Concept Cars


LA 2009: Audi e-tron, orange you terribly sad it was repainted

We weren't exactly electrified by Audi's e-tron concept when it debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show in blazing red paint this past September, but we did like the color. So, when the e-tron reappeared at the LA Auto Show this week wearing orange... bummer. As a refresh, the e-tron concept uses four electric motors with a combined output of 313 horsepower (and a mind-boggling 3,319 lb-ft of torque) to move its 3,527-pound mass to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds. More impressive is its rolling acceleration from 37-75 mph in just 4.1 seconds. The top ... Read more →

LA 2009: MINI Coupe & Roadster Concepts are so LA

Mini brought its birthday presents to itself out to the LA Auto Show for their North American debut today. The Cambden and Mayfair were there, but we spent a lot more time ogling the Coupe and ...

LA 2009: Honda P-NUT concept gets cracked open

Turns out that the Honda P-NUT is not some sort of twist on the UX-3 unicycle thing we saw in Tokyo recently. Instead, the concept vehicle is a three-seat thing enclosed in lots of glass and ...

The Amatoya: Meet the next generation of fire fighting vehicles

Designer Liam Ferguson's vision of how to fight fires almost makes us wish we were firemen – as long as we could have the keys to one of these. The Amatoya is a site recon and light tanker ...

Flight of the Alcador: Franco Sbarro unveils Ferrari Testarossa-based Lista Office in Essen

If you thought that last remaining piece of lasagna at the food court looked iffy, remember that's not even the most suspicious concoction to bear the Sbarro banner. Franco Sbarro rivals even his ...

Essen 2009: AC Schnitzer gives BMW 123d the police package treatment [w/VIDEO] 4 days ago on Autoblog

High performance vehicles like Porsche 911s being used for pursuit duty on Germany's autobahn is nothing new. As such, in order order to grab the attention of Essen Motor Show attendees, the Tune It Safe! program's annual police-liveried show car needs to go a step further. Past efforts have ...

REPORT: New Lexus small car may be headed for U.S. by 2012 - perhaps sooner 12 days ago on Autoblog

Lexus introduced its LF-Ch concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September and it's believed to be a shoe-in for production for the European market. However, in a new Detroit Bureau interview with the brand's general manager, Mark Templin, it is confirmed that Lexus is seriously considering ...

CR&S DUU Concept is a mototerminator for the rest of us 23 days ago on Autoblog

Those of you who had the stomach to sit through Terminator Salvation with your eyes open will remember the mototerminators that launched themselves from the legs of the giant collectors. Those were actually based on Ducatis, but if you fancied the look of them, then Italian bike builder CR&S ...

First Look: Bugatti 16C Galibier Concept 23 days ago on Autoblog

Fine Art Masquerading As A Sedan Bugatti invited us to the first unveiling of its new 16C Galibier Concept on U.S. soil at a special event in Southern California last week. While we have all seen the press images from its debut in Molsheim last month, the select in-person preview gave us an ...

BREAKING: Detroit News says GM will build Cadillac Converj 23 days ago on Autoblog

After much hemming and hawing, General Motors will reportedly build a version of the Cadillac Converj, the gorgeous but awkwardly named extended-range coupe concept first shown at last year's Detroit Auto Show. According to The Detroit News, the Converj will probably take a few years to reach ...

The Tony Fox "Proud American" and "Bonneville Boss" Rocket Truck 24 days ago on Autoblog

Before our favorite weekly Southern California car gathering this Saturday, we had been told by a friend that he'd be bringing his new rocket truck. Rocket truck? What the heck's a rocket truck? Visions of rocket-powered pickups and semis running the quarter mile immediately came to mind. Did some ...

SEMA 2009: What we didn't get to cover 26 days ago on Autoblog

Every year at SEMA, we fill the week with posts featuring special vehicles and products that we felt were important enough to share. Generally, they are the most newsworthy projects and new model introductions, but sometimes they are just things that caught our eye. When all is said and done, we ...

SEMA 2009: WD-40 Camaro looks cool, needs more stickers 27 days ago on Autoblog

With a 600-horsepower, 6.2-liter V8 residing underhood, we'd happily spray ourselves into the seats of this WD-40 showcar. The legendary lubricant company actually contracted a slew of top-shelf builders to do the custom outfitting, they just sponsored it. Either way, this blue-and-yellow 2010 ...

