INDIANAPOLIS, IN.- A new type of motor spectacle is on view in Indianapolis this spring. Dream Cars: Innovative Design, Visionary Ideas, a major exhibition featuring rare concept cars from the early 1930s to the 21st century, opened at the Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Dream Cars showcases some of the most unique vehicles ever created by top names in the automotive field, including General Motors, Cadillac and Chrysler. Along with conceptual drawings and scale models, the exhibition explores the evolution of revolutionary automobile design that pushed the limits of the imagination and shaped the future of the industry.

"As 'racing capital of the world,' Indianapolis is a natural fit for this exhibition," said Dr. Charles L. Venable, The Melvin & Bren Simon Director and CEO at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. "The IMA is recognized as a leading museum in the field of industrial design and we are thrilled to pay tribute to Indianapolis‗ rich automotive history by bringing these legendary vehicles to the city at exactly the time when all auto eyes are on us."

General Motors coined the term "dream car” in 1953 as a reference to concept cars— experimental vehicles that challenged the status quo with their radical designs. As testing grounds for innovation, concept cars are a platform for automakers and independent designers to experiment with technology and explore cutting-edge styling and design aesthetics. Most concept cars are never intended for mass production, but instead are unique glimpses into the future possibilities of automotive design.

Dream Cars features American and European concept car designs dating back to the 1930‘s. Exhibition highlights include:

• Paul Arzens' L'Oeuf électrique (1942), an electric bubble car designed by Arzens for his personal use in Paris during the German occupation.

• William Stout's Scarab (1936), the genesis of the contemporary minivan.

• Ralph Roberts‘ and Alex Tremulis‘ Chrysler Thunderbolt (1941), touted by Chrysler as ―The Car of the Future,‖ it was the first American car to feature an electrically operated retractable hardtop and disappearing headlamps.

• Gordon Buehrig‘s Tasco (1948), featuring a leather-coated driveshaft housing and unique T-top roof with removable panels.

• Harley J. Earl‘s, Robert F. "Bob" McLean‘s and General Motors Styling Section staff‘s Firebird I XP-21 (1953), the first gas turbine-powered automobile ever built and tested in the U.S.

"This is an exhibition unlike any other in the history of the IMA," Venable said. "Dream Cars challenges the idea of "art" by encouraging visitors to look at exceptional automobiles as rolling sculpture that evoke the possibilities for experimentation, innovation and beauty. These revolutionary designers were, like many great artists, pushing traditional limits and forging new visions of the future."

The exhibition features a Car Design Studio where visitors can explore the process of automobile design through engaging, hands-on activities. An iPad app also accompanies the exhibit and includes information about the cars‘ hidden features and interiors, historic footage and interviews with leading automobile designers.

Dream Cars will be on display in the IMA's Allen Whitehill Clowes Special Exhibition Gallery through Aug. 23, 2015.