In addition to a range of new, commercial vehicles, regular visitors to motor shows have come to expect something a little more exciting. There's an increasing demand for car manufacturers to unveil innovative, extravagant and sometimes way-out concept cars -- vehicles that are not quite ready for mass production but offer a thrilling insight into what might be rolling off the production line in the future. The unveiling of a new concept car allows manufacturers the opportunity to test out radical designs, body shapes, alternative power sources or new control systems, all without needing to worry about the costs or feasibility of mass production.


Photo courtesy Toyota
Toyota MTRC

In this article, HowStuffWorks takes a look at Toyota's MTRC concept car, which the carmaker revealed at the 74th Geneva International Motor Show in March 2004. As well as examining its ultra-modern curves, we'll see how it really pushes the limits of current technology.

The Start of the Concept
The idea of the concept car began with General Motors in 1938, when it unveiled the first-ever concept car. The Buick Y-Job, whimsically named so by its designer because most carmakers called their experimental vehicles 'X', gave Buick the chance to showcase features that it would come to use in Buick and Cadillac products through the 1940s. As well as providing an opportunity for General Motors to show off a little, it generated a sudden interest in GM's existing vehicles. The success of General Motors' first concept car led other car manufacturers to put time and effort into their own concept car unveilings.