SEMA 2009: Mazda introduces us to a happy couple, inspires 3-some 27 days ago on Autoblog

For SEMA 2009, Mazda introduced us to a pair of the happiest Mazda3 derivatives we've ever seen. Part Le Mans-winning 787B tribute, part rolling showcase (for their Mazda accessories catalog) and part 40th anniversary present to itself, this couple with their odd, knowing smiles was pretty easy ...

SEMA 2009: HTT Plethore LC-750, yet another ambitious supercar startup 28 days ago on Autoblog

"I'm not an engineer. I'm an electrician," Luc Chartrand admits through his thick Quebecois accent. I believe him. Chartrand, a former karting and stock-car driver, is the lone designer, engineer and founder of HTT, a Montreal-based supercar upstart, unveiling the first prototype of his 11-year ...

SEMA 2009: The mid-engine RM460 Hyundai Genesis Coupe has landed 29 days ago on Autoblog

It's arrived. Finally. The wickedly awesome Rhys Millen Racing mid-engine V8 version the Hyundai Genesis Coupe is here, and it took every fiber of our being not to hop in and drive it off the SEMA show floor. The RM460 is why we're in Sin City -- it's the embodiment of the originality and ...

SEMA 2009: A quintet of concept Scions leaves us hungry for more 29 days ago on Autoblog

Just like last year, Scion had a group of tuners develop a whole range of models for SEMA 2009. Clustered in one corner of the Central Hall, the group included the Brandon Leung pickup and 0-60 Rally xD we showed you earlier, as well as another handful of tricked out Toyota lites. First up ...

Mexico's Cimex Conin concept renderings looks like a Latino Lambo LM002 29 days ago on Autoblog

Though automakers too numerous to list operate plants and build cars in Mexico, the country South of the Border doesn't really have a homegrown auto industry to speak of. One model doesn't exactly constitute as an "industry," but the Cimex Conin concept certainly seems like a step in the right ...

SEMA 2009: Handful of Chevy Camaro concepts preview new options 29 days ago on Autoblog

While GM didn't bring a production Chevrolet Camaro convertible to SEMA, it did bring a handful of Camaro Coupe Concepts that offer a preview of things to come for the recently resurrected pony car. Besides the twin-turbo V6 Jay Leno Camaro we profiled earlier, we got to see Snergy, Chroma, ...

SEMA 2009: 0-60 takes the Scion xD rallying 29 days ago on Autoblog

Screw convention! Why do you have to build a rally car out of something sporty? Or powerful? Or off-road-worthy? According to 0-60 magazine at least, you don't have to. You can build a rally car out of just about anything. Take this Scion xD for instance. It's probably among the last cars you'd ...

SEMA 2009: Brandon Leung's Scion xB channels Bonneville circa 1955 29 days ago on Autoblog

When we look at a Scion xB we tend to think of a lot of things, few of which are very flattering. One thing we definitely don't think of is a Bonneville Salt Flats bike hauler from the '50s, until now. That's probably why we're bloggers and not designers. Fortunately for us there is Brandon ...

SEMA 2009: Breaker, breaker, we got ourselves a Bandit 29 days ago on Autoblog

Last year in Las Vegas, graphic designer Kevin Morgan showed off the first Trans Am rebody of the new Camaro at SEMA 2008. This year he is back with T/A version 2.0 for SEMA 2009. While the original "Phoenix" T/A 1.0 had the Bandit color combo we know and love, a few of the details were off in ...

SEMA 2009: Jay Leno Camaro a pre-emptive strike against EcoBoost 'Stang 29 days ago on Autoblog

What do you get the guy who has everything? For SEMA 2009, GM decided to go with the less-is-more approach and built Jay Leno his own special Camaro... with less. Less cylinders at any rate, as this V6 special more than makes up for its lack of firing pots by adding a pair of turbochargers. ...

REPORT: Mini's future models roadmapped 1 month ago on Autoblog

If you'll please forgive us our one tired cliché of the day... BMW has big plans in store for its smallest brand. In this case, quite literally as the next model that comes from Mini will reportedly be the long-expected Countryman crossover, which we can expect to hit the market in the ...

Chevrolet releases 50th Anniversary Corvette Stingray Concept. Again. 1 month ago on Autoblog

It's perfectly common for an automaker to release details and photos of a concept car in the months or weeks ramping up to its official debut at a major auto show. Not so much several months later, though. So you can imagine our confusion as to why Chevrolet has revealed the 50th Anniversary ...

