It might be hard to conceive, but 3D printing is the future. It has come a long way already, from the early days of making little tri-dimensional tchotchkes(Opens in a new window) that take up space and gather dust. Last year they started to go mainstream as the prices dropped and big names like Adobe and Microsoft supported them with drivers.

Then things started to scale up. Way up.

There’s been talk about 3D printing of homes, buildings, and bridges. Materials used in 3D printing are getting more diverse. So it’s not hard at all to imagine someone making the parts for a car—or the entire chassis for a vehicle. That’s exactly what’s happened. Auto shows are replete with new designs, and many are coming from additive manufacturing machines—that’s what they call the 3D printers that can handle a sedan-sized print job.

On the next few pages, take a look at the world’s first and, to date, most exciting 3D-printed vehicles. As the printers get bigger and better, this is only going to get even cooler for drivers, car aficionados, and gawkers on the street.