Auto Blogs | Car Forums

Concept cars help manufacturers gauge exactly what the public thinks of future designs. Some concept cars show design elements that may be quietly hidden in a radical concept vehicle such as the Chevrolet Volt, while others such as the Honda Accord coupe show what the very near future has in store for the vehicle.

Just about every manufacturer had a well-designed and highly advanced concept vehicle on display at this year’s Detroit Auto Show. Here is a list of concept cars that really got us thrilled to see what the future holds in store for the automotive world whether it be an innovative new technology or just a really exciting production-friendly design (since the Ford Interceptor was previewed here last week, we decided to focus on the other concepts this time despite looks - and the possibility of coming to fruition - that would easily rank it at the top of this list).

(click on each vehicle name for a high resolution image that would double as a great desktop background)

1) Chevy Camaro convertible – The all-new Camaro is quickly becoming one of the most anticipated new cars ever. The fact that leaked images of the 2009 Camaro coupe, used for the Bumblebee character, are making their way off the set of the upcoming “Transformers” movie is a testament to how popular this car is. Still more than a couple years away, Chevrolet is keeping the fire hot by showing the convertible version of its concept car. During the show, Chevy execs stated that the production version and the concepts will be hard to differentiate. With bright orange paint covered by two thick racing stripes, the latest Camaro concept will be hard to miss at the show.

2) Honda Accord Coupe – With Toyota dropping out of the midsize coupe segment and Nissan just getting started, it wouldn’t seem that Honda would be willing to take a risk in redesigning its bread-and-butter Accord coupe. The Honda Accord Coupe Concept shows the direction that the next generation Accord will be heading. This concept is said to be approximately 90 percent accurate to what the final road-ready model will look like and will be a stark departure from Accord designs of the past.

3) Lincoln MKR – Lincoln has become a diluted luxury brand due to existing as rebadged Ford models and using uninspiring designs. With the MKR, Lincoln hopes to once again compete with Cadillac, Mercedes and BMW in the luxury segment. The whole design is new and a fresh break from current Lincolns if it actually makes it to reality. The large sculpted grille flows back into the long hood and curvaceous fenders which hide the twin-turbo V6. A hint of the previous Mark VIII can be noticed in the rear haunches of the concept. If the MKR makes it to production, Ford’s efforts to revamp the Lincoln brand image have a great starting point.

4) Mitsubishi Prototype X – Mitsubishi’s Prototype X may look strikingly similar to the all-new Lancer that was shown at the L.A. Auto Show and for good reason. This is the concept version of the all-new Lancer Evolution X. Meaning that gaping grille that seems to be inspired by a whale shark will be swallowing up your rearview mirror in the near future. Everything appears to be close to production specs for the next generation road-pounding Evolution. All-wheel and a high-horsepower, turbocharged engine will continue to highlight Mitsubishi’s factory tuner car.

5) Lexus LF-A – Lexus’ LF-A concept shows the company’s desire to enter the high-performance luxury market to compete against the likes of the BMW M6 and the Mercedes SL-class. The concept is highlighted by a long hood, swept back windshield and a short decklid. The giant air intakes just aft of the doors give an aggressive and stylish look to Lexus’ newest concept. The LF-A will be designed to reach the 200 mph mark.

6) Chevy Volt – The gas-electric hybrid is so 2006! The new wave is the plug-in hybrid which is featured in many new concepts this year including the Chevrolet Volt. Plug-in hybrids run primarily on electric and use combustion engines only as a generator to recharge the batteries which is only needed for trips of more than 40 miles. The plug-in part is self-explanatory as it uses a standard home electric outlet to help charge the batteries during down time.

7) Chrysler Nassau – The last Chrysler Nassau concept turned out to be a thinly disguised version of the 300 sedan which became a huge hit for Chrysler. The company is hoping for similar success with the hatchback styling of the new Nassau concept. It is hard to define what the Nassau is exactly - maybe a luxury sedan-crossover-hatchback? The design elements of the Nassau make it look similar to something that could easily compete against BMW’s 5-series including the Hemi engine and rear-wheel drive.

8) Volvo XC60 – Sport crossover coupe? A low slung, sporty SUV that features a coupe-like look thanks to the pillar-less side windows. The XC60 has four doors but its uninterrupted window and raking roofline fit a coupe’s profile. With this segment still rather untapped by many manufacturers, the XC60 probably won’t beat the upcoming BMW X6 into production but should compete rather well. Volvo’s XC60 concept, which shares the same platform as the S80 sedan, shows the direction Volvo is taking with their new vehicles.

9) Jeep Trailhawk - While some manufacturers are going with retro styling for their newer car designs, Jeep is going with a “retro” idea for a modern looking vehicle. The days of assuming off-road capabilities in an SUV are long gone. The Jeep Trailhawk looks to reverse that. In a market flooded with crossover SUVs that sacrificed ground clearance for passenger comfort, the Jeep Trailhawk shares its chassis with the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited to offer a rugged look without skimping on interior space.

10) Toyota FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept – Leave it to Toyota to develop a sports coupe that features hybrid technology. While the design of the FT-HS Hybrid Sports Concept could be a sign of things to come, say an upcoming Supra rebirth, the concept is more of a statement from Toyota that performance cars can be fast and economical. Design-wise, the most intriguing aspect of the FT-HS is the retractable roof. More similar to a targa top than a full convertible, the roof and back glass retract down over the rear seats to make for an open-aired, two-seat roadster without giving up the safety characteristics of a having a full roof.

“Coulda been a contender” of the auto show

The beautiful Jaguar C-XF concept could have easily rivaled the Camaro for the top spot, but didn't even make our final top 10. Why? Like all the other A-list celebrities present during the auto show’s opening gala, before the doors opened to the public the elegant Jaguar was whisked away to more intimate events. No matter how beautiful you are, you should stick around for the whole show. And speaking of beautiful, the C-XF shows what Jaguar has in store for its conservatively styled S-type sedan with design cues similar to the popular XK coupe. Aimed to compete with the Mercedes CLS coupe, this Jaguar concept has more curves than the S-type could even dream about seeing. From the long, sleek hood to the high beltline and small windows, the C-XF looks fast while standing still.