Over the years, carmakers have created an unbelievable number of concept cars. From the jet-inspired Cadillac Cyclone to the mind-bending Bugatti Hyperion XP-1, automakers globally have materialized some of their wildest ideas. However, these beasts were either produced in single-digit numbers, or not even built at all. In the vast majority of cases, these cars remained one-offs that only people such as Supercar Blondie get to test drive.

In one of the least followed markets, car manufacturers are churning one prototype after the other. Some of the coolest concept sports cars gearheads never got to drive originate from the land of baguettes and good wines. Over the last two decades, French automakers have let their ideas run wild. From futuristic hypercars to more mainstream passenger cars, French car companies still have enough creativity to dethrone the most popular supercars out there. Let's check out some of them.

RELATED: Here's Why These 9 Awesome Concept Cars Never Made It To Production

10 Citroën GT

2008 Citroen GT 2 Cropped
Via YouTube

Citroën released a fair number of insane concept cars over the years. From the spiffy Citroën Tubik van to the outlandish Survolt micro supercar, prototypes at Citroën have never failed to attract the attention of car fans globally. Back in the early 2000s, Citroën released one of the craziest prototypes to ever hit France's streets.

2008 Citroen GT Cropped
Via YouTube

Inspired by the virtual world, the Citroën GT is the most insane French supercar ever. Resulting from a collaboration between Citroën and Polyphony Digital, a Japanese game developer known for the Gran Turismo franchise. In the game, the GT comes with a hydrogen-powered engine that makes 778 hp. In real life, the GT comes with a similar 5.4-liter Ford Modular V8 found on the Shelby GT500 sold during the same era. With a power output of 646 hp, the Citroën GT is far from being your average French car.

9 Citroën Metropolis

2011 Citroen Metropolis Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

The luxury sedan market has been dominated by the German and the Japanese for decades now. With a handful of respectable sedans manufactured by American and South Korean car manufacturers, the luxury sedan market excludes any sedans produced by French automakers since the Renault Safrane Biturbo. In recent years, Citroën displayed the skills of its team of designers by bringing the Metropolis to life.

2011 Citroen Metropolis 2 Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

The Citroën Metropolis is the perfect example of what can happen when carmakers decide to take a global approach to an otherwise very traditional industry. Designed and first showcased in China, the Metropolis is a gorgeous luxury sedan fitted with a 2.0-liter V6 unit that makes 272 hp and electric motors producing 95 hp at most. The Metropolis ended up being marketed under a different name. The latest 2022 DS 9 E-Tense 4X4 360 is pure awesomeness.

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8 Peugeot Onyx

2012 Peugeot Onyx Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

Peugeot really made a name for itself with the 205 T16. Rally fans from the '80s know too well that Peugeot used to perform quite nicely in Group B. Since the '80s, Peugeot tried to replicate the success that the 205 T16 was with the 206 RC and 208 GTI. However, what has truly captivated gearheads are the concept cars Peugeot came out with.

2012 Peugeot Onyx 2 Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

The Peugeot Onyx supercar concept is an automotive design far beyond its time. Though released in 2012, the Onyx feels like some of the latest electric supercars. The Onyx does not only look the part. Equipped with a twin-turbocharged 3.7-liter V8 combined with an electric motor, the futuristic supercar makes 680 hp at the crankshaft. Peugeot never sent the monster to any dealership.

7 Alpine A110-50

2013 Alpine A110-50 Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

Created in 1954 by Jean Redele, a former Renault employee and race car driver, Alpine manufactured some of the most popular French classic sports cars. Keeping a close relationship with Renault, Alpine developed several incredible sports cars such as the A110 Berlinette and the GTA Le Mans. The sports car manufacturer was on hiatus for several years only to come back in the early 2000s.

2013 Alpine A110-50 2 Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

Renault-Nissan was in the hot seat when its rogue CEO, Carlos Ghosn, was caught engaging in a variety of illegal activities. Before getting caught with his hand in the cookie jar, Ghosn oversaw the creation of the Alpine A110-50. Equipped with a similar 3.5-liter V6 found on the Infiniti G35 and Nissan 350Z, the A110-50 boasts 395 hp for a curb weight of merely 1,940 lbs.

6 Citroën CXperience

2016 Citroen CXperience Cropped
Via commons.wikimedia.org

Citroën cars were chosen multiple times to be presidential cars. In recent years, the C6 and the DS5 Hybrid were two gorgeous vehicles used by French presidents. Following some of its presidential successes, Citroën started designing cars that would offer the presidential treatment to average motorists. Though only a concept car, the CXperience could become a huge hit.

