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The current Grand Am lends itself easily to the GTO idea with some hot paint, cool wheels, wider rubber, and add-on bodywork. However, the concept car in question is called SC/T and not GTO. Why? Pontiac wants to gauge reaction to the car at auto shows to see if you think it's a real GTO. The MT staff needed to hear some honking exhaust and smell some frying rubber to decide if a front-drive GTO had legs. Fortunately for us, as part of this investigation, Jace Stokes, assistant brand manager for the Grand Am, agreed. He felt we should spend two weeks blasting around Detroit in two versions of the SC/T concept: a supercharged 3.4-liter Grand Am with a four-speed automatic and a supercharged 3.4-liter Grand Am with a five-speed manual. These were virtually stock Grand Am GTs except for 17-inch light-alloy wheels from the Bonneville SSEi and low-profile Comp TA rubber. Interestingly, these "plain Janes" drew a lot of interest when we stopped for fuel or parked. At present, Pontiac is pondering the amount of exterior ornamentation, should this idea see production. We say "less is more." Lift the lid on this Grand Am, and it's obvious there's something special going on. What's actually gone on is a large, well-packaged Eaton M62 blower on the right side of the engine bay puffing in boost. And it looks and performs as if it was born there. Unfortunately, the slightly quicker manual trans car wasn't prepped in time for our track work. On the street, though, that Getrag five-speed proved slick and exceedingly fun to stir. Our instrumented numbers from the automatic-equipped car offer a good idea about what drivers could expect from this package, despite copious amounts of wheelspin. Our run to 60 mph took 6.6 seconds. That's a sweet 1.1 seconds faster than the production car. (Stokes says GM's numbers for the manual version are 5.9 seconds to 60 mph.) Currently, the hot version of the naturally aspirated 3.4 engine makes 175 horsepower and 205 pound-feet of torque. According to Stokes, our breathing-assisted 3.4 engine was making a reliable 262 horsepower and a handy 289 pound-feet of Comp T/A-vaporizing torque. Of course, that's more low-end grunt than the standard 4T45-E four-speed auto can handle with reasonable durability. So Stokes recruited senior development engineer Bruce Witherspoon and GM master technician Joe Roggenbeck to pull the standard box and install the beefier 4T65-E transmissions normally used in the supercharged 3800 V-6 Pontiac Bonneville. This swap was neatly managed despite dire corporate predictions about fitting it into the smaller Grand Am's tunnel. The interiors of our mechanically enhanced mules were bone stock. But the manual trans car featured a chrome Hurst stickshift with a simple white ball handle (a la the original '64 GTO). Given previous examples of high-powered front-drives, we expected the SC/T would be a twitchy, torque-steering version of the Grand Am. But thanks to a minimum of handling modifications and the inherently stable and benign behavior of the chassis tuning, the Grand Am nicely controls the extra muscle transmitted to the wider contact patches. This inherent goodness also extended to the base braking system, which rewarded us with a Corvette-level stop of 116 feet from 60 mph. We weren't able to put the SC/T through our skidpad and slalom tests, but it would no doubt handily beat a stock Grand Am GT's 0.83g and 64.8-mph performances. In the end, it may not matter if Pontiac decides to use the legendary GTO badge on this car. Given its power, poise, and strong promised value, it might well create a new legend of its own. Adapted from: https://www.motortrend.com/reviews/pontiac-grand-am-sct-2/

The Caravan R/T (originally ESS) was to include the most powerful engine ever for a minivan, rated at 325 horsepower (242 kW). It had large air intakes and driving lights in the front bumper, a brushed aluminum instrument panel, racing-style pedals, and black and white rubber flooring. Source: Wikipedia; car-revs-daily.com

The MR-S has a mid-mounted engine for perfectly balanced handling and a wheel for quick, stable maneuverability at each corner. The car is short at just 3850mm long - more than a foot shorter than the current MR2. The engine is a new lightweight 1.8-liter with intelligent Variable Valve Timing (VVT-i), which changes the engine's characteristics to give more power, better torque at low engine speeds, and lower fuel consumption. The gearbox is sequential and would enable changes to be made swiftly either via the conventional gear lever or buttons mounted on the steering wheel - as with racing cars - to allow the driver to keep both hands on the wheel at all times. The interior of the Toyota MR-S has a simple and gutsy tightness, with a minimalist approach that echoes old sports cars. Practicality is not forgotten, with luggage space provided behind the seats. But MR-S, should it ever go into production, is meant to be a car for people who want to drive, who travel light, and love the wind in their hair. Source: https://www.topspeed.com/cars/toyota/1999-toyota-mrs-ar1292.html; https://oldconceptcars.com/1930-2004/toyota-mr-s-concept-1999/

Lincoln Blackwood Concept, 1999. The 2001 series production Blackwood prototype was a cross between the Ford F-150 Crew Cab and a Lincoln Navigator. It was a sales disaster and was withdrawn from the showrooms after just a year. Source: https://carsthatnevermadeitetc.tumblr.com/post/616948074386997248/lincoln-blackwood-concept-1999-a-prototype-for

