2021 was a challenging year for automakers, but they were still full of inspiration, presenting us with seriously cool concepts.

With rapid advances in technology and the constant changes in lifestyles in recent years, automakers are more willing to hand over the reins to their design departments, allowing them to think outside the box to envision the brand's future and the industry in general. Although a few automakers were guilty of unveiling concepts as a playful exercise for something unrealistic, others used them as serious preludes to a production model.

Related: 10 Classic Concept Cars That Would Have Changed The Game

Last year was a mixed bag of uncertainty and new challenges related to COVID-19, but all these did not stand in the way of innovation and development. We saw the tempered return of several auto shows globally, and we got the chance to see some pretty impressive concept cars. As we look forward to more shows in 2022, let's recap some of the most remarkable concepts from 2021.

The 2021 Tokyo Auto Salon didn't happen due to COVID-19, but Nissan couldn't pass on the opportunity to virtually present their super quirky new concept, the NV350 Office Pod. In keeping with the challenges of unique lifestyles during the pandemic, Nissan showed how to work from home in style.

The NV350 features exterior modifications that allow for mild off-roading, while its interior houses a small yet functional office, complete with a desk, chair, and enough space for a large monitor. Drivers can pull the office out of the van to be part of nature and an upstairs balcony fitted with a lounge chair and umbrella for those recommended breaks.

The Opel Manta made a huge comeback last year with an eye-grabbing neon yellow paint job and an instantly recognizable baby Plymouth 'Cuda look. Dubbed the Opel Manta GSe, we indeed take our hats off to the German automaker for its attempt at showing EVs could still be chock-full of fun, not to mention blending the best of classic and electric worlds.

Related: These Are Some Of The Most Iconic Cars Ever Made By Opel

The modern front fascia comprises straight-edge LED accents and a screen that can display messages, while the rear flaunts vintage vibes with circular taillights. Besides the stunning super retro looks, the one-off Manta GSe features a usable four-speed manual. The intelligent transmission lets drivers engage a CVT option in fourth gear, allowing the car to shift itself.

The Ford Maverick is a fan-favorite since it ticks many truck boxes despite being small, fuel-efficient, and easy to park. However, Tucci Hot Rods made many folks mini truck crazy with its Tucci Maverick concept at SEMA 2021. Tucci Hot Rods made a good impression at the event with the all-wheel-drive Maverick XLT 2.0 EcoBoost, slammed to the ground on coil-overs.

The Tucci Maverick features one-off 3D-printed parts like a front chin spoiler, fender flares, and a rally-inspired spoiler. Performance boosts include stickier tires fitted in bigger turbofan-style wheels and a new Borla cat-back exhaust. To spice things up further, the interior features a Ford dashcam, four Recaro Sportster seats with racing harnesses, while the bed boasts a roll-up tonneau cover, spray-in bed liner, and a tailgate spoiler.

One of the most fantastic builds presented at SEMA 2021 was the Toyota Tacozilla concept truck. The rad Tacozilla camper is reminiscent of the Chinook models from the '70s and '80s that Toyota built from the factory. Based on the Tacoma TRD Sport pickup, Toyota's Motorsports Garage made an exciting collaboration with Complete Customs to bring the Tacozilla to life.

The concept's biggest highlight is the camper top that extends below the frame height to ensure people can stand in the whole interior, not forgetting the full integration to make it appear as part of the Tacoma. The Toyota Tacozilla also features a rustic micro-house interior, 17-inch wheels, integrated winch, lifted TRD suspension kit, huge light bar, and a snorkel.

So, what do you get when a team of art design students imagines Lincoln cars in 2040? Simple answer, the stunning Lincoln Anniversary concept. The jaw-dropping vehicle is a product of a design team from Pasadena's Center College of Design that Lincoln presented at The Quail during Monterey Car Week.

