This year’s concepts, just like the latest production models on show, are all about luxury, speed, environmental consideration and crossover appeal.
The Aston Martin DBX Concept
One of the very few surprises at this year’s show – an Aston Martin that’s got four-wheel drive, is a crossover, seats four in comfort, and is propelled forward by batteries, rather than a V12 engine. Company boss Dr Andy Palmer says that part of the idea behind the concept is to make Aston appealing to new types of client, particularly women.
Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6
Described as the vision for the marque’s future, this is a seriously fast, seriously luxurious two-seat coupé and one that, if introduced as a production model, would sit alongside the company’s existing range of cars.
Nissan Sway Concept
The Japanese company has finally called time on the quirky bubbly shape of the Micra and realized that cutting-edge design is something all drivers of all types of car desire. It even makes a Ford Fiesta look old fashioned.
The Seat 20V20 Concept Car
This concept serves as an appetizer for a main course that the company is going to serve as early as 2016 – an off-roader (its first ever) that takes styling cues from the Leon. But that’s not all, going forward all new Seats will be designed to look like the Leon, which is now its most popular car.
Lexus LF-SA Concept
This car looks like it’s been chiselled from a lump of metal by a Cylon from TV show “Battlestar Galactica,” but its love it or hate it styling should be embraced. Why can’t a small car have a personality as well as offer practicality. This is only a concept but it shows that Lexus really wants to bring a luxurious competitor to a market currently dominated by the Mini, Fiat 500 and Audi A1.
Quant Quantino
The company behind the Quantino, nanoFLOWCELL claims to have found a way of making electric cars as potent as their gas rivals and capable of traveling almost as far between charges. The Quantino is compact with room for four, is capable of travellng 620 miles on a single charge and of achieving a top speed of 124mph. Unlike other concepts from the company, nanoFLOWCELL claims that the Quantino will be hitting the road for real before the end of 2015.
DS Divine
Ok, the Divine made its debut at the Paris autoshow but it still looks just as good six months later. Newly independent brand DS has made it clear that this car is simply a mobile mood board to signpost future design direction. The Divine won’t be going into production. That’s a huge pity.
Volkswagen Sport Coupe GTE concept
The car, which gets high marks for its looks, also signals VW’s intention to continue with its CC line of four-door coupés that blend practicality with excitement.
The Infiniti QX30 Concept
This infinitely smaller than normal Infiniti is the clearest sign yet that luxury carmakers are moving their focus to the small crossover segment. The QX3à shows that Infiniti’s design language does transfer easily on to a smaller vehicle and the level of fit, finish and trim suggests that this car is ready to go into production.
The Kahn Design Flying Huntsman 110WB 6×6
What sets this apart from a host of customized off-roaders on show at this year’s event — apart from its six wheels — is that Kahn has built a new body for the car, one with a much longer hood and a panoramic glass roof. The windshield angle is also more rakish and the interior a huge step up on the standard Defender in every way. If it ever goes into production, armor plating will be on the options list.