Automotive

Photo gallery: Concept cars from Monterey Car Week 2016

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The Acura Precision Concept points to the new direction the brand wants to take its styling
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
The Ford GT will be built in very limited numbers, and owners had to apply to buy one
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The Infiniti Q80 Inspiration made its debut in Paris 2014, but it's been wheeled back out for Pebble Beach
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It's not often you'll see such expensive, rare cars side-by-side
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The Ford GT promises to be one of the most interesting supercars of the next few years
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The Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo was one of the earliest indications of what the Chiron would look like 
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Lamborghini wished Ferruccio a happy birthday with the Centenario Roadster
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This Lister Knobby stands out in classic green and yellow
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The Centenario's V12 punches out 770 hp 
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The Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo's C-shaped detailing made it into the production Chiron
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The Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 is almost six meters long
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The classic streamliner looks hide a modern powertrain on the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6
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The rear of the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 draws on the Concept IAA's aerodynamics setup, albeit without the futuristic extending shutters
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The car's rear lights have been designed to have a "technoid" feeling
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The Rimac Concept One is a new entry into the world of all-electric supercars
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The long bonnet doesn't have an engine beneath it, because the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 is fully electric
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The strakes on the grille have been inspired by pinstriped suits
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Porsche has seen some success at Le Mans with this car, although it's come at Toyota's expense
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Ford will offer a set of race-inspired liveries for the GT 
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The big rear wing on the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo is pure theatre for a racing game 
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The Chiron's squinting headlamps are almost identical to the ones on the Gran Turismo
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Lamborghini has worked to minimize buffeting in the Centenario
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The active aero on the Ford GT is based around the rear wing 
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Unlike old Lamborghinis, the Centenario's design is wild and functional
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Just 20 examples of the Centenario Roadster will be built 
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The cooling on the Ford GT sits on the rear haunches to feed the mid-mounted V6
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The Cadillac Escala is a new take on American luxury
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Few cars can match the Lister Knobby for show-stopping race looks 
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Details on the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo
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It's just a concept for the virtual world, but the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo is beautifully wrought in real life
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The rear spoiler on the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo
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Being able to wander around such a range of beautiful cars is rare
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The Lamborghini Centenario Roadster will hit 217 mph 
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The grille from the Infiniti Q80 Inspiration has made it onto the brand's latest cars
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The Cadillac Escala is a big, bold concept flagship
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The BMW 2002 Hommage looks good finished in this special Jagermeister paintjob
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The Infiniti's matte silver looks fantastic in the Californian sun
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Suicide doors are a concept car staple, but rarely see production
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This concept initially launched in 2014
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Big cars deserve big badges, at least that's the theory at Mercedes
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The details on the Mercedes-Maybach 6 draw on the Concept IAA for inspiration
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There are only two seats in the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6, and room for luggage in the bonnet
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The electric powertrain offers up 500 km of range 
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The split rear window is an unashamed throwback 
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Cadillac has used suit fabric to trim bits of its interior 
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The Escala is a concept, but it could easily be a production car based on the underpinnings and engine 
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The Escala's shape is similar to the Audi A7's
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The Escala takes classic Cadillac design cues and modernises them with OLED 
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Putting Stirling Moss' name on a plaque is guaranteed to draw attention to itself
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The Lister Knobby sat alongside some gorgeous cars at Monterey Car Week this year
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Modern cars can't match the old-style racers for dainty good looks
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The McLaren 570GT is a long-legged touring variant of the 570S
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A concept 570GT with clever dimming glass was shown off during Monterey Car Week
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The Lexus LC500 was launched at the Detroit Auto Show
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The Acura Precision Concept aims to inform the brand's next generation 
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The Infiniti Q80 Inspiration is smooth and curvy, ignoring the edgy look Acura is chasing 
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The Rolls-Royce Wraith Black Badge makes the old-fashioned badge a bit more attractive to young millionaires
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The Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato takes a beautiful car and makes it even more gorgeous
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The gaping grille on the Vanquish Zagato feeds a more powerful version of the 6.0-lier AM29 V12
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Aston Martin and Zagato have used one-piece carbon fiber to make sure no cutlines ruin the car's shape
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The Rimac Concept One is drop-dead gorgeous EV from Croatia
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There's no missing the Vision's pinstripe grille
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The Mercedes-Maybach 6 is almost six meters long, and aims to bring back some old-school glamour to car design
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The wheels are a take on the Concept IAA's shuttered designs
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The Acura Precision Concept points to the new direction the brand wants to take its styling
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
The car has a slammed roof and suicide doors 
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The Honda NSX GT3 looks means and ready to race
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Jewel-like lights have become a staple of Acura's design
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The fin running along the rear window is one of the crazy touches that never reaches production, but looks good on the stand 
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Acura has gone all out on the detailing with the Precision Concept
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The headlamps appear conventional at first glance, but there's a lot more going on when you look closely
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Acura has the Precision Concept sitting proud in the sun at Monterey
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BMW is proud of the 2002's role in bringing turbocharging to the mainstream
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The original 2002 looks delicate and purposeful on the motorshow stand 
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The BMW 2002 Hommage benefits from this special Jagermeister paintjob
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas
The carbon running around the edge of the 2002 Hommage's cabin is designed to mimic the chrome on the original 2002
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The turbo motif on the splitter is an unashamed throwback 
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Gold wheels aren't subtle, but they're beautiful to our eyes
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The 2002 inspired BMW's current generation of cars
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Expect to see Turbomeister on the doors of every clapped out 3 Series in the next few years
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View gallery - 79 images