In total, the concept vehicle, which might've revived the legendary American manufacturer, cost Roy a cool $1.5 million of his own money. After the unsuccessful attempt in selling the car and company together in 2007, Gullickson announced that the Twelve prototype would be offered without reserve at RM's July 26th auction event in Plymouth, Michigan. Featuring an aluminum space-frame chassis and a 119-inch (3,023 millimeters) wheelbase, the Twelve was once described by its owner as being "every bit as good as a Mercedes or BMW." Under the long, streamlined hood, engineers fitted an 8.6-liter (525-cubic inch) Falconer Racing V12 tower of power, with port fuel injection from General Motors. Despite its large size and apparent heaviness, the concept weighs just 1.7 tons (3,750 pounds) thanks to lightweight materials used for the chassis and the bodywork. Coupled with a 4L80E automatic gearbox, 440 horsepower was sent to all four wheels. The oomph was enough to propel the luxury limousine from 0 to 60 miles per hour in just 4.8 seconds. Source: https://www.carscoops.com/2014/05/how-much-would-you-give-for-this-1999/

Zender Thirty 7, also known as Zender 30-7, is a concept car manufactured by the German company in 1999. The car's name is a combination between the 30th anniversary of the company and the number of the prototype. Because this concept had to be unique, the parent company equipped it with multiple advanced features such as the turbocharged engine, which could produce 230 horsepower and a top speed of 240 km/h. Moreover, this automobile could accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in no less than 5.4 seconds. Source: www.autoevolution.com Images Source: Zender

The Concept D is a VW design study for its next luxury class flagship car, aiming to attract business customers and buyers of sporting luxury cars. This luxury saloon will be built in Volkswagen’s brand new transparent factory in the center of Dresden, the capital of the state of Saxony, from the beginning of the next millennium. The car will likely feature a V10 direct injection diesel with two banks of five cylinders, giving an engine capacity of 5.0 liters. The proposed Bi-Turbo TDi engine delivers an output of 313 bhp at 4000 rpm. This massive engine powers all four wheels via a Tiptronic automatic gearbox. VW Germany’s top design team has styled the car to give a sleek, professional, yet sporty look to attract high flying business customers who also want a luxury car with obvious performance underpinnings. Amongst its many top-of-the-range features are air conditioning, stereo system, navigation system, and the reversing camera, which is integrated into the VW symbol on the boot lid. Concept D represents Volkswagen Group’s diversification into the luxury market. Simultaneously, VW continues to produce mass-market cars with renowned engineering; the Concept D is one for the board room. Source: www.ltv-vwc.org.uk Images Source: Volkswagen AG

Toyota used the Detroit Motor Show to unveil the exciting XYR sports coupe, a lightweight, high-performance concept vehicle styled by Toyota's CALTY Design Centre in Newport Beach, California. An all-new aluminum alloy 1.8-litre twin-cam engine powers the front-wheel-drive XYR. The engine employs an all-new VVTL-i induction system to produce 180 horsepower at 7,600 rpm. The newly developed system combines continuously variable valve timing and continuously adjustable valve lift, depending on engine rpm. The system provides an exceptional blend of power, fuel economy, and reduced emissions over a broad rpm range. The aggressively styled XYR rides on a 2590mm wheelbase and weighs in at only 1,140 kg. Suspension is fully independent, featuring MacPherson struts up front and double wishbone suspension at the rear, with 17-inch wheels, low profile tires, and disc brakes all around. The interior of the XYR was designed to convey the look, feel, and simplicity of operation of a race car cockpit. Instrumentation is large and legible. Controls are simple and easy to operate, and the sports seats are heavily bolstered for good lateral support. Source: www.supercars.net Images Source: Toyota

More than a new kind of vehicle, the WiLL Vi is a new way of marketing cars in Japan, and some analysts said it was the most significant vehicle of the Tokyo show. It was designed and built as a part of the Virtual Venture Company (VVC), a subset of Toyota that sought out partners in other Japanese industries (computers, beer, etc.) to create a new, common brand image for its youth-oriented products. A compact four-door sedan, the WiLL Vi is targeted at young women and has a nostalgic feel with its ribbed side panels and jaunty rear windshield shape. It’s got room for five, with just two options: a canvas roof and an upscale audio system. A variable valve-timing engine is equipped with a plastic intake manifold, and a column-mounted automatic transmission shifter adorns the back-to-basics dashboard. Source: www.thecarconnection.com Images Source: Toyota

This stylish and roomy next-generation vehicle sets a new standard for medium-class vehicles. A five-seater demi-wagon, the Opa has easily reconfigured seats that lower to create a flat luggage floor nearly six feet long. A direct-injection, 2.0-liter gasoline engine with variable valve timing and continuously variable transmission, says Toyota, endows the Opa with good fuel economy and acceleration. The name, by the way, is a Portuguese idiom for a surprise – much like we would be if this one weren’t put into production in Japan. Source: www.thecarconnection.com Images Source: Toyota Motor Corporation

