Before the future of cars became what we know today, designers were already imagining something far more radical. Across the mid-20th century, concept cars emerged as bold visions of what transportation could become, often looking more like spacecraft than vehicles meant for everyday roads.
Many of these experimental designs were revealed at auto shows as design studies rather than production models, showcasing ideas that pushed far beyond the limits of their time. From unconventional shapes to experimental technologies, they reflected a period when the automotive world was heavily influenced by space-age imagination and optimism about the future.
In this post, shared via the ‘Artist’ Instagram page, we take a look at 17 of these striking concept cars from the past – fascinating designs that show just how differently people once imagined the future of driving.
#1 Alfa Romeo 40-60 HP Aerodinamica By Castagna, 1914
A vision from 1914. Commissioned by Count Marco Ricotti and built by Castagna, the Alfa Romeo 40-60 HP Aerodinamica was the first car to trade tradition for a 'teardrop' shape. Inspired by airships, its aluminum skin helped it slice through the air at a then-staggering 93 mph.
© Photo: artist
#2 OSI Silver Fox By OSI Turin, 1967
The OSI Silver Fox (also known as the Bisiluro, or "twin-torpedo") is a radical 1967 Italian racing prototype designed by Sergio Sartorelli for Officine Stampaggi Industriali (OSI). Created with the sole intent of competing at the 1968 24 Hours of Le Mans, its design prioritizes extreme aerodynamics over raw power.
© Photo: artist
#3 Ford Gyron By Alex Tremulis For Ford, 1961
Designed by Alex Tremulis and Syd Mead, the 1961 Ford Gyron was a bold vision of a two-wheeled future. This gyroscopically stabilized concept ditched the steering wheel for a central control dial, allowing either passenger to take command from within its stunning bubble canopy.
© Photo: artist
#4 The Roach-Coach By Ed Newton, 1978
A rolling fever dream of 1970s sci-fi. Designed by Ed Newton and brought to life by Dan Woods and 'The Egyptian' Don Boeke, this bug-like icon features a hand-formed fiberglass body, dual bubble canopies, and a fuel tank literally sourced from a NASA Atlas Agena rocket.
© Photo: artist
#5 Alfa Romeo BAT (5,7,8) By Franco Scaglione, 1953-55
The Alfa Romeo BAT (Berlina Aerodinamica Tecnica) series is a legendary "triptych" of concept cars designed by Franco Scaglione at Carrozzeria Bertone. Built on the chassis of the Alfa Romeo 1900, these cars were not just styling exercises but high-level aerodynamic studies that achieved drag coefficients as low as 0.19—a figure that remains competitive with modern supercars.
© Photo: artist
#6 Schlörwagen By Karl Schlör, 1939
A 1939 masterpiece of fluid dynamics. Nicknamed the 'Göttingen Egg,' the Schlörwagen used an airplane-wing profile to achieve a drag coefficient of 0.186 - a level of efficiency that still beats most modern supercars today.
© Photo: artist
#7 Ford FX Atmos By Alex Tremulis For Ford, 1954
A 1954 vision of the future. Designed by Alex Tremulis, the Ford FX Atmos was a nuclear-age fantasy featuring a central cockpit, dual-joystick steering, and radar antennas instead of headlights. It remains the ultimate symbol of 1950s space-race optimism.
© Photo: artist
#8 Vauxhall SRV By Wayne Cherry For Vauxhall, 1970
A 1970 masterclass in packaging. The Vauxhall SRV managed to fit four adult seats into a mid-engined body just 41 inches high. With its hidden rear doors and Le Mans-inspired lines, it looks like a two-seater but hides a practical secret.
© Photo: artist
#9 Fuji Cabin By Fuji, 1956
The Fuji Cabin (Model 5A) is a rare three-wheeled microcar produced in post-war Japan by Fuji Toshuda Motors. Debuting at the 1955 Tokyo Motor Show, it was designed by Ryuichi Tomiya, often called the "Leonardo da Vinci of Japan," who envisioned it as an economical, weather-protected alternative to the motorcycles then dominating Japanese roads.
© Photo: artist
#10 Bond Bug 750 Es By Tom Karen, 1970
The Bond Bug 750ES is the final, high-performance evolution of the iconic British three-wheeled microcar. While the Bond Bug originally launched in 1970 with a 700cc engine, the 750ES arrived in late 1973, upgrading the vehicle with the more powerful 748cc light-alloy engine from the then-new Reliant Robin.
© Photo: artist
#11 Winfield Reactor By Gene Winfield, 1969
The Winfield Reactor is a legendary hand-built aluminum show car completed in 1969 by custom car master Gene Winfield. Originally commissioned as the "Autorama Special," it became one of the most recognizable vehicles of the 1960s due to its frequent "acting" roles in major television series.
© Photo: artist
#12 Davis Divan By Gary Davis, 1947
A 1947 vision of the future. The Davis Divan was a three-wheeled 'bullet car' designed to bring aircraft aerodynamics to the driveway. With a single front wheel and a bench seat wide enough for four, it remains one of the most iconic 'what-ifs' of the post-war era.
© Photo: artist
#13 L'oeuf Électrique By Paul Arzens, 1942
The L'oeuf Électrique (The Electric Egg) is a radical 1942 prototype designed and hand-built by French industrial designer Paul Arzens. Created during the German occupation of Paris when fuel was strictly rationed, this "bubble car" was Arzens' personal urban runabout, combining his background as a classically trained artist with his engineering ingenuity.
© Photo: artist
#14 Ford GT80 By Luigi Colani, 1978
The Ford GT80 (or Colani GT80) is a radical 1978 concept designed by the visionary Luigi Colani. Billed as a "Le Mans car for the road," it was a direct aerodynamic evolution of the legendary Ford GT40, featuring Colani's signature "biomorphic" curves and aircraft-inspired technology.
© Photo: artist
#15 AMC Amitron By AMC / Gulton Industries, 1967
The AMC Amitron was a revolutionary 1967 electric concept car developed by American Motors Corporation (AMC) and Gulton Industries. Decades ahead of its time, it debuted as a vision for urban commuting, featuring a "wedge" shape that many modern observers compare to a miniature Tesla Cybertruck.
© Photo: artist
#16 General Motors Firebird III By Harley Earl For General Motors, 1958
Designed by Harley Earl for the 1959 Motorama, the GM Firebird III is the ultimate expression of the Space Age. With seven fins and a Whirlfire gas-turbine engine, it was a literal jet for the highway, featuring a single joystick control in place of a steering wheel.
© Photo: artist
#17 Lincoln Futura By John Najjar For Ford (Built By Ghia), 1955
The 1955 Lincoln Futura is one of the most famous concept cars in history, representing the absolute peak of "Jet Age" design. Designed by Ford stylists Bill Schmidt and John Najjar, it was hand-built by Carrozzeria Ghia in Turin, Italy, at a staggering cost of $250,000 - roughly $3 million in today's money.
© Photo: artist
