Some of the strangest German concept cars stand out because they rethink what a car is made of, how it is controlled, or what kind of buyer it is meant for. BMW’s fabric-skinned GINA, the safety-focused BMW Turbo, Audi’s experimental show cars, and Porsche’s unreleased studies each answer a different question—and not every concept was intended to become a production car.
That distinction matters: a concept can be a research object, design exercise, prototype, or near-production preview. The examples below explain what made each unusual, what its maker was exploring, and what happened next.
What makes a concept car strange?
“Strangest” is a matter of judgment, not an objective ranking. Here, it means a car that departed sharply from ordinary production-car expectations through unusual materials or functions, an experimental brief, or a project that remained hidden because it never reached production.
| Concept type | What it is for | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Research object | Explores a technical or design question without necessarily previewing a production model. | BMW GINA |
| Safety or design exercise | Tests a particular idea that may later inform production cars. | BMW Turbo |
| Unrealized project | Developed internally but not put into production. | Porsche Type 984 |
| Near-production preview | Signals the direction of a future model or vehicle family. | Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class |
BMW GINA Light Visionary Model (2008): a car with a flexible skin
BMW described GINA as a research vision, not a typical concept built mainly to preview production elements. Its defining feature was a flexible textile cover stretched across a movable metal substructure, giving the body an almost seamless outer skin.
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BMW said the headlights were hidden beneath the fabric until switched on. The study also had adaptable rocker panels and a rear spoiler, plus doors that opened outward and upward. BMW described it as a rear-wheel-drive roadster with an eight-cylinder engine; those are specifications of the study, not a claim that it was an ordinary production model. Its central question was whether a car’s exterior could be flexible and reveal functions only when needed. BMW’s GINA release explains the design and its research intent.
BMW Turbo (1972): a safety experiment
BMW identifies the Turbo as its first concept car and describes it as a safety-focused sports car. One unusual feature connected the seat belts to the ignition circuit: the car could only be driven with the belts fastened. BMW also says the concept’s driver-oriented cockpit idea later reached production BMWs.
Unlike GINA’s exploration of body materials, the Turbo put safety and the driver’s relationship with the cockpit at the center. BMW’s concept-car retrospective documents these details.
Audi’s design studies: Aztec, quattro Spyder, and Avus quattro
Audi’s “Design Legends” exhibition included the Audi Aztec (1988), quattro Spyder (1991), and Avus quattro (1991), alongside studies from later years. The exhibition demonstrates that unusual German concepts were not limited to one era or one kind of experiment.
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The reviewed Audi release confirms the names and dates, but does not establish all the technical specifications sometimes repeated about these cars. It is safer to treat them here as design studies rather than assign unverified engines, performance figures, or production influence. Audi’s exhibition guide is historical documentation; the exhibition ran from March 28 to July 12, 2026, and is no longer open.
Porsche’s hidden and unrealized projects
Porsche’s archive offers a different kind of strangeness: concepts and projects that were not simply dramatic show cars, but internal experiments or proposals that never became production models.
Porsche FLA (1973): an environmentally oriented research project
Porsche presents the FLA as a future-facing, environmentally oriented sustainable-car research project developed against the backdrop of the 1973 energy crisis. The available exhibition account does not provide enough detail to make claims about specific technology, so its documented research brief is the key point.
Porsche Type 984 (1984–1987): a compact sports-car study
The Type 984 was a compact, lightweight, aerodynamic two-seat roadster study developed at Weissach between 1984 and 1987. Porsche says it was intended as a relatively inexpensive sports car for young, sporty customers and was inspired by earlier development work for Seat. It was a Porsche study, not a Seat production car.
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Porsche 989: a four-door family sports-car project
Porsche describes the 989 as an unrealized 1990s project for a four-door “family sports car.” Although it did not become the planned production model, Porsche says its design influenced the direction of future vehicle generations. It shows how a concept can preview a body format or design direction without reaching the showroom itself.
Porsche’s Project: Top Secret! archive account documents the FLA and 989 among other projects. Porsche also discusses the Type 984 in Christophorus. The “Project: Top Secret!” exhibition took place in 2014–2015; it is not a current exhibition.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class: a near-production preview
Not every unusual concept is a far-out research object. Mercedes-Benz unveiled the Concept CLA Class at IAA 2023 as a near-production outlook for a future entry-level vehicle family and a precursor to its Modular Architecture (MMA) platform.
Mercedes-Benz’s concept overview states a range of more than 750 km and consumption of 12 kWh/100 km. These are the company’s stated concept figures, not independently measured real-world results. The Concept CLA is useful as a contrast to GINA: it points toward a future vehicle family rather than primarily presenting an experimental design question. Check Mercedes-Benz’s concept overview for the company’s current descriptions and claims.
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- Size:1/36 scale vehicle model with beautiful English packaging,ideal for toddlers to play with and carry. Car collectors will appreciate the perfect small size, which allows them to collect a complete set of cars without taking up too much space.
- Grow From Play:Help children learn more about car ,expand their knowledge ,increase the hand-eye coordination and the reaction speed of the children in the play.
- Ideal Christmas Festival Gift:All of TOKAXI die-cast model cars are attractively packaged in English, making them the perfect Christmas, Birthday, Children's Day, New Year gift for kids, party favors, home decorations, or travel toys for boys and girls.gifts for boys girls.
How to compare the strangest German concept cars
| Car | What was unusual | Maker’s documented aim or status |
|---|---|---|
| BMW GINA (2008) | Flexible textile cover over movable structure; functions concealed beneath the surface. | BMW research vision. |
| BMW Turbo (1972) | Seat belts connected to the ignition circuit. | Safety-focused sports-car concept; cockpit idea later reached production BMWs, according to BMW. |
| Audi Aztec (1988), quattro Spyder and Avus quattro (1991) | Distinctive design studies from different years. | Included in Audi’s “Design Legends” exhibition; the cited release does not establish further technical specifications. |
| Porsche FLA (1973) | Unusual for its documented environmental and sustainability brief. | Research project developed during the 1973 energy crisis. |
| Porsche Type 984 (1984–1987) | Compact, lightweight, aerodynamic two-seat roadster study. | Intended as a relatively inexpensive sports car for young, sporty customers; never described as a Seat production car. |
| Porsche 989 | Four-door “family sports car” project. | Unrealized project whose design influenced the direction of future vehicle generations, according to Porsche. |
| Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA Class (2023) | A production-oriented preview rather than a purely exploratory study. | Near-production outlook for a future entry-level family and precursor to the MMA platform. |
FAQ
Was BMW GINA a production car?
No. BMW described GINA as a research vision. Its textile skin and movable structure explored a different approach to a car’s outer body.
What made the BMW Turbo unusual?
BMW says the Turbo was a safety-focused concept whose seat belts were wired into the ignition circuit, so it could only be driven with the belts fastened.
Were Porsche’s Type 984 and 989 production cars?
No. The Type 984 was a two-seat roadster study, while the 989 was an unrealized four-door family sports-car project.
Are all concept cars intended to become production models?
No. A concept may be a research object, a design exercise, an internal prototype, or a near-production preview. GINA was a research vision; Mercedes-Benz described the Concept CLA as a near-production outlook.
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