It was a big year for concept studies, as almost every automaker sought to show its vision for the future. But which was best?
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Well, it’s that time of year again, when we get to look back at everything that’s happened over the previous 12 months, and decide what went well, and what didn’t. Today, we’re asking you to pick your favorite concept from 2023, and oooooh boy, do you have a lot of options.
The year was an exhaustively busy one by any measure, but at least we got a lot of cool prototype cars out of it. Frankly, there are too many to list in this article, but you should check out our Concepts section for a reminder of just how many cool ideas automakers came up with in 2023.
And the year wasn’t just a busy one, it was a good one for futuristic design. Sure, there were some flubs (personally, I don’t really care for Honda’s K9 concept), but there were a lot of really great designs, too.
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Read: New Porsche Mission X Is An Electric Hypercar Concept Charging For ’Ring Record Glory
Naturally, there were a couple of interesting “super” and “hyper” concepts, such as the Mercedes Vision One-Eleven, the Polestar Synergy, the Porsche Mission E, and the category-defying Lamborghini Lanzador EV.
There was also no shortage of luxurious concepts, such as the Infiniti QX Monograph, the Genesis XV, the GAC ERA, and, if you don’t get sea sick, the Andy Waugh Yacht Design boat that looks like a ’20s racecar.
The off-road enthusiasts in the crowd were also well catered to in 2023. As ever, Jeep brought a bunch of interesting concepts to the Easter Safari, the Opel Rocks E-Xtreme proved that going off the beaten path isn’t just for big SUVs, and the Skoda Roadiaq tried to prove that overlanding is accessible to EVs, too.
But it wasn’t all just aspirational nonsense, 2023 was a great year for conceptual versions of more affordable vehicles. BMW looked to the future with its Neue Klasse, the Mercedes CLA Concept proved that the German automaker wants to make more than just electric limousines, and the Hyundai Nine showed how willing its designers are to commit to the bit.
However, I think the concept car that has me the most excited, partly because it looks ahead to a deeply affordable EV, and partly because it just looks so good, is the ID.GTI. Good-looking, fun, and affordable, what more could a driver want?
What do you think? What was the best concept car of 2023 so far? Let us know in the comments.
