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2009 Detroit Auto Show Concept Cars

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• The Audi Sportback proves that hatchbacks aren't just for college students. The sleek, coupe-like sillhouete of the luxury car belying the fuel-efficient diesel engine underneath that gets 40 miles per gallon.
• The Cadillac Converj is a vision of what an upscale version of the Chevy Volt could be, and it looks good. Using the same Voltec extended range electric powertrain as the Volt, the Converj may go up to 40 miles in battery powered luxury if it makes it into production.
• If the Chrysler Sebring had looked like this midsize sedan, the Chrysler 200C EV probably wouldn't need to exist. As it is, the latest concept to feature Chrysler's ENVI range-extended electric powertrain is one of the best looking cars the company has ever designed. You can show it off for 40 miles on batteries alone, with a gasoline engine giving it a total range of 400 miles.
• If the Dodge Circuit EV looks familar, that's because it is the company's battery powered version of a Lotus, similar in concept to the Tesla Roadster. The all electric sports car can go 150-200 miles very quickly between charging. Chrysler promises that it will have an electric car on the road in 2010, but not which one. If the company is still around then, this will be the one.
• While technically a concept, orders are already being taken for the Fisker Sunset. If it makes it into production, it will be the world's first convertible hybrid vehicle, powered by the same drivetrain as the production Fisker Karma sedan also introduced at the show.
• The Jeep Patriot EV is a range-extended electric version of the compact crossover. You can explore 40 miles of the great outdoors without any emissions, then kick in the gasoline motor for the 350 mile trip home.
• Introduced at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show in November, the Kia Soul isn't even in showrooms yet, but the company is already taking the lid off of a possible variant. The Kia Soulster is a Jeep-like version of the compact crossover, with the roof and sides peeled off for open air motoring.
• Lincoln says the C Concept was designed for "today's upscale urban commuter." Too bad there aren't as many of them as there were last year. The compact design, combined with a fuel efficient turbocharged engine and dual-clutch transmission is good for 43 miles per gallon.
• This very green Mercedes-Benz BlueZero E-Cell is an all electric car that can travel 60 miles on a charge. The E-Cell Plus version is a plug-in hybrid version, with a supplemental gasoline engine to extend the range to 375 miles. The F-Cell uses a hydrogen powered fuel cell instead. No word on a G-Cell gasoline only version.
• Despite the Ultimate Silver paint job that makes it look like a Cylon from "Battlestar Galactica", there's nothing futuristic about the Subaru Legacy Concept. That's OK, because it's a tribute to 20 years of Legacy production in the United States.
• Toyota says it will have an electric car in showrooms by 2012. The Toyota FT-EV is a preview of what that car might be like. With a 50 mile driving range and a top speed of 70 miles per hour, you may want to get your long road trips out of the way before then.
• Ready for a roadtrip? A really long road trip? The Volkswagen Concept Bluesport is a diesel-powered roadster that gets 42 miles per gallon, letting you drive 710 miles on a tankful.
• No, you're not about to be overtaken by Lief Ericson, but the Volvo S60 Concept does feature images of viking longboats in its headlights, along with a crystal center console that flows from the dashboard to the rear seats like a waterfall feeding into a fjord. A 1.8 liter turbodiesel engine combines with the sleek body for a fuel economy rating of 47 miles per gallon. The 2010 S60 will look a lot like it, but don't expect any boats or breakable things in the cabin.