Concept vehicles were abundant at this year’s Detroit Auto Show, showing off all sorts of new and upcoming technology.
Wild designs and hypothetical powertrains with lots of ponies are the main components of concept cars, along with offering a glimpse into the future of a given brand’s designs. From Toyota to Volvo, every brand dabbles in the world of concept cars, and more than 10 different companies had a concept display this year.
SEE ALSO: 2014 Detroit Auto Show Coverage
Read on to take a look at some of the wildest concepts from this year’s Detroit Auto Show.
Volkswagen brought a pair of concepts to the show this year, one of which pays homage to the classic baja bug. The VW Beetle Dune Concept builds on the Beetle R-Line sporting a 210 hp turbocharged four-cylinder engine.
This concept is all about off-roading, and to help prepare the Beetle for the sand, the overall length has grown by 0.5 inches to 168.9 inches and the car is both 2.0 inches higher off the ground and 0.8 inches taller. Aluminum spoke 19-inch wheels and 255/45 tires are fitted to the Dune complete with black-painted inserts and polished aluminum rims.
Additionally, the entire underbody of this concept is covered up with protective cladding to make sure that nothing undesirable tries to slow this Beetle’s roll.
GALLERY: VW Dune Live Shots
An all-new version of the classic Mini Cooper was revealed this year, and that means that a high-performance John Cooper Works version will arrive soon, which is why Mini brought a new JCW Concept to the Detroit Auto Show.
The JCW Concept looks the part of a performance machine with added side skirts, a rear apron as well as a new rear diffuser. Stiffer springs and high-performance brakes round out the package.
What’s going on under the hood is still a mystery, but rumors suggest that the car will be powered by a small turbo four-cylinder that will make in excess of 210 hp and hustle this little car to 60 mph in under six seconds.
GALLERY: 2015 MINI John Cooper Works Concept Live Photos
Though Acura is dubbing it a concept, the TLX that rolled on stage in Detroit looks ready to hit the streets.
This car will slot in between the ILX and the RLX completing Acura’s three sedan lineup. It adopts classic Acura styling attributes with no surprises coming in the looks department. Jewel eye headlights can be found on the front end along with the brand’s famous Acura beak.
An all-new pair of transmissions are going to be available with the TLX, a dual-clutch eight speed unit or a standard automatic nine-speed. A new 2.4-liter four-cylinder will come mated to the eight-speed DCT, while a 3.5-liter V6 gains the new nine-speed automatic.
GALLERY: 2015 Acura TLX Concept
SEE ALSO: 2015 Acura TLX Specs
Audi brought a new crossover coupe to Detroit this year with the Allroad Shooting Brake Concept.
Powering the tall little wagon is a plug-in hybrid powertrain that makes 408 hp and 479 lb-ft of torque, allowing the Allroad Concept to travel a total of 509 miles. The gas-burning part of the equation is a small two-liter unit which is mated to a pair of electric motors.
Audi designed this concept to be youthful and attractive to a younger clientele who lead an active lifestyle.
GALLERY: Audi Allroad Shooting Brake Concept
Volvo brought out the Concept XC Coupe to Detroit this year, showcasing the design direction that the new XC90 SUV will take.
One of the more tame concepts from the show, the XC Coupe has an understated elegance rather than a boisterous design. Details are sparse, but we do know that it is based on Volvo’s scalable product architecture, a platform that will underpin a variety of Volvo vehicles in the future.
SEE ALSO: Ford Mustang, Volvo Concept Win Detroit Design Awards
It is made up of high-strength boron steel and supposedly affords world-class safety without compromising design, size or weight.
The Concept XC Coupe was also named as the best design for a concept car from the entire show.
GALLERY: Volvo Concept XC Coupe Live Shots
With a radical design, the Nissan Sport Sedan Concept is meant to preview what we will see from the new Maxima.
The concept features a long, low sloping roofline and Nissan’s “V-Motion” front end. Character lines are found throughout the concept especially on the large muscular hood and the roof is designed to appear as though it is floating. Out back, boomerang taillights are fitted.
A 300-hp V6 will provide this car with its power, but it will be routed through a CVT, further hinting that this is a new Maxima, as no self-respecting sports car would hook up to one of these transmissions.
GALLERY: Nissan Sport Sedan Concept
This is not the first time we have seen the Nissan IDx Concept, but it made enough of an impression to be included on this list.
This little concept is a perfect competitor for the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ, as it has many of the same attributes. It is light weight with the engine in the front, sending power to the rear-wheels. It is also a small sports car like the FR-S, coming in at 13.5 feet in length and 5.9-feet in width which helps to house 225/40R19 tires.
There is one dark spot hanging over this concept however, and that is the transmission. Nissan says that power for the car will come courtesy of a 1.6-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine which is unfortunately mated to a CVT, although it does feature a 6-speed manual shift mode and synchronized rev control.
GALLERY: Nissan IDx Concept Photos
Infiniti seems to be planning a go-fast version of the Q50 that could take on the likes of BMW’s M division or AMG from Mercedes, and the company showed off just such a car at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show with the Q50 Eau Rouge concept.
Nothing is known about what exactly will power this car, but Infiniti president Johan de Nysschen says he “would expect it to feature over 500hp and 600 lb-ft of torque.” More interesting than that, the engine is likely to be sourced from one of Infiniti’s partners, though it seems like the twin-turbo V6 in the Nissan GT-R would also be a great fit for the car.
Physical modifications include a mostly carbon fiber body along with 21-inch wheels and aerodynamic enhancements.
GALLERY: Infiniti Q50 Eau Rouge Concept
The GT4 Stinger is the third sports car concept to come from Kia in the last few years, further suggesting that the Korean brand will have a production model.
Powering the rear wheels is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder that makes 315 hp. The motor is hooked to a six-speed manual and the whole car weighs in at 2,874 lbs, almost 490 lbs lighter than the 2.0T Hyundai Genesis Coupe.
The car may share power plants with the Hyundai Genesis Coupe, but size wise this car is actually about a foot shorter than the Hyundai, and is also rides on a unique chassis that uses an independent double wishbone suspension setup.
Gallery: Kia GT4 Stinger Live Photos
If there was anyone out there still convinced that all Toyota cars are boring appliances, the FT1 concept will knock that thought right out of their minds. Easily the most radical looking sports car concept at the 2014 Detroit show, the FT1 concept previews what we are likely to see when Toyota rolls out a successor to the Supra.
The only powertrain details that Toyota would give up let us know that there will be an internal combustion engine under the hood. Unfortunately, that is all the automaker is prepared to say at this time.
They did however reveal some other interesting details, like the use of a retractable rear wing on the back of the car. Aerodynamics are also an important factor on the FT 1, and Toyota says that airflow has been optimized around the car while at race track speeds.
GALLERY: Toyota FT-1 Concept Live Photos
