The six most talked-about concept cars of 2025
Next in our 2025 review, we look at concept cars that grabbed readers' attention this year, including an art deco Mercedes-Benz, a minimalist Audi and a car informed by rocket ships.
With the transition to electric still shaking up the automotive world, numerous leading car brands aimed to define their future aesthetic with concept cars in 2025.
While some looked directly to the future, others hearkened back to their own heritage and motoring's "golden era" of the 1930s.
Read on for six standout concept cars that got people talking this year.
Buick Electra Orbit by GM China
General Motors aimed to combine retro looks with modern technology with its futuristic Buick Electra Orbit concept car (top and above).
Designed to evoke retro rocket ships and 20th-century space-age references, the car was created to showcase the creativity and technological ambition of the Buick brand.
"Electra Orbit is a bold exploration of what Buick can be when we blend heritage inspiration with visionary innovation," said Stuart Norris, vice president of design for GM China.
"By reinterpreting space-age motifs and pushing electric-architecture freedoms, we wanted to create a concept that feels both familiar in its Buick DNA and thrillingly new."
Find out more about GM China Buick Electra Orbit ›
Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer Avatr also unveiled a concept car with a clear futuristic aesthetic. Topped with a greenhouse-like roof, its Vision Xpectra features inflatable headrests and a central interaction hub made from glass.
According to the brand's chief design officer, Nader Faghihzadeh, its design will influence upcoming Avatr models.
"As EV technology and battery life continue to advance, we have the freedom to rethink the traditional car model and explore entirely new design possibilities," he told Dezeen.
Find out more about Avatr Vision Xpectra ›
Vision Iconic by Mercedes-Benz
Mercedes-Benz looked to the past to define its future aesthetic with the creation of the art deco-styled Vision Iconic concept.
Unveiled at Shanghai Fashion Week, the car is defined by its dramatic radiator grille, which evokes designs from the "golden era of automotive design" in the 1930s.
Art deco styling continues inside the car, distinguished by brass door handles, mother-of-pearl inlays and fan-shaped straw marquetry, along with a floating glass instrument panel.
Although retro-looking, the car integrates future technologies like Level 4 automated driving, an artificial intelligence (AI) companion and solar paint to extend its range.
Find out more about Mercedes-Benz Vision Iconic ›
Car brand Bentley also looked to the 1930s for its "design vision for the future" with the EXP 15, which is based on the three-seater Bentley Speed Six.
The three-seater EV concept was produced to "provide clues to the brand's first full-electric production car", which is set to be launched next year.
"The beauty of a concept car is not just to position our new design language, but to test where the market's going," said Bentley director of design Robin Page.
"Some customers want a classic 'three-box' sedan shape, others a 'one-box' design and others again something more elevated. So this was a chance for us to talk to people and get a feeling."
Find out more about Bentley EXP 15 ›
Audi was one of several brands following the minimalist trend started by Jaguar's controversial Type 00 car.
For its Concept C car, the German automaker looked to its own heritage and the golden age of motoring, basing the vehicle on both the 1930s Auto Union Type C and the third-generation Audi A6.
According to Audi, the pared-back language of the two-seater car was designed to demonstrate Audi's new philosophy of using "minimal measures to have maximal impact".
Find out more about Audi Concept C ›
Designed especially for tight roads in European cities, this compact electric vehicle was created to "set the tone for Hyundai's next chapter of design innovation".
In an interview with Dezeen, Hyundai Design Center head Simon Loasby said that "we're due a renaissance" in "cool small cars".
Find out more about Hyundai Concept Three ›
The post The six most talked-about concept cars of 2025 appeared first on Dezeen.
