Predicting the future of automobiles
Fox Car Report checks out some of the concept cars on display at the Detroit Auto Show
You don’t see too many pie-in-the-sky concept cars at auto shows these days. Automakers instead focusing their efforts on styling exercises with clear production intent. With that in mind, here are some of the cars of the not so distant future on display at the 2013 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.
An update of a concept that first debuted at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, the NSX Concept takes Acura’s futuristic new supercar one step closer to the production version that is expected to go on sale in 2015. The two-seat coupe features an all-wheel-drive hybrid powertrain anchored by a mid-mounted V6 engine and is being developed in the United States where it will also be built.
A preview of one possible look for a future Genesis luxury sedan, the V8-powered HCD-14 features suicide-style rear doors and an infotainment system that tracks the retinas of your eyes and movement of your right hand, which allows you to choose functions by simply looking at them on a screen and control them by moving your hand.
It may be the meanest looking off-road truck at the show, but the 800 hp X-Trux is also one of the greenest with a projected 70 mpg fuel economy rating courtesy of a plug-in hybrid powertrain similar to the one in the Chevrolet Volt.
The Corolla is one of the best-selling cars in America and the world, but it’s never been much to look at. That could change for the next generation of the compact if potential customers show a liking for the edgy, dramatic styling of the Furia concept.
With multifaceted styling inspired by the “innovation era” and a “VIP lounge” interior design, the hybrid-powered Resonance is a preview of Nissan crossovers to come, and makes the automaker’s funky Juke look almost conventional.
The flowing lines, elegant interior and double-bow grille of Lincoln’s take on the popular Ford Escape compact crossover are almost certainly destined for showrooms soon as the company looks to expand its lineup into this increasingly popular segment.
A new Honda Fit subcompact is on the way next year, and it will be joined by a stylish crossover model that will slot in under the CR-V in Honda’s lineup. Expect hidden rear door handles for a coupe-like look and the Fit’s signature folding “magic seat” for functionality.
Far from the most futuristic-looking concept at the show, Volkswagen’s first three-row SUV nevertheless gets a high-tech plug-in hybrid diesel powertrain good for the equivalent of 89 mpg when operating electric mode and 35 mpg as a hybrid.