Categories: Concept Cars

Automakers have been busy as bees over the last decade designing lightweight, fuel-efficient vehicles for a public increasingly suffering from price shock at the gas pumps. As a result, dozens of car models and even some light trucks now average 25+ miles per gallon on the highway. Hybrids like the Prius are even more fuel-stingy, getting 50 MPG or more.

But even Toyota's ultra-efficient savings champ is outdone by a new vehicle called the Elio, which can go 84 miles on a single gallon of regular unleaded. Scheduled to be released in 2014, the Elio is causing waves across the automotive world.

In a little less than a year, we Chevy fans are in for a treat of historical proportions. There is a very good chance that we may be privy to witnessing the debut of the single greatest Camaro of all time. Yes, that's right.  Now, naysayers will harken back to the great heydays of the 1960s and pull out names like the original ZL1 or  Z/28, Yenko, or SS/RS. But  if we are going to be honest with ourselves, there is no comparison between a car built 50 years ago and a car built today, at least if you are planning to drive it in anything except perfect conditions. 

Before you decide to claim some sort of modern day bias, just know that your humble author was the proud owner of a 1965 Mustang convertible as well as a 2001 Pontiac Trans Am and speaks from experience. Unless you live in San Diego or have a least one or two other cars, a modern 500 horsepower Camaro supersedes a classic most days of the week. Once we get beyond the '60s, there is almost no other Camaro that even comes close to challenging the new Z/28 for the crown. In fact, the only car that does present a sizable challenge to the Z/28 is its very own stablemate, the mighty ZL1. But before we delve into why the Z/28 could very well overtake its more powerful brethren, let's take a closer look at it, shall we?

Nissan latest concept car is described as a "four-passenger sedan designed for a generation with a different automotive outlook," a fact that's clear from its social-network-inspired name: Friend-ME. The concept car puts a Chinese-focused spin on technologically loaded small cars aimed at a new generation of auto buyers.

Following the New York Auto Show earlier this month, the auto show season here in North America has calmed down. But that doesn't mean there aren't new concepts and car models launching around the globe. The Shanghai Auto Show got underway over the weekend, and Mercedes debuted a concept crossover at the show. It calls the GLA Concept an escape from the everyday.

With the success of the Subaru BRZ/Scion FR-S, it’s no surprise that Nissan is toying around with an entry level sports car of its own. It already has the flagship GT-R and mid-range 370Z, and a smaller 200SX revival has been funneling around the rumor mill for months. According to Australian auto media sources, Nissan will show one potential direction for an entry level sports car at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show and it’s likely to include some form of electric powertrain.

The Honda Urban SUV doesn’t just take from the Acura design book; it rips the whole page out, which is why it looks like an Acura RDX, Honda CR-V, and NSX concept mash-up; which is not entirely a bad thing.

As hard as Subaru tried to keep the new WRX concept under wraps until it’s official reveal at the 2013 NY Auto Show, sketches of the concept were posted all over the internet. The initial illustrations looked promising and the actual vehicle did not disappoint.

It would seem that the market is ripe for a car that shifts shapes between popular models. Over the past year, we've seen concepts that allude to the possibilities, including the Magna Steyr MILA Coupic and Hyundai Veloster C3 Roll Top, both of which used innovative two-part roof systems to transform from hatchback to pickup truck to convertible. Industrial design firm Xelestine presents a system that provides an even more radical transformation - sports coupe to station wagon to pickup truck.

For centuries, Santa has instilled joy and wonder into the hearts of the world's youth by way of a reindeer-driven sleigh. A few luxury-car and supercar manufacturers have decided that Santa needs an upgrade. The world's population is growing, after all, so a little extra speed will help Santa cover his entire list with check marks.

We've seen Santa-mobiles before, but it seems like there's some growing competition this year. Within a few days, Lamborghini, Lexus and Mercedes-Benz each released visions about what Santa should be driving in the future.

The Bentley Continental GT already has a bit of racing pedigree, including a world speed record. It's about to get much more. In September, Bentley announced that it would return to racing for the first time since 2003. The Crewe crew is preparing the Continental GT3 racer for a debut late next year.

Bentley unveiled the Continental GT3 Concept Racer at the Paris Motor Show and showed it again at the L.A. Show earlier this month. Its next stop will be the 2013 Autosport International exhibition next month, marking the race car's U.K. debut.

Honda teased a new concept this week. The Urban SUV Concept will make its debut at the 2013 North American International Auto Show (Detroit) next month. It is the latest example of what appears to be a growing trend.

If you think about it, the average SUV will likely see more center-city street than it will ever see dirt road or rock. That's even more accurate for smaller crossovers, which are more road- than off-road-friendly to begin with.