These Are The Ugliest Concept Cars To Ever Be Designed – Why They Never Ended Up On The Market
Most concept cars are unveiled by automakers to showcase some of the latest technology and comfort features or tease an upcoming production vehicle. More often than not, concept vehicles look at least a bit different than their production-ready counterparts. When it comes to these vehicles, that's great news. While many concept cars indeed look like vehicles of the future, others are a hard pass.
Read on – do you think these are the worst-looking concept cars ever made?
Kia KCV4 Mojave
The demand for midsize pickup trucks was skyrocketing in the early 2000s. Vehicles such as the Dodge Dakota, which was the first midsize truck to come powered by a V8 powerplant, were selling like hotcakes. Naturally, automakers across the world wanted to get in on the action.
Kia unveiled the KCV4-Mojave midsize pickup truck back in 2004. Luckily, this truly horrendous truck never made it to the assembly line. The project was called off quickly after its initial reveal. As the demand for midsize trucks began to shrink over the next years, the KCV4 quickly became forgotten.
Bentley EXP 100 GT
Bentley may be the last manufacturer you would expect to make an ugly concept car. After all, this British marque has created some of the most iconic luxury automobiles of all time. The EXP 100 GT, however, may just be one of Bentley's ugliest creations.
This concept vehicle was unveiled in mid-2019 to celebrate the brand's 100th birthday. According to the automaker, the EXP 100 GT is a vision of what grand touring could look like in 2035. If that's the case, we'd rather just stay in our current times instead.
BMW Vision iNext
Like many other concept vehicles, the BMW Vision iNext was intended to be an exciting look into the future of automobiles. The German automaker came up with this rather weird-looking SUV. Apparently, the future of automobiles will include lots of weird shapes and squished headlights.
The Vision iNext is going to be fully electric and offer highly autonomous driving. A production-ready version of this innovative SUV is scheduled to begin production later this year. Hopefully, it will look better than the concept! You may recognize the large grille on the front, as it has made its way on the latest 3 and 4-Series sedans.
The Scion Haku
Back in the mid-2000s, Scion wanted to sell cars that would stand out from all of its competition. The Haku concept, unveiled in 2008, did just that. Sadly, it certainly did not stand out in a good way.
The Haku was an extremely boxy two-door city car, that looked a bit like the Nissan Cube with the front-end much like a hot rod. To no surprise, the vehicle never really took off. The project was eventually called off and quickly forgotten shortly after its public debut.
Toyota Rhombus
For some reason, Toyota seems to believe that the regular in-car seating arrangements simply aren't good enough. Instead, the passengers in the Rhombus would sit in a couch-like setup in the rear of the vehicle, similar to a bathtub. The single seat in the front, though intended for the driver, looks completely out of place. It's as if the design team forgot to add the driver's seat and quickly bolted it on right before the car's debut.
The Rhombus debuted as a concept vehicle back in 2019. Toyota claims that this eyesore is aimed at young buyers who were born after 1990.
Lancia Bertone Sibilo
The Stratos is an iconic rally car built by Lancia throughout the 1970s. For some odd reason, Gruppo Bertone believed that the design of the Stratos wasn't all that great. The Italian car styling firm built the Bertone Sibilo, a concept vehicle based on the legendary Stratos.
Bertone only developed one unit of this quirky vehicle. While its design is certainly weird, perhaps it isn't exactly ugly. Until you realize that someone had to sacrifice a beautiful Lancia Stratos to build it, that is. Lancia only built around 500 examples of the Stratos in the first place!
Dodge Super 8 Hemi
Back at the beginning of the 21st century, Dodge attempted to reimagine the rear-wheel-drive sedan. The body was turned more into a shooting brake or wagon, while the front fascia was meant to look aggressive. Of course, the Super 8 Hemi had a powerful V8 under the hood.
Luckily, the Super 8 Hemi never made it to production. Instead, the vehicle served as a benchmark for the Chrysler 300 which appeared on the market just two years later. Thankfully, the production-ready 300 looked a lot sleeker than this hideous concept car.
Ford Nucleon
Today, it keeps becoming more apparent that the future of mobility is either electric or hydrogen-powered. Back in the 1950s, Ford expected nuclear reactors to be the drivetrains of futuristic vehicles. That's why the company unveiled the Ford Nucleon, which is undoubtedly one of the craziest vehicles of the late 50s.
The awful styling of the Nucleon is nowhere near as bad as its powerplant. Ford Motor Company clearly overlooked the aspects of radiation when designing a car powered by a nuclear reactor. You don't want to imagine what would happen in the event of a crash. The project was eventually called off and forgotten.