Every August, classic-car lovers flock to Monterey Car Week hoping to catch a glimpse of some of the beautiful, historically significant metal on display in the Californian sun. Alongside the classics, though, manufacturers will often try and draw some attention to their modern offerings with crazy concepts and beautiful one-off creations. Check out some of the best in our gallery.

BMW 2002 Hommage

Expect to see Turbomeister on the doors of every clapped out 3 Series in the next few years
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas

Few brands do retro-throwback cars as well as BMW. With a rich back catalogue to choose from, the auto giant has its Hommage series down to a fine art. The latest car to be recognized is the 2002, arguably the most significant car in the brand's modern history.

The original 2002 is a legendary car, and not just because of its elegant good looks. Think of a modern BMW, perhaps with the exception of the 2 Series Active Tourer, and it draws on the 2002 for inspiration. With a chuckable chassis, it set the precedent for a generation of Ultimate Driving Machines designed with driver fun as a priority.

This particular concept pays tribute to the 2002 Turbo, which lays claim to being the first series-produced car in Europe to make use of a turbocharged engine. To make that link clear, the bulbous wheel arches and carbon-fiber trimmings are finished off in an orange and black Jagermeister livery.

Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6

The classic streamliner looks hide a modern powertrain on the Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas

In a world dominated by downsizing, the Mercedes-Maybach proves bigger is sometimes better. In an attempt to evoke a sense of olde-world grandeur, the designers at Mercedes have drawn their inspiration from old fashioned aero coupes. Measuring up at six meters long, there's certainly no missing it.

Although its exterior looks to the past, the car's underpinnings are thoroughly modern. Instead of stuffing a big V12 under the bonnet, Mercedes has packed the floor full of batteries for an all-electric range of more than 500 km (200 miles under EPA testing). Not surprisingly, acceleration hasn't suffered because of the EV switch, either, with Mercedes claiming a 100 km/h (62 mph) sprint of just 3.7 seconds.

Acura Precision Concept

Jewel-like lights have become a staple of Acura's design
Angus MacKenzie/New Atlas

Acura is best known for slightly more luxurious Honda Accords, but this year's Detroit Auto Show proved it has bigger aims. Look past the standard over-the-top concept car features, and the Precision Concept will shape the next generation of cars that will take it up to Infiniti and Lexus.

Predictably for an Acura, the main attraction in the car's beaky nose. It's a part of the new "Precision Crafted Performance" ethos, which has also informed the slammed roofline and big wheels. It looked good under lights in Detroit, it looks great sitting in the Monterey sun alongside a pair of NSXs.

It doesn't stop there - the manicured lawns of Monterey were loaded with showstoppers like the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo, Lamborghini Centenario Roadster, Aston Martin Vanquish Zagato and Cadillac Escala.

Check out our Monterey 2016 concept car photo gallery to see all the best and brightest metal.

View gallery - 79 images
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3 comments
CharlieSeattle
How well do these silly grilles, like on the Vanquish Zagato, function as a bumper?
eMacPaul
@CharlieSeattle, it will have an actual bumper behind the grille.
toyhouse
The best moment for us over car week was a ford gt complete with racing numbers pulling up to a light next to us in our little rv - a bit embarrassing. The idle alone made my teeth rattle. Then they opened up the throttle in the Monterey tunnel as so many folks do and I think the sound almost blew the tiles off the walls. Ironically, they were headed to the same place we were - the tiny car show.