Suzuki dresses up a Kizashi for Halloween 1 month ago on Autoblog

The boys and girls at Suzuki got into the Halloween spirit and dressed up a new Kizashi to celebrate the day. So what kind of costume would you put on a new sedan that aspires to redefine the company and show that this small carmaker can play with the big boys? Much like a kid who slaps a ...

The Lingenfelter 455 T/A Concept really is badass 1 month ago on Autoblog

Car and Driver is the first outlet to post real live photos of the SEMA-bound Lingenfelter 455 T/A Concept. By taking the looks of the '70 Trans Am and adapting them to the new Chevrolet Camaro, Lingenfelter has created something that will have you playing "What if.." scenarios regarding Pontiac ...

Many Happy Returns? Russian designer pens Maserati Kuba concept 1 month ago on Autoblog

It was only a few years ago, but how quickly we forget. Maserati actually toyed with the idea of building a crossover back in 2003, even going so far as to unveil a concept for the project called the Kubang GT Wagon at the Detroit Auto Show. The shape was penned by Giugiaro's ItalDesign, but ...

Mitsubishi sketches out Concept-cX-influenced compact crossover for 2010 1 month ago on Autoblog

It's been two years since Mitsubishi took the wraps off its Concept-cX crossover at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, but before we see the production version at next year's Geneva Motor Show, Mitsubishi has released a teaser sketch of its all-new compact CUV. Aimed at competing with segment ...

BMW creates an M5 CSL, and no, you can't have it 1 month ago on Autoblog

To celebrate 25 years of the M5, BMW has created a one-off version of the E60 super saloon that Albert Biermann, head of BMW's M division calls, "the M5 CSL we never built." The transformation began with a modified version of the standard M5's 5.0-liter V10, which has been stroked to ...

SEMA Preview: Street Concepts to create custom painted Hyundai Genesis on show floor 1 month ago on Autoblog

Over the years, thousands of cars with custom paint jobs have littered the floor at the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. But almost all of them arrive already painted and ready to show. At next week's SEMA Show in Las Vegas, however, Street Concepts will be ...

Rendered for Your Pleasure: Subaru WRX-powered Kickboxer motorcycle concept 1 month ago on Autoblog

There's a longstanding tradition of using horizontally-opposed boxer engines in motorcycles – and not just from BMW – the flat configuration has found a home in a slew of two-wheelers ranging from Russia's Ural to the current Honda Goldwing. So, it's not too much of a stretch to ...

Toyota Celica or Scion tC? Toyota reportedly deliberating over production FT-86 nameplate 1 month ago on Autoblog

Although the Toyota FT-86, freshly unveiled at the Tokyo Motor Show, is billed strictly as a concept car, we're fully expecting the rear-wheel-drive coupe to foreshadow a new production car from Toyota. The question on everyone's lips, then, is what Toyota will call the final version when it ...

Tokyo 2009: Toyota FT-EV II concept features funky looks, zero emissions 1 month ago on Autoblog

Toyota has revealed its latest plug-in electric concept car here at the Tokyo Motor Show. The FT-EV II is a followup to the iQ-based FT-EV that we saw in Detroit earlier this year but appears to be a ground-up design that takes advantage of the electric drive architecture. The iQ is promoted as ...

Tokyo 2009: Mazda RX-500 still awesome nearly 40 years later 1 month ago on Autoblog

One of the coolest concept cars here at the Tokyo Motor Show isn't even new. In fact, it's almost forty years old. Originally displayed at the Tokyo show in 1970, this Mazda RX-500 Concept features styling similar to the legendary Ferrari 250 GTO Breadvan, gullwing doors that swing forward, and ...

Tokyo 2009: Daihatsu's Deca Deca concept is the most popular "super box" in the world 1 month ago on Autoblog

Daihatsu has a way with words: the company calls its Deca Deca concept a "super box," and we'll call it a super super box. A funky little piece of chunk, the Deca Deca has a flat floor – and a flat everything else -- along with pillarless doors that render the interior absolutely ...








Autoblog Podcast #155: 'Twas the night before LA...

Chris, Dan, and Editor Paukert go over some LA Preview action and quietly whoop it up on the podcast.

 
 

Featured Galleries

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  • LA 2009: 2010 Volkswagen Beetle
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  • 2011 Hyundai Sonata

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