Kia No3 Concept

Kia will debut the No3 Concept at the Geneva Motor Show, a small MPV design study that aims to carve a new niche in the small-car market by delivering flexibility in a package that is also great to drive.

Designed by Kia's European design team, led by Peter Schreyer, the No3 Concept showcases the Korean automaker's new face with the front grille, headlamps and brand logo in a constellation arrangement. But the most notable of the 4045mm-long concept's design features is its unique extended windscreen and panoramic glass roof with a diagonal supporting bar.

We'll be featuring a detailed analysis of the No3 Concept in our forthcoming Geneva Motor Show Highlights, coming to your screens next week. Watch this space.

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Dongfeng Fengshen

Dongfeng Motor, one of the top five largest Chinese vehicle producers, will introduce its own Aeolus brand in Beijing this March. The new brand will subsequently unveil a new mid-sized sedan called the Fengshen at the 2009 Auto Shanghai show in April.

The new car, developed by Dongfeng's own technology center with input from ItalDesign, is a traditional three-box package to cater to Chinese tastes. It rides on a 2610mm-long wheelbase and measures 4502mm long, 1740mm wide and 1465mm tall; roughly the same size as a Peugeot 307. The Fengshen will be built on PSA's Citroën ZX platform and source power from the French automaker's 1.6-liter 16-valve petrol engine.

This is not the first self-developed model from Dongfeng. The company also created the Little Prince - a small sedan virtually identical to the Hyundai Accent on which it is based - and the Dongfeng Joyear mini-MPV. Dongfeng operates joint ventures with PSA, Nissan, Honda and Kia in China.

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Citroën DS Inside concept

Citroën has just unveiled the new DS Inside concept car, one of three new vehicles set to bear the name of their iconic predecessor. The announcement of the much-lauded nameplate's revival is also joined by a new three-dimensional logo design and an invigorated development plan, which marks the company's 90th Anniversary and the birth date of its founder, Andre Citroën.

The French automaker's new product line takes inspiration from its historic design DNA to strengthen its positioning. Called the DS3, DS4 and DS5, the three new cars will occupy the small, medium and large car segments and be launched successively from 2010. The Inside concept (pictured), which will make its debut at the forthcoming Geneva Motor Show, will likely spawn the upcoming smaller derivation, the DS3.

Aiming to satisfy the needs of customers who are seeking fundamental mobility, prestige, thrills and refinement, Citroën wants to broaden its product portfolio to appeal to those looking to downsize but who still desire intelligent and appealing products. The company claims the 'accessible objects of desire' will stand apart through their creativity, intelligent design and build quality, embodying the 'different spirit' of their ancestor.

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Hyundai HED-6 concept

Korean automaker Hyundai will be unveiling its new HED-6 concept car at the Geneva Motor Show next month.

Created at Hyundai's European Design headquarters in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the concept has been designed with everyday utility in mind, and is claimed to fit comfortably in urban or out-of-town environments. Exterior design elements include a sculpted backlight (realized through the use of Lexan plastic instead of glass), a hexagonal grille, angular feature lines and back-swept front headlamps. 'Ice Blue' exterior paint emphasizes the exterior form while 21-inch alloy wheels complete the look.

Powered by a 1.6-liter GDi turbocharged engine, the HED-6 concept is said to be a clear indication of the direction Hyundai will take with its next generation of SUVs.

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Corvette Stingray concept

General Motors unveiled a new Corvette Stingray concept at the Chicago Auto Show yesterday. Unlike most concepts, the new car is not intended to gauge public opinion of new design direction; it will instead debut as the character 'Sideswipe' in the upcoming DreamWorks Pictures and Paramount Pictures release 'Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen'.

According to Ed Welburn, Vice President of GM Global Design, the prototype explores a new, futuristic expression for the Corvette nameplate. Inspired by the 1959 Stingray Racer and ‘63 Corvette Stingray split-window coupe, the concept combines heritage cues spanning generations of the iconic sports car design with an altogether more futuristic shape.

The car's sharp front end features a grille influenced by the Corvette SS from the ‘50s, and a wraparound windscreen leads to a sloping roofline that tapers off into a split-window backlight. When seen in profile, the fender shapes recall historic Stingrays as well, with the front fenders incorporating an air extractor aft of the front wheel and a defining feature line that links both the front and rear wheels.