The Audi TT has become a popular touchstone for coupes, but wagons? This quasi-family hauler from Toyota sports a TT-esque roofline melded with a wagon back to spell practicality with two doors. Its sliding rear seats allow its assumed sporty, fun, young drivers to expand the cargo area covered by a hard tonneau. When they get bored in traffic, they can always consult individual monitors that carry information and entertainment, just like People magazine. Source: www.thecarconnection.com Images Source: Toyota Motor Corporation. View the World's Largest Shooting Brake Archive Here (Sources Included)

It’s what Toyota bills as the first hybrid four-wheel drive in the world – and it owes a lot to the progress they’ve made on the Prius hybrid sedan. Like the Prius, the six-seater HV-M4 uses both a gas engine and batteries in tandem to provide leaner, cleaner power. But in the HV-M4, there’s a new twist: all-wheel drive. The HV-M4 uses a pair of electric motors and a CVT to extract the most efficiency out of its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Under light loads, the batteries are used to power the electric motors at both the front and rear axles; under heavier loads, the engine is used to supply the thrust. Under very heavy acceleration loads, both are used. To engage its four-wheel drive, the HV-M4 senses when a wheel is slipping, diverts enough energy from the spinning wheel to reduce its spin – and sending the extra power to the rear wheels to even out traction. Source: www.thecarconnection.com Image Source: Toyota Motor Corporation

Presented at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show is this easy-to-drive personal vehicle that can be equipped with any one of three power trains: gasoline, hybrid, or electric motor. The PU3-commuter is designed to drive "just like a scooter," and it's not much longer, at 2675 millimeters, or barely eight feet, bumper-to-bumper. The PU3 could meet a wide range of market demands because it can use three different powertrains, an internal combustion engine, a battery-powered electric motor, or a gasoline/electric hybrid package. Source: www.tokyo-motorshow.com; www.thecarconnection.com

A new generation mini wagon offers a stylish design, a cozy wooden interior, and a roomy cabin space created by a midship engine layout. Source: www.tokyo-motorshow.com Image Source: SUZUKI MOTOR CORPORATION

A brand-new sports two-seater powered by GM's compact electric motor mounted on a light and rigid aluminum space frame. In the case of Suzuki's battery-powered EV-Sport concept vehicles, there are plenty of places to go. There's an array of advanced technology onboard designed to improve the two-seat sports car's performance and extend its range. But unlike conventional electric vehicles, which can wind up stuck on the roadside when their batteries run out, the EV-Sport features "an emergency engine…so you can continue driving." Noted Suzuki CEO Osama Suzuki. Source: www.tokyo-motorshow.com; www.thecarconnection.com Image Sources: Suzuki; www.shikoku.org.uk

The Subaru Fleet-X was a concept station wagon made by Fuji Heavy Industries, introduced at the 1999 Tokyo Motor Show. The Fleet-X was designed to be as light as possible, substituting polycarbonate for the rear quarter and tailgate windows. The concept used different colors to identify where lightweight alternate materials were used, including the exterior door skin, hood, and roof panels. Source: Donaldson, Jessica. "1999 Subaru Fleet-X". Conceptcarz. Retrieved 25 April 2016. Image Sources: Subaru; www.subaru-impreza.de

The engine is mounted centrally on an aluminum chassis, built using the most advanced technology. The aluminum extrusions are linked, not welded, to create maximum rigidity and strength with minimum weight. The whole structure is enclosed in a form-hugging body of composite materials. The Formula is equipped with active aerodynamic and cooling systems: the rear spoiler rises automatically above 50 km/h, increasing road-grip. At the same time, the front air intakes are adjustable to optimize cooling. Source: https://www.supercars.net/blog/1999-seat-formula-concept/ Image Sources: SEAT, S.A.

Sbarro and his students had already paid tribute to the famous Lotus with the Be-Twin and its sports version. Here, the approach remains the same: minimum weight of 700 kg with a powerful engine but reasonable: the Citroen Saxo VTS 1.6 liters and 130 horses. The performances speak for themselves: 0 to 100 km (62 mph) in 6.5 s. With the bonus of a unique personal style. At the interior, the only comfort is ... the windshield! Wild? Assurant. Reasonable? No! Useful? Not really. Desirable? Yes. The only problem is that it is a one-off. Last detail: Sbarro's students have made it in only nine weeks. Source: http://sbarro.phcalvet.fr/voitures/Sayta/saytagb.html

This VW Golf GTi 4 roadster was commissioned by Michael Böhm, founder of the firm Foliatec. The engine is a turbocharged 1.8-liter. The body takes, of course, an assortment of 26 products sold by Foliatec: tow hook, pommeau speed, interior painting, cache trapping gas, transparent protective film. No windshield, but a deflector which requires wearing a helmet. The doors open up. A beautiful object created in record time by Sbarro's students! Source: http://sbarro.phcalvet.fr/voitures/foliatec/foliatecgb.html

This high-performance super car was presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in 1999. There was only one car ever made, making this a very unique supercar. AMG 600HP. Top speed 325 km/h. Built to celebrate Mercedes' victory at Le Mans in 1999, the GT1 is a one-of-a-kind (well, two of a kind if you consider the twelve-cylinder GT12 that followed the following year) concept built using many Mercedes components. Source: Espera Sbarro