Citroen 19_19
Something is definitely off about the design of futuristic autonomous vehicles. The Citroen 19_19 concept, unveiled to celebrate the French automaker's 100th anniversary on the market, is a prime example. The four wheels are perhaps the only dead giveaway that this is indeed an automobile.
The exterior of the 19_19 was developed primarily with efficiency and aerodynamics in mind. The occupants are seated in a transparent capsule, while the vehicle can travel up to 500 miles using its fully electric drivetrain. Citroen refers to this concept as the Lounge on Wheels, providing a comfortable and seamless experience for the passengers.
BMW Vision Next 100
The Vision Next 100 was the first of four concept vehicles unveiled by BMW to celebrate the automaker's 100th birthday. It was also the first BMW vehicle fitted with the controversial, massive nostrils in the front bumper. Similar ones can be found in the latest 3 and 4 Series. Unlike the production-ready 3 Series, the Vision Next 100 looks rather hideous.
Despite the awkward exterior design, the Vision Next 100 is certainly an interesting concept vehicle. Once the driver engages the "Ease" mode, the steering wheel hides into the dashboard and the vehicle will start to drive autonomously.
Lagonda All Terrain
Aston Martin is planning to relaunch its Lagonda brand as a fully electric subsidiary of the British automaker. The All Terrain was one of the first two Lagonda concept cars unveiled by Aston Martin in early 2019. The vehicle was expected to enter production in 2022 and appear on the market as an electric alternative to the Bentley Bentayga.
Kia KCV2
The previously mentioned KCV4 Mojave is nowhere near as awful as the KCV2 which was showcased by Kia a few years before the debut of the midsize pickup truck concept. The KCV2 was as crazy as a vehicle could get. According to Kia, this ugly crossover combined the best aspects of an SUV, a sporty coupe, and a pickup truck.
For some odd reason, the automaker thought that adding vertical scissor doors would make the KCV2 more appealing. It's safe to say that the results were quite the opposite, as the vehicle was called off and forgotten.
BMW X Coupe
The X Coupe may seem familiar to many BMW enthusiasts. Although the project was called off, at least in this form, this concept vehicle from 2001 was a predecessor of the original BMW Z4. Unlike the Z4, the X Coupe was a 2-door crossover coupe based on the BMW X5 SUV.
Under the hood, the X Coupe packed a 3.0L turbodiesel engine. The body was made of aluminum, and its awkward design lacked any kind of sporty proportion. Thankfully, the vehicle was improved dramatically and turned into the jaw-dropping Z4 sports car.
Volkswagen Concept-A
There are plenty of coupe crossover SUVs to choose from on the market these days. In the mid-2000s, however, no one thought about making one. That is until Volkswagen unveiled the weird Concept-A at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show.
When it comes to the design, this weird Volkswagen is a total miss. The vehicle was revised and actually made it into production just two years later as the Volkswagen Tiguan. Thankfully, the production-ready SUV looks nothing like this disgusting concept car.
Mercedes-Benz Vision AVTR
The Vision AVTR is yet another radical peek into the future of cars. Moreover, this is yet another concept vehicle that proves that something is definitely wrong with the design of futuristic automobiles.
The Vision AVTR is a fully electric concept car that reportedly lifts the boundaries between vehicles and living beings. Its design both inside and out is weird, to say the least. The passengers are seated in a transparent cabin. There is no steering wheel or pedals, and the vehicle relies on a biometric connection to the driver instead. At least in theory.
Kia KCV3
Kia was getting extremely creative with their concept cars throughout the early 2000s. As if the KCV2 and the KCV4 weren't already enough, the manufacturer unveiled a weird 2-door drop-top internally referred to as the KCV3.
The KCV3 was a small compact convertible unveiled in 2003. According to the automaker, this horrendous coupe was developed as a next-gen vehicle targeted for Generation Y. The exterior design was reportedly inspired by airplanes. The KCV3 was equipped with a small 2-cylinder motor beneath the hood. Unsurprisingly, it was called off before reaching the production line.
Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury
This concept SUV, unveiled by Mercedes-Benz back in 2018, was developed with luxury in mind. The automaker decided to call it the Vision Mercedes-Maybach Ultimate Luxury as if the over-the-top design wasn't enough to indicate the focus on lavishness.
Although the exterior design of this SUV is truly awful and out of proportion, the interior is nowhere near as bad. In fact, some would argue that the cabin is spacious and relatively normal. Of course, there are some weird touches, such as a porcelain tea set fitted between the rear seats.
Mini Superleggera Vision
This concept car from Mini debuted at the world-famous Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este back in 2014. It is rather ironic that such an awfully-looking car was unveiled at a Concours, among some of the most pristine automobiles on the planet.
