Concept Cars

Honda's AC-X is a plug-in hybrid concept that at first glance appears to be relatively conservative. It is not conservative in the least, and when the vehicle's full capabilities are unveiled in Tokyo a few weeks from now, we expect it to have front and rear bumpers which raise and lower to offer better aerodynamics depending on the speed, an autonomous or semi-autonomous driving mode which does not require the driver to steer, a radical smart key device and some very interesting 3D GPS displays which stretch right across the dashboard to give the passenger an unprecedented view of the surroundings. Read More

Hollywood is not only famous for movies, but for showing us motor cars as they should be. James Bond's gadget-laden Aston Martin DB5, the magical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Bullitt's indestructible Ford Mustang, Marty McFly's time-traveling Delorean and all of the incarnations of the Batmobile - these are the cars we walk into the dealer's showroom hoping to see, but never do. They exist nowhere except on the screen or as movie props. So what will become "Hollywood's hottest new movie car"? That's the question posed to automotive designers in the 2011 L.A. Auto Show Design Challenge. Drawing on the latest technology, decades of design experience and a healthy dose of imagination, here's how designers from major car companies have met this cinematic challenge. Read More

Nissan is the latest auto manufacturer to declare its hand in the lead up to the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show with the announcement that a new version of the PIVO electric concept car will take center stage. The PIVO 3 will be joined at the Nissan stand by two other concept electric vehicles, a light commercial van prototype and smart house technology that allows a Nissan LEAF's batteries to supply a home with electricity. Read More

Subaru's biggest announcement for next month's Tokyo Motor Show was expected to be the BRZ sports car, but now news has arrived that it will also show an “Advanced Tourer Concept” powered by its trademark horizontally-opposed engine and Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive (AWD), but with turbocharging and direct fuel injection, plus a single-motor hybrid system, all driving through a Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). Paradoxically Subaru has fitted the car with its EyeSight driver assist system, and a steering wheel which incorporates a “large monitor” for access to “maps, television and internet services.” Perhaps news about the carnage resulting from distracted driving hasn't reached Japan yet. Read More

It feels like we've been waiting for Subaru's BRZ concept forever. The BRZ is a joint development effort between Toyota and Subaru, using a 2.0 liter version of Subaru's signature horizontally-opposed engine with Toyota's direct injection system. Toyota will sell the car as the FT-86 which it showed as a concept two years ago at the Tokyo Motor Show and has since shown with revised styling. The near identical BRZ concept will be seen for the first time at the Los Angeles Auto Show two weeks from now and can be expected in showrooms in the United States spring of 2012. Read More

Mazda will roll-out a new midsize sedan concept at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show next month. The company will showcase its first regenerative braking system as part of the world premiere of the Mazda TAKERI, which is also equipped with a SKYACTIV-D diesel engine and an i-stop idling stop system. Read More

Last year, GM unveiled its EN-V (Electric Networked-Vehicle) concept in three flavors conceived by design teams around the world. In an effort to ascertain the real-world practicality of the two-seat, electric urban mobility concept, GM has begun work on the next-generation EN-V concept vehicle that the company plans to test in pilot demonstration programs in megacities around the world. Read More

Among the huge list of Concept Cars taking to the revolving stage in Frankfurt this week is Volvo's Concept You. Put forward as a design study for the company's next large sedan, the You takes on an elongated "fastback profile" and crams some ambitious tech ideas into the cockpit while piling on the luxury trimmings, from suede roof lining all the way down to wooden floors covered in hand-tufted carpet. Read More

Land Rover has taken the wraps off its already controversial DC100 Concept in Frankfurt ... and it has a stablemate - the convertible DC100 Sport. The Concepts are intended to float new ideas and spark debate on the design of the next-gen Defender which is slated for production 2015. Land Rover has also tossed-up some interesting possibilities as to what sort of high-tech kit might find a home in future models. Read More