10 of the wildest wedge-shaped cars from Pebble Beach

Concept cars push the boundaries of what we expect from automobiles. No better examples of that were on display during the 2024 Pebble Concours d’Elegance. There they had two classes of “Wedge-Shaped Concept Cars & Prototypes,” one for early examples, the other for later models. Here are 10 of our favorites.

1955 Ghia Streamline X “Gilda” Coupe
Presented by Bradley and Buzz Calkins, Englewood, Colorado

This is believed to be the first car to benefit from wind tunnel analysis. Its fins not only looked stylish, but provided a stabilizing effect. The Gilda doesn’t use an engine, either. The jet age look is matched by a gas turbine that sounds like a jet, too. It received its nickname of “Gilda” after the femme fatale played by Rita Hayworth in the 1946 film of the same name.

1960 Plymouth XNR Ghia Roadster
Presented by Linda and Paul Gould, Pawling, New York

Could this have challenged the C1 Corvette? It certainly looks Corvette-esque from the rear, doesn’t it? Chrysler built this car to directly compete against the Corvette after it was introduced at the 1960 New York Auto Show. Ghia designed the fiberglass bodywork that sits on a Plymouth Valiant chassis. You may also notice its design is asymmetrical. That’s because of the placement of the 225 cubic-inch Slant-Six engine. As an aside, the Shah of Iran acquired the car from Chrysler. Karim Edde discovered it in a bombed-out garage in Lebanon during a civil war.

1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero Bertone Coupe
Presented by Phillip Sarofim, Beverly Hills, California

If this looks reminiscent of a Lamborghini Countach, it might be because it was designed by the same guy, Marcello Gandini. Gandini created this unsolicited for Lancia. It stands just over 33 inches tall. To enter the car, you have to raise the windshield and climb over the hood. You can find many of the features of this concept in the Lancia Stratos that made it to production. The Zero also became the first wedge car to be considered for best of show for the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance.

1972 BMW Turbo Concept
Presented by BMW Group Classic, Munich, Germany

BMW debuted the Turbo the same year as the Munich Olympics. The automaker wanted to showcase its most advanced technologies. That included safety features, such as self-generating crumple zones, safety steering and fully surrounding impact strips. It used a fuel-injected engine derived from the BMW 2002, with a turbocharger upping it to 200 horsepower.

1973 Chevrolet Aerovette
Presented by General Motors, Warren, Michigan

What if the Chevrolet Corvette used a rotary instead of a V8? If it sounds far-fetched, think again. Zora Arkus-Duntov spearheaded the project to accommodate a rotary engine. It debuted at the 1973 Paris Auto Salon to much acclaim. GM ditched the rotary idea, presumedly due to its fuel inefficiency during the height of the 1970s oil crisis. However, this car did eventually receive a 400 cubic-inch V8 and was renamed the Aerovette. Nevertheless, it would take 47 years after its debut for the mid-engine Corvette to hit production.

1979 Ford Probe I Ghia Concept
Presented by Scott Grundfor, Arroyo Grande, California

No, this isn’t that liftback coupe of the 1980s and 1990s. Instead, this Ghia design is based on a Fox-body Mustang, with a turbocharged 2.3-liter four-cylinder stuffed into the nose. An example of aerodynamic design, it is said to have a drag coefficient 37% less than its contemporary two-door coupes. Sadly, on the way back from Pebble Beach, this one-off was involved in a fire that severely damaged it.

1979 Aston Martin Bulldog
Presented by Phillip Sarofim, Beverly Hills, California

What was Aston Martin’s answer to the Ferrari, Lamborghini and Maserati supercars? This Bulldog, named after the Scottish plane favored by Aston Martin’s Managing Director and designed by William Towns, of Lagonda and DBS fame. The creators of the car claimed it ran 200 mph. In 2023, it topped 205 mph.

1984 Honda HP-X Pininfarina Concept
Presented by Pininfarina S.p.A., Cambiano, Italy

This rad concept from the 1980s would see several of its design elements incorporated into a future supercar, the NSX. The HP-X was the first collaboration between Pininfarina and Honda. In the same year it was introduced, Honda went to work on the NSX. The HP-X does not have doors, instead one gains access to the cockpit via opening the canopy, a single-piece Perspex windshield. The canopy also acts as an airbrake.

2017 Ken Okuyama Kode0
Presented by Ken Okuyama, Tokyo, Japan

What would a modern-day wedge car look like? Ken Okuyama Design offered a glimpse of that with the Kode0. Okuyama had worked for Pininfarina, supervising projects such as the Ferrari Enzo and Ferrari P4/5. Believe it or not, the Kode0 uses similar proportions to the Lancia Stratos Zero and Lamborghini Countach, but with a more minimalistic approach and updated technologies, such as LED lights.

2016 United Nude Lo-Res Car
Presented by Rem D. Koolhaas/United Nude, Los Angeles, California

Is this a spaceship? No. However, if you squint your eyes, does this look like the result of a Tesla Cybertruck having a baby with a Lamborghini Countach? You’re on the right track. Rem D. Koolhaas did a “de-resolution” of the Countach, simplifying it down to its most basic interpretation. The Lo-Res features a smoked polycarbonate body on an angular steel frame. To get in it, actuators lift the body from the front of the vehicle. Koolhaas later joined Elon Musk for Cybertruck design meetings, where his influence can clearly be seen.

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