Awesome Cars of 2017 and Beyond

The 2017 model year cars are here, including Icona's Vulcano, the world's first titanium car, which will run you about $2.8 million. Automobile manufacturers around the world have been showing off their upcoming models and concept cars, and I've picked some the best, the beautiful, and the bad-ass.

Street-Legal SCG 003

$2.8 million price tag too high? How about $1.3 million? This is a street-legal version of a powerful GT race car, which has performed well at trials at the Nurburgring and left a driver of a high-speed crash completely unscathed. With an all-carbon-fiber chassis and speeds up to 125 mph, this is a version you could actually plate, insure, and drive to work. (via Road and Track)

Nissan Titan Warrior

How do you beat the Ford F-150, the best-selling truck in America? Nissan's answer is the Warrior concept version of its Titan truck, which looks like something Imperator Furiosa might drive to rescue Mad Max. This bad-ass vehicle sports matte-gray paint and gloss-black trim; perfect for nighttime camouflage. It's got a 5.0-liter turbo-diesel V-8 engine, and lots of shock absorbers for, say, driving at full speed across the desert. (via Car and Driver)

The good news: This isn't a concept car; you can actually buy it and drive off today. The bad news: It's a limited-edition run and there are only 50 of them. Jeep says the Red Rock features "Tru-Lok electronic locking differentials, the Rock-Trac transfer case, and a 4:1 low-range ratio," which I think need no explanation. It has very sturdy all-terrain tires and a winch, so you can actually use the Jeep for outdoor activities and not just puttering to the yogurt shop. (via Chicago Auto Show)

Lingyun Two-Seater

A lot of these cars look a little too much like cars, yeah? So how about this Chinese concept car that looks like a Star Trek escape pod? The Two-Seater (that's its name) appears to hover off the ground because it only has two wheels, one in front of the other; it uses mechanical gyroscopes to stay balanced. It runs on a battery, of course, not your silly human gasoline. (via Forbes)

Audi h-tron Quattro

In fact, lots of concept cars are moving away from petroleum, and some are even moving away from hybrids, aiming for vehicles with zero CO2 emissions. Here, the "h" stands for hydrogen, which powers an electric battery. The Quattro can drive for 370 miles without refueling...and when it does refuel, it takes just four minutes. The battery means the drive is quiet, but it's not lacking for power -- the Quattro can surpass 60 mph in under seven seconds and has a top speed of 124 mph. (via Car and Driver)

Camaro as 1977 Trans Am

If you miss the Trans Am of the 70s, the automaker has the answer. For $71,000, Trans America Worldwide will turn your current Camaro into a Trans Am, "modifying or replacing virtually every panel on the car except the doors," according to Motor Trend. You can get a T-top, a shaker hood scoop, and a screaming "chicken" painted on the hood. No hydrogen or battery here; in this case, the future is the past. (via Motor Trend)

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Extreme

This concept truck looks like it's ready for Jurassic Park. Mercedes-Benz isn't known for its trucks, so it brought this monster to the Chicago Auto Show to change some minds. It's 20 feet long and almost eight feet tall. It can haul a 6,400-pound payload or tow a 7,500-pound one. The coolest feature: the bed can tip to either side as well as backwards, making it one of the most versatile dump trucks ever.