According to BMW, the Mini Superleggera Vision combines British design with a touch of Italian flair. The design language of this drop-top is flawless and contemporary, at least as claimed by the automaker. In reality, the Superleggera Vision simply looks like a knock-off Italian roadster with Mini's headlight and grille slapped on the front end.
Chevrolet Stingray
The history of Stingray concept cars dates back to the late '50s. GM eventually incorporated the Sting Ray (later turned into one word) moniker to the Corvette sports car. Decades later, Chevrolet revived the Stingray concept car for its 50th anniversary in 2009. Sadly, it was nowhere near as cool as its predecessor.
The 2009 Stingray concept looked like a C6 Corvette on steroids, complete with scissor doors and a hybrid drivetrain. The concept car then turned into the seventh-generation Corvette a few years later. Luckily, the production-ready C7 is gorgeous, unlike this weird concept vehicle.
Gyon Matchless
The Matchless is a high-performance electric shooting brake unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show in 2018. Chinese automaker Gyon promises this concept vehicle to have a range of over 360 miles. While there is no doubt that the Matchless is indeed futuristic, its design is quite an eyesore.
The designers were inspired by the hourglass, which is reflected in the side profile of the vehicle. The headlights, as well as the taillights, are both C-shaped. It's difficult to imagine a car like the Matchless roaming the streets, that's for sure.
Audi AI:Con
This ultra-futuristic electric coupe was unveiled by Audi back in 2019. It is yet another vehicle that made you think twice about what could possibly be the future of mobility. While the AI:Con is undoubtedly futuristic, it isn't exactly pretty to look at.
Lexus LF-30
The LF-30 is yet another electric vehicle that was developed as a peek into the future of mobility. Like many other concept cars unveiled these days, the Lexus LFC-30 looks absolutely hideous.
One of the most striking features of the LF-30 has got to be the window that stretches from the hood all the way to the rear end of the vehicle. The concept car is equipped with many autonomous features, like self-parking and front-door pickup. The terrible exterior design makes the LF-30 a hard pass, though.
Chrysler Imperial
The history of the Imperial dates back to the 1920s. It served as Chrysler's top-of-the-line vehicle throughout the 19th century. The vehicle was discontinued after the 7th-gen in the 1990s. Over a decade later, Chrysler revived the iconic nameplate and unveiled the new eighth-gen Imperial concept in 2006.
It's quite easy to spot that the design team was heavily inspired by the Rolls Royce Phantom. In fact, it appears as if the Imperial concept is a cheap replica of the flagship Rolls Royce. The Imperial was even fitted with suicide doors, just like the Phantom. Luckily, the project was called off a year later.
Hongqi S9
This concept supercar debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show back in 2019. Its launch celebrated the 70th anniversary of the People's Republic of China. The vehicle is expected to enter production later this year, as a joint venture with Silk EV and former Alfa Romeo designer hired as the Vice President of Styling and Design.
Sadly, the Hongqi S9 is nowhere near as sleek as an Alfa Romeo. In fact, this supercar reminds us of a modern knock-off of the Gumpert Apollo. Its 1400-horsepower hybrid V8 powerplant does sound impressive, though.
Kia Futuron
It should be pretty clear by now that Kia has had its fair share of awful concept cars, especially throughout the early 2000s. The legacy of unveiling ugly concept vehicles has continued on to the current times, and the 2019 Kia Futuron is a prime example.
This two-door SUV is designed to show what Kia vehicles may look like in the future. According to the automaker, the Futuron concept blends elegance with sportiness, along with a touch of confidence. The Futuron is powered by a fully electric drivetrain. The design of the front end is particularly striking, and not in a good way.
Nissan IMQ
The IMQ is one of those playful concept cars that were developed to showcase possible solutions both in terms of styling and technology, all of which could be implemented in production cars of the future. No matter what the purpose was, the IMQ turned out to be an ugly concept SUV that looks half-finished.
Naturally, the IMQ is powered by a fully electric powerplant. The Japanese automaker teased autonomous driving systems, too. However, it's hard to appreciate any of the high-tech features when the vehicle looks as hideous as the IMQ.
Nissan Pivo 3
The Pivo is a series of odd concept cars built by Nissan. The original Pivo debuted back in 2005, followed by the enhanced Pivo 2 just two years later. The first-ever Pivo featured a body that could rotate 360 degrees. This must have been too extreme, even in the world of crazy concept cars, as the 2011 Pivo 3 no longer had a rotating body.
The Pivo 3 features all-wheel-steering and automated valet parking. The vehicle can be controlled via a smartphone. Unsurprisingly, the questionable design of this weird city car was met with lots of criticism. No wonder the vehicle never made it to the assembly line.