Related: Here's What Lincoln Has In Store For 2022

The Anniversary concept has a low-slung coupe design with a long hood and short deck, almost similar to the Audi Skysphere concept. Although Lincoln might never take the Anniversary beyond the concept stage, this four-door city car highlights tomorrow's designers' unique perspective and talent.

The EdisonFuture EF1-T is a newcomer in the electric pickup truck segment, but its angular, space-like profile and alternative styling will have you thinking Tesla Cybertruck. Nonetheless, the EdisonFuture EF1-T gets a few points on the board for its more conventional lines and the armadillo-like retractable solar architecture.

According to EdisonFuture's presentation at the LA Auto Week, the solar panels could provide an additional 20-35 miles of range daily under sunny conditions, essential for the workforce in the field. Full specs for the truck are yet to be finalized, but range estimates run from 300-450 miles, with battery capacity provided at 120, 150, and 180kWh.

Audi revealed a few more tricks up its sleeves by presenting the Horch 853-inspired Skysphere concept as part of its vision of luxurious autonomous transportation. The Skysphere, the first of three concepts, is a long, low, luxury grand tourer capable of morphing into a stunning electric sports car at the push of a button.

In the standard GT setting, the Skysphere is almost as long as a full-size Audi A8 L sedan, and it shrinks to the size of the midsize A6 in Sport mode. Designer Gael Buzyn intimated at the LA Motor Show that Audi designed the car around the interior, which features a 55.7-inch full-width digital display, backlit control panels, crystal flourishes, analog clock in the center console, and a cloth roof with stowed cashmere blankets.

Cupra is a newer brand that is yet to make it to the North American shores, but the striking UrbanRebel Concept certainly caught our attention. Presented at the 2021 IAA Munich Motor Show, the UrbanRebel evokes the looks of a radical racing hot hatch yanked out of a racing game.

Related: 10 Craziest Concepts That Debuted At The 2021 Munich Motor Show

According to Cupra's design director Jorge Diez, the Cupra UrbanRebel sits on Volkswagen's MEB architecture, and it's a precursor to a production electric car that we can expect in 2025. The automaker claims the car's electric powertrain delivers a steady 335hp, suitable for a 0-60 mph time of 3.2 seconds. Unfortunately, the eventual production model might still not make it to North America.

Most gearheads revere Porsche for its long and impressive production car racing history, and it intends to extend that into the future with the Porsche Mission R. With electrification gaining a firmer grip in the auto industry, Porsche pitched the Mission R as a representation of the future of customer motorsports.

The Porsche Mission R has a low, finessed, and aggressive aesthetic shape that rides on a pair of 85kWh electric motors capable of a typical 30-40 minute race without stopping. The EV will be impressively quick, with an estimated 1,073hp on tap for qualifying mode, though we expect that will come down to 603hp in race mode. However, potential customers will have to shelf their excitement until 2025.

As we anticipated the electric reincarnation of the successful R4L model, Renault surprised us by unveiling the AIR4 concept towards the end of November. Since Renault announced its 'Renaulution' strategic 2025 transformation plan, it has shown some ambition with the Renault AIR4. The concept has a recognizable R4L silhouette but with a plot twist; four propellers. Hello, flying cars.

As the name suggests, the AIR4 concept doesn't roll; instead, it can fly at an altitude of 700m at a claimed horizontal top speed of 58mph. However, it's worth noting that the Renault AIR4 is simply a show car unveiled to celebrate the Renault 4L's 60th Anniversary. But with concerns over compounding traffic, who knows when they might take up this idea a bit more seriously.

A surprising number of cars are getting refreshed designs in 2022, but we think these 10 stand out the most.

Simon Kim has always been passionate about machines since childhood, and this has grown into an obsession well into adulthood. As an avid reader and creative content writer, he finds joy and fulfillment in sharing his love for cars and bikes with other machine heads. Currently, Kim seeks to deliver exciting and informative articles on HotCars. He enjoys music and art and dabbles in active sports and virtual gaming in his spare time.