greatest concept cars ever

It sounds like a nuclear experiment, and funnily enough, thats exactly what the Ford Nucleon was. Although it was just a scale model, Ford wanted to show that you could in theory, based on scientific knowledge at the time, power a car with steam and uranium fission.

Ignoring the safety issues of crashing in a mobile nuclear bomb, the Ford Nucleon wasnt such a mad idea given that nuclear power is relatively clean ? well, except for the glowing green waste. Probably why Bethesda designers decided to include the car in the nuclearscarred landscapes of Fallout 3.

What list of the best concept cars ever would be complete without the first? The Buick YJob ? which sounds a bit sordid if you ask us ? was unveiled in 1938, complete with electric windows and headlamps that could hide away. Were talking revolutionary stuff at the time.

Because experimental cars were called X, designer Harley J. Earl decided to go one letter along in the alphabet, partly because he could do what he wanted but mainly because the term Y pops up in the most advanced aviation prototypes, technically making it more badass.

While most car companies strive for efficiency, Aussie manufacturer Holden (known as Vauxhall in the UK, folks) likes to adopt the American Mantra of big engine, big smiles. Continuing the trend is the Holden Monaro Coupe 60. Built to celebrate sixty years of production, the Monaro Coupe 60 comes equipped with a monstrous V8, brutish looks and the ability to spend all of its time going sideways, thanks to all that rearwheel drive torque. Whats not to like ? except the tyre replacement costs?

Peugeot often makes supercar concepts, but weve never seen the French manufacturer actually make one we could all buy. But our hopes are high the Onyx makes it to the production phases ? because it looks so sharp it could cut you in half..

A carbon fibre shell with a split paintjob surrounds a 3.7litre V8 hybrid. Ignoring how dull the word hybrid sounds, this French missile developers 600bhp and it only weighs 1,100kg. That works out at 2kg of weight for every horse power. Imagine a horse dragging two bags of sugar. As you can imagine, it should leave your mates Citroen Saxo behind in a cloud of, erm, hybrid smoke.

Aston Martin doesnt have a V10 engine to strap to its muchdesired cars, but if it did, we are ever hopeful the AMV 10 would be the first car to showcase it. Because, lets face it, its clearly a work of art. Whereas most offerings from the prestigious brand have indicate sophistication and power, the AMV 10 looks positively terrifying ? like it would laugh as it wrapped you around a tree at 180mph.

Aston Martins One77, socalled that because its only making 77 of the $1million car, may offer the same rear lights and a roaring V12, but it looks much less tame. Not that we would turn one down.

Remember Sideswipe from Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen? Well, this is what the character transformed into ? the Corvette Stingray Concept, built to celebrate 50 years of the Stingray model.

Combining style cues from the original car with modern elements such as scissorstyle doors, a rearview camera with nightvision and a hybrid engine, it sounds a little too refined to be the successor of an unruly 1950s V8. But then you see it has four large exhausts at the back and the most sinister rear lights a car has ever known, so equilibrium is restored.

Koenigsegg and Zonda, eat your hearts out. Mazdas Furai race concept is incredibly striking, fast enough to leave your face behind and you could actually go and drive it if you can persuade the Japanese manufacturer to let you.

Its a fullyfunctional concept, which alone makes it special, but its the blue LED lighting that looks like a menacing smile we found ourselves most captivated by. Like a modernday Knight Rider, only without the Hoff and a talking dashboard.

The 60s and 70s lay claim to some of the maddest concept cars ever, with more angles between them than a GCSE maths textbook. But what these wheels lacked in style, they more than made up with sheer power..

MercedesBenz and its C111 managed to take a 230bhp diesel up to 200mph in 1978, while averaging 14.7mpg at just under that speed over 12 hours. Not concent with breaking multiple speed records, a 500bhp V8 variant hit 250mph in 1979.

Enzo Ferrari, founder of Ferrari, said the Jaguar EType was the most beautiful car ever made, and thats saying something when his name is attached to some magnificent Italian automotive finery. So naturally the idea of a remake induced a few sleepless nights.

Thankfully the EType Growler (no, not that sort of growler) concept, now known as the Lyonheart K, is available to buy, if you can somehow get yourself on the waiting list. Honestly, youd have more luck growing a third arm than becoming the owner of one. Still, we can dare to dream about owning what could easily be the second most beautiful car ever made.

Everything a concept car should be: mad, expensive, ludicrous and completely desirable.