes Vision AVTR is a complete nerdfest for the tech geeks. As with the other cars previously mentioned this too is a fully electric sports coupe, where its design is inspired by the existing EQ Mercedes models only more futuristic and even lifelike looking. Innovation is what sets the AVTR apart from any other concept car in this list, the entire layout and design of the vehicle also mimics the Avatar world giving it that out of this world look, and it genuinely is a piece of art. The interior is really where we see things thrive, there is no actual steering wheel the AVTR is purely autonomous driving, and it can seat five passengers. The interior is both simplistic yet spacious and yet so beautifully poised and designed, the replaced steering wheel is now a multifunctional control element, and it activates by placing your hand on the control unit. The car then essentially comes to life and recognises the so-called driver by his heartbeat and breathing, supposedly. However, the unfortunate thing about this car is that the features and technology found within the AVTR will never be transferred to production cars in the future.
5: Bentley EXP 100 GT
We’re all familiar with what the current Bentley Continental GT looks like, now think of what it will look like in about ten years, and this is what the EXP 100 GT is. It features an entirely new face and body, and it is quite a lengthy car standing at 5.8 metres long definitely ensure that its driver and passenger have plenty of room to stretch. The interior is crafted in a new direction with the use of light to create a wellness-enriching environment and using adaptable biometric seating that further improves wellbeing. Also equipped with batteries, four electric motors making it four-wheel drive that is supposed to have a range of 435 miles, a top speed of 186 mph and achieving 0-62 mph in under 2.5 seconds.
4: DS X E-tense
The DS X E-tense is a car that doesn’t follow traditional automotive symmetry but instead inspired the automotive firm to create an asymmetric three-seater concept design. Titled imagining a dream car for 2035, it looks like something that we might see within the next decade or two. Powered by two electric motors with two modes being available, a road mode which outputs 540 bhp and circuit mode which raises the power output to 1,360 bhp means that the development of this future track demon has some racing pedigree. To which it does as its been engineered by DS’s Formula E team, if this will ever go into production then I am very excited to see how it performs.
3: Lightyear One
Titled as the Electric Car that Charges Itself, where most of the cars on this list aim for achieving performance, speed and radical design. The Lightyear One focuses on efficiency and range; it is estimated to travel up to 450 miles on a single charge with the use of solar energy, making it the world’s first long-range solar car.
2: Audi E-Tron GT
Audi has taken a turn for electric power, they have tackled hatchback supercars, offroading and now they are looking at branching into electric GT cars. The Audi E-Tron GT is a 434 bhp Grand Tourer with permanent all-wheel drive and achieving 0-62 mph in under 3.5 seconds. Ensure that comfort, sportiness and performance goes without a miss. Over the years some of Audi’s cars have been controversial in design, but with their latest concept EV ranges, I think it’s fair to say that they have created some stunning looking machines that will also perform just as well.
1: Mercedes Maybach Vision 6 Cabriolet
Ending off the list with yet another German brand, the Maybach Vision 6 looks like a yacht on wheels. It is essentially a video game car turned real life, the massive wheels where the tyres look as though they’ve been painted on. It is an all-electric grand tourer equipped with four electric motors producing 738 bhp and with a range of around 227 miles, which doesn’t sound much at first glance. Still, I would suspect the access to charging stations across the globe would make it relatively convenient to recharge. There is nothing all that technologically appealing about the Vision 6, but it does add some retro class to the modern future that is to follow; and who doesn’t need some retro styling as a reminder of a company’s roots right?
Bleeding Edge Digital 