Concept Cars
LA 2018: Audi e-tron GT Concept
The latest Audi e-tron concept just landed at the 2018 LA Auto Show, packing nearly 600 electrified horsepower and nearly 250 miles of range into a sleek and slink four door coupe. There’s more to this Audi concept that usual, though, because this car is going to make it to production. Really. Bad news for EV fans, though– this Audi e-tron will probably make its production debut as a replacement for the aging Audi TT and Audi S5 coupes. At launch, they’ll probably be powered by internal combustion engines of one type or another. That’s my guess, anyway. What do you guys think? Is Audi going to bring this gorgeous, gorgeous e-tron coupe to market as a pure EV right off the bat, like Kia did with the 2020 Soul, or will the electric version have to wait a few years? Re...
Lancia Almost Became the Italian Tesla Last Year
Following the sudden death of Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne a few weeks ago, lots of people have been sharing stories about the man credited for saving Fiat/Chrysler and revitalizing Ferrari’s F1 team. This one, though, was the most interesting. Apparently, there was a $50 million plan in place to revive the storied Lancia brand with an all-electric version of the 2004 Lancia Fulvia concept shown, above– and it was already funded. According to Italian paper, il Giornale, executive Gianfranco Pizzuto had put together enough funding to build 2000-2500 Lancia Fulvia electrics per year, and presented that plan to Fiat’s board in December of 2017. It seems like this would have involved a bit of Fisker Karma-sourced technology, too (Pizzuto was an early investor in Fisker), but th...
Fun in the Sun: Fiat 500 Spiaggina Concept
Despite hovering at or near the bottom of the barrel in terms of reliability and build quality, there is plenty to love about the little Fiat 500. It was a sellout success when it initially returned to the US, it gets decent fuel economy, is easy to park, and the styling would only fail to bring a smile to your face if you were truly dead inside. Still, sales of the 500 have slowed– but they might kick back up again if Fiat puts its new Spiaggina concept into production! “Spiaggina” can be loosely translated to mean “beach buggy”, and you can see why. The Fiat 500 Spiaggina concept has no roof, a low-cut windshield, a boat barchetta inspired, teak-lined cargo area, and a fun, hose-it-out interior. There’s even a shower hose so you can wash the sand off y...
By Women, For Everyone: Volvo YCC Concept
Make no mistake, the car business is a boy’s club. That’s changing, sure, and executives like Mary Barra, the CEO of General Motors, are leading that charge- but there’s still a long way to go. Way back in 2002, Volvo decided to ask, “What if we built a car that was totally designed by women?” Marti Barletta, a marketing expert who specializes in female consumer spending, claimed that, “If you meet the expectations of women, you exceed the expectations of men.” So, what did the women do? They created the Volvo YCC (for “Your Concept Car”) shown, here. It was small and sporty, but with plenty of cargo room and a number of innovative storage solutions scattered throughout the car. It was, in my opinion, incredibly well-conceived and thoug...
Audi Brings Level 4 And Level 5 Autonomous Concepts To Frankfurt
Audi has two autonomous electric car concepts at the Frankfurt auto show -- Elaine, an update of the e-tron sportback last seen in Shanghai, and the Aicon, a full Level 5 self driving luxury machine for those who have it and want to flaunt it.
Updated Volkswagen I.D. Crozz On Display At Frankfurt Auto Show
The Volkswagen I.D. Crozz electric crossover concept is on display at the 2017 Frankfurt auto show. It is expected to go on sale in 2020.
Honda Urban EV Concept And Smart Power Sharing System At Frankfurt Auto Show
Honda is late to the electric car party. Like most of its fellow Japanese car companies, it has been chasing the fuel cell chimera while Tesla was busy turning the automotive industry upside down with innovative electric cars. Now Honda is playing catch up. At the Frankfurt auto show this week, it is presenting two new products — the Honda Urban EV Concept and a Smart Power Sharing system. Of the two, the second may be the most important. Honda Urban EV Concept Looking a little like the original Volkswagen Rabbit, the Honda Urban EV Concept is a three door hatchback designed to transport four people. “This is not some vision of the distant future. A production version of this car will be here in Europe in 2019,” Honda CEO told the press at the Frankfurt auto show. The Concept is bui...
Jaguar Says Electric XK-E Is A “Concept.” What Does That Mean?
Jaguar Land Rover Classics will bring its XK-E Zero electric concept car to the Frankfurt auto show next week.
Jeep Yuntu 7 Passenger Plug-In Hybrid SUV For China
The Jeep Yuntu concept is a plug-in hybrid with room for 7 passengers. That's about all we know about it, although it may be a hint about what future Jeeps in America may look like.
Ford Bringing These 4 New SUVs to the US by 2020
Ford announced that they'd be launching 4 new SUVs in the next 4 years in segments they don't currently compete in. They didn't tell us, but they didn't ahve to - we already know what they are!
Kia Telluride Concept Is What A Big SUV Should Be
The Kia Telluride SUV Concept is a big, roomy, stylish full size utility vehicle. It has a 400 horsepower plug-in hybrid powertrain and room for 7 passengers wearing hats.
Volkswagen BUDD-e Is An Electric People Mover With 250 Mile Range
Volkswagen showcased its BUDD-e concept vehicle at the Consumer Electronics Show this week. It has a 101 kWh battery and about 250 miles of range. It is built on VW's new modular chassis for electric cars.