The most spectacular concept cars now stand a better chance of being made

When an automaker unveils a concept car, it’s usually a chance to talk about its own brand and focus on the car’s special, unique future.

Chevrolet FNR

So lately, when automakers announce their concept cars, why have they spent so much time talking about … Tesla?

This year alone, Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi, among others, have hinted at, whispered about, or full-on introduced all-electric conceptual models they say are meant to tackle the exceptional Tesla Model S head-on.

There are a few reasons for this.

For one, Tesla has the best buzz of any auto brand. Elon Musk’s rabble-rousing company carries the eco-friendly sheen of the future, and other automakers hope to catch some of that reflected glory. But when it comes down to it, it’s the government that’s had a huge hand in sparking this habit.

Bill Ford and Ford CEO Mark Fields with the GT supercar in Detroit last January. Said Fields I think people want scintillating performance with this kind of vehicle. 

Concept cars for decades have been a mainstay in the auto industry. They started appearing in the late 1930s with vehicles like the Buick Y-Job convertible. In the ’50s, General Motors designer Harley Earl helped popularize the idea with his traveling Motorama shows, where middle-America car buyers would gawk at such revolutionary things as the pontoon boat-shaped Cadillac Cyclone and the Pontiac Club de Mer, which was shaped like a silver iPhone with a dorsal fin.

Fast-forward 60 years, and concepts still help test the waters with potential drivers and investors, whether it’s with a new technology idea, a new styling direction, or a new philosophy on transportation.

Mazda's latest concept, the RX-Vision.

What makes a concept car successful? It’s a combination of generating hype, demonstrating close-to-realistic technology, and being either feasible enough to produce or revolutionary enough to inspire. At the 1991 auto show in Tokyo, the styling and design philosophy of the Audi Avus effectively launched the retro movement that included the new Beetle, Thunderbird, PT Cruiser, and Mini Cooper.

In fact, a third genre of concept has emerged in recent years, which may even begin to replace the totally outrageous land cars we’re used to seeing from the likes of Bugatti or Lamborghini. It’s the Gran Turismo concept -- yes, the video game kind.

The Mercedes-Benz AMG Vision Gran Turismo draws admirers at the 2014 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California. 

Bugatti, Nissan, BMW, Mini, and Aston Martin have shown us some recent greats, such as the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo, Nissan Concept 2020 Vision Gran Turismo, Aston Martin DP-100 Vision Gran Turismo, and Mini Clubman Vision Gran Turismo. Even though they have a physical body, they’re drivable only in virtual reality. But they do well to counterbalance the practicality minded and driverless trend with something way more exciting.

In the auto industry today, both sides are important.

Autonews.com