The 10 Coolest Prototype Cars

For car enthusiasts that follow prototype cars, the last few decades have produced some amazing designs, unfortunately most of them never made it to the production line. Below is a list of the 10 coolest prototype cars ever made.

1. Volkswagen W12

Volkswagen W12

Born in the mid-90s, the Volkswagen W12 shows that awesome cars can sometimes come from the least expected place. Packing a 5.6L W12 engine, this machine broke world records during testing, tearing around Italy’s Nardo ring with an average speed of 200mph.

2. Ford GT90

Ford GT90

Coming nearly a decade before Ford released the GT in 2005, the GT90 was, to put it simply, crazy, even by 2016 standards. The car packed a V12 with four turbos. Top speed was set at 235mph, and it was said the car had to be specially designed to compensate the heat of the exhaust, else it would simply have melted.

3. GM Firebird I

GM Firebird I

The ‘50s were a weird time for tech, and the Firebird I reflects its era perfectly. Looking like a fighter jet, it had the engine to match. Yep, that’s right, it was powered by a jet turbine. It somehow manages to put the GT90 in the shade, with temperatures reaching nearly 700 celcius. Yeah, this thing needed… a lot of work, but you’ve gotta love its audacity.

4. Cadillac Sixteen

Cadillac Sixteen

Perhaps the ultimate Cadillac sedan, the Sixteen is 18 feet long and weighs just over two tonnes. There’s a reason for that, as the name might imply, it’s got a V16, calling back to the V-16 of the 1930s, except this time, with a hell of a lot more power. It had a total displacement of 13.6L, with a claimed power of 1000 horsepower.

5. Lamborghini Estoque

Lamborghini Estoque

The 2008 Lamborghini Estoque is an interesting case, reflecting a move away from pure supercars to a more varied approach that’s bearing fruit with the upcoming Urus. A four-door sedan, it still packed the usual Lamborghini power, and was equipped with a 5.2L engine.

6. Faraday Future FFZERO1

Faraday Future FFZERO1

Revealed this year, the FFZERO1 is maybe the closest a concept car has ever come to looking like the Batmobile. Not a whole lot is known about it, other than it is powered by electric motors and that it can supposedly cover the 0-60 dash in under three seconds. It’s pretty unlikely that this will ever see production, and if it does, it’ll be extremely limited, but it is extremely cool.

7. Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6

Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6

Following a failed resurgence, many would believe the Maybach marque was gone for good. Not so. This year, Mercedes showed off this monster — measuring in at nearly 20 feet in length, it attempts to blend luxury and speed, like a faster Rolls-Royce Phantom. Upholstered in white leather, with a wood floor and a 738 of electrically-produced horsepower, this is one to watch.

8. Lancia Stratos Zero

Lancia Stratos Zero

The Lancia Stratos Zero: perfect for those who want to keep a low profile. Extremely low, in fact. This car is just under 33 inches tall, with users having to get into it via a hinged windshield like an old European bubble car. For its madness, the car was astonishingly beautiful, featuring smooth, sharp, angular bodywork, designed by Marcello Gandini, who also designed the legendary Lamborghini Miura.

9. Maserati Boomerang

Maserati Boomerang

It’s name might scream Australia, but this car is nothing if not Italian. Created by legendary designer Giorgetto Giugiaro, creator of the Maserati Ghibli, the Boomerang managed to predict the future of car design — despite being created in 1972, it screams 1980s. If you think the sweeping shape looks similar, there’s a good reason — Giugiaro later went on to create the Delorean, which clearly took design cues from the Maserati concept.

10. Chrysler Atlantic

Chrysler Atlantic

Renowned as one of the most popular Chrysler concepts, the Atlantic mashed old and new together. Boasting curves reminiscent of classics like the Airstream or old Bugattis, the retro stylings weren’t just surface level. Under the hood, the car packed a Straight-Eight engine, hardly ever seen today, made of two Dodge Neon engines essentially welded together. It’s an extremely odd car, but hot damn if it isn’t stylish.

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