Concept Cars

“The ‘heart of joy’ effectively takes 30 years of experience and blends it into a single control unit,” BMW chief technical officer Frank Weber tells WIRED. “Everything that is driving-performance-related, chassis-control-related, powertrain-related—it’s all integrated into one control unit. If you love the idea of the ultimate driving machine, there are functions in there that are crazy. It’s the same for the infotainment system. To do it properly for your customers, you have to own the critical software stacks and the…

Chrysler plans to launch its first EV in 2025, but the foundational brand of automotive conglomerate Stellantis may be taking a detour on the road toward that goal. In 2022, Chrysler showed the Airflow, a concept car reportedly previewing that first production EV. But now the brand has a new EV concept dubbed the Halcyon. Where the Airflow was a handsome but sensible crossover SUV, the Halcyon is a bit more fanciful. The low-slung four-door looks like Chrysler’s attempt to clone the Porsche Taycan. It’s even got…

Honda is finally getting serious about EVs. At CES 2024, it announced plans to launch a whole line of them called the 0 Series starting in 2026, and it reviewed the first two models in the series with a pair of concept cars. The two concepts are a van-like EV called the Space-Hub and the Saloon, which is what people in many countries outside the U.S. call sedans. The Saloon concept is no Honda Accord, though; its cheese-wedge shape is almost supercar-like. We’ll see if that dramatic styling carries over to the…

Mercedes-Benz this week unveiled a new electric concept car that looks back as well as forward. It’s called the Vision One-Eleven, and it’s a reminder that car designers have a long history of predicting the future. The Vision One-Eleven is inspired by the C111 series of experimental vehicles that first appeared in 1969. With their aerodynamic styling, roof-hinged gullwing doors, and distinctive orange paint, the C111 cars became fixtures of auto show stands and car-magazine features throughout the 1970s. They were…