Aston Martin DP100
The DP-100 was developed as a part of the Vision Gran Turismo series. This line of concept automobiles, made by different renowned manufacturers around the world, was designed specifically to make an appearance in the Gran Turismo video games. A full-size model of the car has made an appearance at a selection of different auto shows in 2015.
Luckily, there are no plans to turn the DP-100 into a roadgoing vehicle. Afterall, this absolute eyesore belongs in the world of video games and it's certainly best if it stays there.
Mitsubishi E-Evolution
Mitsubishi unveiled this high-performance electric SUV concept vehicle in 2017. The automaker promised the E-Evolution would be packed with high-tech features and a powerful fully electric powerplant. However, there was definitely room for improvement in terms of design.
Renault Ondelios
Perhaps concept vehicles that are supposed to be the future of mobility are designed to appeal to 5-year olds today. After all, they are the ones who will become car buyers once these ugly SUVs make it to the assembly lines. If any of these cars even make it to production in the first place, that is.
The Ondelios is yet another fully electric SUV concept vehicle. Once again, the passengers are seated in a see-through cabin fitted with scissor doors. One thing is for sure, automobiles of the future will have lots of vertical doors.
Kia HabaNiro
The HabaNiro is a fully electric SUV concept vehicle unveiled by Kia in 2019. The design, like many other Kia concepts, is certainly different than what we're all used to. It may be futuristic, though the HabaNiro simply looks bad. As if the exterior design wasn't already dreadful enough, wait until you hear about the cabin.
The red-hot interior will present itself in all of its kitschy glory the moment you lift the butterfly doors to step inside. Not even the advanced augmented reality technology could make the HabaNiro appealing.
Audi AI:Trail
The AI:Trail debuted back in 2019, alongside the previously mentioned AI:Con. This futuristic vehicle deeply resembles a space rover. In fact, this crazy off-roader doesn't really look like a car at all. Its enormous wheels are the only dead giveaway that the AI:Trail isn't a spaceship of some sort.
The German manufacturer refers to this creation as the car with a helicopter cabin. While the visibility from the glass cabin has got to be amazing, the off-roader is far from the prettiest vehicle developed by Audi.
Alfa Romeo Tonale
Despite releasing some spectacular automobiles within the last few years such as the Giulia Quadrifoglio or the Stelvio SUV, the future is not looking too bright for Alfa Romeo. The European sales figures are down by nearly 40%. The Tonale is expected to be the much-needed addition to the lineup that will finally boost sales.
Sadly, the concept version of the Tonale does not look too appealing. The SUV is nowhere near as sleek as the Stelvio, which has been around for a couple of years. Hopefully, the production-ready Tonale will look less like a Stelvio with a weird front end.
Mercedes Vision EQ Silver Arrow
This futuristic race car concept was unveiled at the Monterey Car Week in 2018, one of the most prestigious auto events on the planet. According to the German automaker, the Vision EQ Silver Arrow is an homage to the Mercedes-Benz W125, a record-breaking race car from the 1930s.
Although the body is somewhat similar to the legendary race car, it is nowhere near as sleek as the original W125. The carbon fiber body looks too plain as if the design team wasn't quite done when the vehicle was unveiled. The drivetrain is fully electric.
Citroen Ami One
Citroen unveiled the Ami One as a small electric city car. The production version is expected to be eco-friendly and practical.
The Ami One Concept is meant to be used for the daily commute in cities. The vehicle was made to comply with young driver regulations worldwide. Hence, anyone over the age of 14 could theoretically drive this ugly thing in France. Drivers over the age of 16 could get behind the wheel of the Ami One in the majority of countries around the globe.
Bugatti La Voiture Noire
The La Voiture Noire made headlines shortly after its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in early 2019. This car quickly became the showstopper, primarily for being the world's most expensive vehicle of all time (excluding auctions). This completely over-the-top hypercar was priced at nearly $20 million!
As far as the styling goes, the vehicle is inspired by the legendary 57SC Atlantic. Unlike the Atlantic, the La Voiture Noire is overly extravagant. The rear end features six exhaust tips!
Mercedes-Maybach Vision 6
Believe it or not, the Mercedes-Maybach 6 concept shares a lot in common with the previously mentioned Bugatti La Voiture Noire. Both cars are extremely over the top, inspired by vehicles of the past, and a complete eyesore.
While the side profile of the Maybach Vision 6 isn't too bad, its rear end is simply painful to look at. The disgusting rims don't make this quirky vehicle any better. It's hard to say whether this concept is better than its predecessor, the Maybach Exelero from 2004.
