The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance comprises a frankly ridiculous number of events. One of them is the Concept Lawn. A place for automakers to bring their freshest new prototypes (some more production-ready than others), the Concept Lawn offers a true glimpse into the future. While some cars, like the VW ID. Buzz from Volkswagen represent what’s coming in the immediate future, there was no shortage of more conceptual designs in the lineup. The image gallery contains a great look at some of the hottest new metal from many OEMs, and even though most of it is only coming to a billionaire’s garage near you, it’s still fun to look. Here’s what you might have missed from the Concept Lawn at Concours d’Elegance 2023.
Hennessy Venom F5 Revolution
Texas-based tuner Hennessy made a name for themselves in the 1990s and early 2000s, modifying existing vehicles and tuning engines to create unique vehicles unlike anything else on the road. Though it began life as a Lotus coupe, the Hennessy Venom F5 Revolution offers 1,817 horsepower, a top speed of over 250 mph, and a limited production run of just 24 units. A more track-focused version of the already-bonkers Venom F5, it sports unique aero, cooling, and suspension components that make it an even more confidence-inspiring performer.
2024 Mercedes-AMG GT
For something a little more attainable, take a gander at the second generation of the Mercedes-AMG GT. Displayed here in Hyper Blue Magno, it’s one of the more production-ready concepts on the Lawn. The subtly tweaked exterior mirrors the changes AMG made under the hood in the GT 63 trim – a new ECU, increased boost pressure, a new oil pan, and optimized inlet and outlet ports. An interesting anecdote: the entry-level GT 55 is slower than the current generation car, while the range-topping GT 63 ties the current-generation Black Series for acceleration. Regardless of the performance – surely quite exhilarating in either trim – I think we should all breathe easier knowing that Merc didn’t try to stuff a hybrid four-cylinder powertrain under the hood.
2024 Acura ZDX Type S
Acura finally has an answer to the BMW iX, and it’s pretty close to production. The fully-electrified ZDX SUV offers up to 325 miles of range, starts around $60,000, and has room for up to five passengers. The hotter Type S variant on display entices shoppers with 500 horsepower and zero to 60 mph sprints in under 5 seconds. The ZDX reservation program launches in late fall this year, so this thing is still a little way out – but it should make for an interesting comparison with the BMW iX, offering similar features and slightly diminished performance for a fair bit less dollars and cents.
Lamborghini Lanzador
Lamborghini plans to produce this crazy “Ultra GT” (presumably one-upping Aston Martin’s “super GT” nomenclature) in 2028. All-electric and supposedly providing over one megawatt (1,341 horsepower), it resembles exactly what I thought the Lamborghini of the future would look like. As Lamborghini’s first EV offering, it gives a good idea of how the brand will continue to separate itself without the aid of its characterful V10 and V12 engines.
Ford Mustang GTD
Ford decided that they were tired of letting countless other automakers make exclusive homologation specials, so they made their own. Priced around $300,000 and sporting honest-to-goodness race car bits like an inboard suspension and tubular subframe. Under the hood, the GTD utilizes a supercharged 5.2-liter V8 making an estimated 800 horsepower. Plenty of people throw around the term ‘street-legal racecar’; Ford is arguably the most serious with this latest foray.
And All the Rest
Enjoy the pictures we snagged for you from this year’s Concept Lawn at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. Which ones were your favorite? Hopefully, next year will see BMW debut something of note. If not, we’ll still give you the lowdown on other automakers’ latest and greatest prototypes. Enjoy the pictures.
[Photos: Dan Levins / @klapped.media]
