For the past six months, we’ve seen an incredible and exciting downpour at automotive designs Yanko Design. Each vehicle was innovative, bringing to us something we had never seen or experienced before. From killer speed to dashing good looks, to impenetrable safety standards, every automotive we featured at YD broke some design barrier for us, and hopefully, they did the same for you as well. Hence, we’ve curated a collection of automotive designs that we feel were the best of the lot. Each of these amazing automobiles is mercilessly pushing the boundaries of the automotive industry. Automotive enthusiasts will be itching to get their hands on them, and take them for a spin on the streets!
1. Garage 54’s SUV With Springs
YouTuber Garage54 played out an interesting experiment, creating a unique automotive design in the process. Instead of using rubber treads, he outfitted his car with wheels made of springs, hoping that the car would be able to travel on snowy roads and off-road trails pretty well, without any hassle. Sadly, the experiment failed almost instantly, because metal isn’t a great rubber substitute at all, and also because the springs were welded to the tires. However, the experiment does serve as an excellent starting point for an innovative and one-of-a-kind theory.
2. Baxley Moto
Dubbed the Baxley Moto, this futuristic electric motorbike is designed by Shane Baxley, and it features a menacing street-legal aesthetic, accentuated by spokeless wheels. The bike has a hunched-forward riding position, as well as a suspended tail section, protruding slides, and treaded wires, forming a jaw-dropping ride for adventure seekers who enjoy challenging rides on dirt trails. It also has a balance to it and doesn’t feature an edgy or contoured look.
3. Mercedes-Benz Harp
Named the Mercedes-Benz Harp, this car is inspired by the shapes of musical instruments, hence its unique name. The conceptual automotive also draws inspiration from the W196R Formula-1 racing car which was created for the 1954 and 1955 seasons. The front seam of the car has a modern vibe, perfectly partnered up with an asymmetric windshield panel to the rear. The front is contoured and complemented by a sharp rear. These features give the HARP a really impressive vibe, and a god-like figure in a beautiful costume.
4. Project OVAL
Called the Project OVAL, this vertical car concept includes two parts, both of which embrace the vertically oriented design. It features a vertical oval for the steering wheel, which also complements the vehicle’s overall shape while saving space within the cabin. The car focuses on the economy of space over everything else, and it also offers passengers a panoramic view of the outside world. There is also sufficient space behind the seats for baggage, and the vehicle is quite transparent except for the pillars, sides, and roof.
5. HAMMER Hot Wheels x Polestar
Meet the HAMMER Hot Wheels x Polestar – an automotive concept that lingers in the imaginative realm and features a futuristic aesthetic. The car is inspired by Thor’s majestic weapon – the Mjölnir. It is an electric muscle car imagined for Polestar and equipped with a booming performance platform that is also fit for a real-life muscle car. The design is a scaled-down version of a concept electric muscle fusion vehicle, and we would love to see it on the road someday!
6. DAB 1α
DAB 1α is designed by Bayonne design studio and is manufactured in the Beaulieu-Mandeure. It includes retro-gaming elements such as the blue Nitro button, which is inspired by the NFS franchise. This adds some spice and personality to the futuristic ride. It has a top speed of 130 km/h, which is because of its lightweight and well-designed 125 kg body. The gears and clutch are not included, so you need to simply press the throttle, and get rolling on the road. It can be charged using a normal socket or a Type 2 charging port.
7. Palladio
Named Palladio, this hybrid yacht is a conceptual design, and it is ultra-light and can speed up to 55 knots maximum. The yacht looks like it has jumped straight out of a sci-fi movie set in water, and has a unique mouth-shaped, avant-garde design that gives it a futuristic vibe. The yacht is built from carbon fiber propelled via twin Castoldi jets, and it is powered by two FTP engines.
8. Unitrack Electric All-Track Vehicle
Developed by Oruga SIA, a Mobility Tech startup in Latvia, this is the Unitrack electric all-terrain vehicle. It is a three-wheeled motorbike equipped with three ballooned wheels, and it utilizes the company’s proprietary patent-pending monotrack tech. This is designed to tackle the “diverse challenging terrains, from hot sand and muddy forests to rocky climbs and snowy landscapes.” Currently the automotive is only a prototype, and it will be launched in mid-2025 hopefully.
9. Vanderer Citroën 2CV Electric Mini Camper Van
The niche automotive design firm Vanderer designed a stunning electric mini camper van. The van is inspired by the iconic Citroën 2CV, but the classic 2CV was given a futuristic transformation, creating a surreal harmony of the charm of the past and the sustainability of the present. The car is equipped with an integrated electric powertrain, and it offers a clean and eco-friendly driving experience.
10. Xpeng AeroHT eVTOL Flying Car
Named the Xpeng AeroHT eVTOL Flying Car, this unique automotive design is an eVTOL flying car designed by the AeroHT electric aviation wing of the Chinese auto company XPeng. The modular flying car is unlike the conventional ideas seen today, and it adopts a rather unique approach. It is equipped with a two-part design – one part car, and the other is eVTOL, which enables it to smoothly switch between both land and aerial modes.