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BMW 5 Series GT concept

BMW has just revealed the new 5 Series GT concept, which will make its debut at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Designed by Christopher Weil under the direction of Adrian van Hooydonk, the new five-door Gran Turismo is built on the same platform as the new 7 Series sedan. As such it measures nearly 5m long but stands 1559mm tall and has a 3070mm wheelbase.

Notable design elements include a face that is reminiscent of the CS concept unveiled in Shanghai two years ago, a coupe-like roofline, frameless doors, the flagship sedan's rear lamps and a dual-mode trunk/hatchback similar to that of the Skoda Superb Twindoor. The concept's four-seat interior also bears a strong resemblance to that of the 7 Series.

The new car is intended to bridge the gap between a conventional wagon and the X6 SAV in BMW's activity vehicle line-up, but the car has been specifically designed to cater to the aging demographic who desire a luxurious and practical vehicle that does not have the elevated and imposing ride height of the X6. The 5 Series GT it is not expected to change much before it appears in production form at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

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Lincoln C concept

Ford's luxury division revealed a surprise new concept at the 2009 NAIAS: the C-segment, six-passenger Lincoln C design study, aimed at upscale urban consumers.

According to Freeman Thomas, director of Ford's Strategic Concepts Group where the concept was created, "the Lincoln C is about efficiency without compromise".

The exterior design was concieved by David Woodhouse and Jeremy Leng, and the interior by Andrei Markevich and Matt Edwards.

For additional details on the concept car, see our 2009 Detroit Auto Show Highlights and check out the photo gallery below.

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Fisker Karma S concept

Fisker Automotive revealed the newest addition to its lineup at NAIAS 2009, exactly a year after the independent carmaker unveiled its first concept vehicle, the Karma.

Called the Karma S concept, the four-seat convertible was designed by Henrik Fisker with input from a newly assembled design team taken on to help bring the Karma sedan to production.

The design of the S is likely to make it to the showroom almost unchanged.

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Chrysler 200C EV concept

Chrysler unveiled the 200C EV concept at the Detroit Auto Show earlier this week. The new car is a four-seat luxury sedan that progresses the bodyside-to-DLO proportions of the 300C.

See the photo gallery below and read our Detroit Auto Show Highlights for more details on the concept.

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Subaru Legacy concept

The Subaru Legacy, previewed in concept form at the 2009 NAIAS, marks the vehicle's 20th anniversary and signals the design direction of the company's next-generation sedan.

For additional details on the concept car, see our 2009 Detroit Auto Show Highlights and check out the video to the left.

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Volkswagen BlueSport concept

The 2009 NAIAS was the venue chosen to debut Volkswagen's latest concept: the BlueSport.

"It is the symbiosis of outstanding technology and timeless Volkswagen design that makes this car an exceptional sports car. Its styling is clear and is reduced to the essentials; the car body itself has a lean and linear structure," explained Volkswagen Group Head of Design Walter de'Silva.

The interior features interesting details, such as lightweight, leather-upholstered, single-piece seatbacks and a touch-screen interface.

Read our 2009 Detroit Auto Show highlights for more information on the new concept and see the photo gallery below.

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Kia Soul'ster concept

Kia unveiled a two-door concept based on the recently released Soul at the 2009 NAIAS. Called the Soul'ster, the four-seat concept's elemental design was inspired by basic, utilitarian vehicles like the International Scout. It is the first vehicle born out of Kia's newly opened design center in Irvine, California.

For additional details on the concept and to see our own unique photographs, read our 2009 Detroit Auto Show Highlights.

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Audi Sportback concept

Audi unveiled the Sportback concept at the 2009 NAIAS today. With systematic refinements to the brand's characteristic design elements, the five-door model offers a glimpse at the Audi's future design vocabulary.

The Sportback concept - which measures 4950mm long, 1930mm wide and 1400mm high - features a pronounced coupé-like silhouette and a large rear hatch, providing access to a 500-liter trunk. According to Audi, the vehicle is 'boldly progressive for the luxury class'.

Check out the gallery below for more images of the Sportback, and be sure to read our 2009 Detroit Auto Show Highlights for more details on the five-door luxury concept.

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Cadillac Converj concept

Cadillac surprised the press today when it revealed a new 2+2 concept called the Converj.