2016 Citroen CXperience 2 Cropped (1)
Via YouTube

The sexy four-door sedan is unlike what most people would expect from Citroën. Looking like the answer to BMW's grand tourers, the CXperience comes with a hybrid engine that makes 300 hp at best. Though it never made it to production, someone with the right connections and the funds that make people say yes can always request a one-off CXperience.

5 Renault Trezor

2016 Renault Trezor Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

Obscure hypercars such as the Aria FXE and the Aspark Owl are unknown to most gearheads. However, they are outstanding hypercars that could revolutionize the way sports cars are being made. In this segment, unknown brands are not the only eye-batting thing. Their countries of origin may also surprise the most seasoned piston heads. The French built one of the meanest hypercars back in 2016.

2016 Renault Trezor 2 Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

The Renault Trezor was grossly overlooked, but should be perceived as another sign of a revolution in the automotive industry. Fitted with a McLaren Electronic Systems and a 28 kWh Li-ion battery from Williams Advanced Engineering, the Trezor goes from zero to 60 mph in less than four seconds. Although 349 hp and 280 lb-ft of torque might be unimpressive today, it was a great feat back in 2016.

4 DS Automobiles E-Tense

2020 DS Automobiles E-Tense 2 Cropped
Via YouTube

When Audi released the R8, the entire car scene simply could not get enough of it. It was the ultimate bargain supercar. A little less than a decade later, Chinese carmaker NIO came out with its mean EP9 electric supercar. With the industry undergoing major changes, ranging from the adoption of new technologies to the introduction of new players, a large number of outstanding sports cars could potentially roam the streets near you.

2020 DS Automobiles E-Tense Cropped
Via YouTube

The E-Tense was once the most promising supercar released by a French car manufacturer. Fitted with an electric engine that pumps out 402 hp and 381 lb-ft of torque. On top of looking like a beast from the not-so-distant future, the E-Tense displayed DS Automobiles' capacity to produce high-end sports cars ready to take on some of the fully-electric supercars out there.

RELATED: The ‘80s Coolest Concept Car: The Peugeot Quasar

3 Peugeot e-Legend

Peugeot E-Legend Cropped
Via media.stellantis.com

First commercialized in 1970, the Peugeot 504 is one of Peugeot's most popular nameplates. In 1974, a collaboration between Peugeot and Volvo saw the birth of the 504 Coupe fitted with a 2.7-liter V6. This was the best version of the 504 ever made. Wanting to bring this classic back to life, Peugeot worked on coming up with a modernized version of the 504.

Peugeot E-Legend 2 Cropped
Via media.stellantis.com

The e-Legend could have been Peugeot's electric muscle car. Despite its retro look and promising performance, the e-Legend was unfortunately scrapped by Peugeot due to high development costs. It was rumored that it would be unlike anything found in Peugeot's lineup back in 2018. However, with a price tag of about $80,000 for the first 20,000 units, the e-Legend was too expensive for its potential buyers.

2 Renault EZ-Ultimo

2018 Renault EZ-Ultimo Cropped
Via renaultgroup.com

For car fans with a thing for sci-fi, movies such as i-Robot, Back To The Future, and Batman had some of the most insane vehicles to ever be featured in sci-fi movies. Several designers have adopted a full-on futuristic approach when creating prototypes that were even made for the big screen. At Renault, things got seriously insane back in 2018.

2018 Renault EX-Ultimo 2 Cropped
Via renault.co.uk

The Renault EZ-Ultimo is one of the coolest concept cars of all time. Betting on an electric motor, Renault made sure to equip the EZ-Ultimo with some of the latest technologies. On top of being ahead of its time, the EZ-Ultimo is fitted with some seriously luxurious finishes. From the velvet-covered armchairs to the marble and wood parquetry, it is fair to say that this insane concept car was made for the top 1%.

RELATED: How The Renault Scenic Vision Concept Could Revolutionize The Electric Crossover Landscape

1 DS Aero Sport Lounge

2021 DS Aero Sport Lounge Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

When the SUV craze started in the early 2000s, no one could have forecasted that it would last for over 20 years. From the first BMW X5 to the more recent Durango Hellcat, SUVs have shown that they are here to stay. Realizing that the luxury and sporty SUV was increasingly in demand, French carmakers have decided to come up with machines that would attract gearheads with a thing for fast and sexy SUVs.

2021 DS Aero Sport Lounge 2 Cropped
Via en.wikipedia.org

Imagine coming up with an SUV that is so luxurious and sporty that it gets called the Aero Sport Lounge. When taking a look at the interior, it is clear that DS Automobiles went all in on its design. As far as the power department is concerned, the Aero Sport Lounge comes with an electric motor that allegedly churns out 670 hp and 450 lb-ft of torque.