Cars & Vehicles
Concept Cars Deep Dive Quiz
From Buick Y-Job to Tesla Cybertruck — the wild futures Detroit promised us
From Buick Y-Job to Tesla Cybertruck — the wild futures Detroit promised us
Harley Earl's 1938 Buick Y-Job was the world's first concept car, built purely to showcase design ideas. From mid-century GM Motorama dream cars to wedge-shaped Italian masterpieces and modern electric prototypes, concept cars have always been the auto industry's playground for the impossible — vehicles that preview the future even when they never reach a showroom.
Each round presents 10 randomized questions from a pool of 50, with four multiple-choice options and instant feedback after every answer. Your final score comes with a performance tier and shareable results.
You'll explore the pioneers of concept design from Harley Earl to Marcello Gandini, the Italian carrozzerias that defined the wedge era, GM Motorama showstoppers, mid-engined experiments, scissor-door innovations, and modern EV prototypes from Tesla to Lincoln.
The 1938 Buick Y-Job, designed by Harley Earl at General Motors, is universally considered the world's first concept car. It introduced features like power windows, hidden headlamps, and a streamlined body that influenced GM design for decades.
GM's Motorama traveling auto shows (1953-1961) showcased futuristic concepts like the turbine-powered Firebird, bubble-canopy Cyclone, and tail-finned Corvettes that defined Space Age aesthetics and pushed competitors to embrace bolder, more theatrical design language.
Notable concepts that reached production largely intact include the Plymouth Prowler, Chrysler PT Cruiser, BMW Z1, Tesla Cybertruck, and Lamborghini Countach (whose scissor doors were previewed by the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo).
Last updated: April 2026