In his introduction to the concept, GM Vice-Chairman Bob Lutz said the vehicle was "pushing the envelope on design quality, and efficiency - everything that makes a great design great".

Conceived at GM's Advanced Design studios in Coventry, UK, by a design team led by Simon Cox (Director of GM Advanced Design UK), the project was brought to realization in the US under the leadership of Dave Rand, Executive Director of GM Advanced Design.

For more details on the 2+2 concept from GM's luxury division read our 2009 Detroit Auto Show Highlights. And check out the photo gallery for computer-generated images of the Converj concept.

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Subaru Legacy Concept preview

Subaru has revealed the first image of the Legacy Concept, that will be unveiled at the 2009 Detroit Motor Show and will showcase the design direction for the future Legacy sedan model, which celebrates its 20th anniversary.

Celebrating 20 years of the Legacy sedan, the Legacy Concept is characterized by a sporty look which underlines the dynamic powertrain, which features a 3.6-liter, low center of gravity Horizontally-Opposed engine and the brand's symmetrical All-Wheel Drive system.

Exterior design elements include a distinctive front face and flared wheel arches. The interior embodies high definition with a feeling of comfort.

About the Subaru Legacy

Subaru Legacy series was first introduced world in 1989 and next year it will celebrate its 20th anniversary of the start of production.

Produced in Gunma, Japan and Lafayette, Indiana USA, Global production has exceeded 3.6 million units* and production in North America accounts for 43%.

The model has been highly acclaimed as a core product of Subaru world-wide due to its driving performance and the Symmetrical AWD system with Horizontally-Opposed engine.

(Source: Subaru)

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Chrysler ecoVoyager Concept

The third eco-friendly concept Chrysler will be unveiling at the Detroit Auto Show in January will be this ecoVoyager show car, a four-door, four-passenger vehicle. Like the Ford Airstream concept unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show last year, this concept explores the potential of maximizing interior space through employing an electric powertrain mated to an environmentally-friendly hydrogen fuel-cell.

Overall the exterior design of the ecoVoyager appears fairly conventional. At the front, stacked headlamps flank the familiar egg-crate grille while the sweeping character lines add an athletic look. The teardrop DLO is devoid of a B-pillar, adding an air of elegance to the profile, while the rear end pays homage to the Nassau showcar revealed by Chrysler at last year's Detroit Auto Show. The lower portion of the tapering back light is pulled rearward, a treatment echoed in the tapered bumper facia surfacing below the hatch opening, and the concept also features roof-mounted windows.

Measuring 4856mm long and 1915mm wide, the ecoVoyager is 159mm shorter and 35mm wider than the 300C but is 125mm taller, at 1600mm. Its 2946mm wheelbase is also 104mm shorter, but the one-box design is claimed to have a space advantage over conventional powertrain setups as its lithium-ion battery pack resides under the floor. The combination of these batteries and a small hydrogen fuel-cell is claimed to enable the vehicle to travel more than 300 miles while emitting zero emissions.

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Jeep Renegade Concept

Chrysler has revealed three sketches of new concepts it is scheduled to unveil at the Detroit Auto Show in January. One of these is the Jeep Renegade Concept, a sporty B-segment-sized two-seater the automaker claims is ideally suited for the all-weather delights of off-roading and dune surfing.

The design of the vehicle is a futuristic take on the existing open-topped Jeep Wrangler, featuring a cut-down speedster windshield, a roll bar, openings in the door lowers and a hose-out interior. Measuring 3885mm in length, 1598mm in width (at the H-point), 1431mm high and with a wheelbase of 2580mm, this compact "eco-friendly" vehicle was designed with minimal material usage. According to Chrysler it is 'designed for those who want to enjoy the earth while taking care of its future'.

Powered by a lithium-ion battery pack and a small-displacement BLUETEC diesel engine, the concept is claimed to travel up to 40 miles on battery power alone. But when mated to the diesel engine the hybrid powertrain is claimed to result in a fuel economy figure surpassing 110 miles per gallon.

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Dodge ZEO concept

The Dodge ZEO Concept is yet another design sketch Chrysler has released prior to the concept car's debut at the Detroit Auto Show. The sporty styling is a departure from previous electric vehicle designs, with aggressive design cues bearing some similarities to Honda's CR-Z concept revealed at the Tokyo Motor Show in October.

Claimed to embrace the bold, expressive look of the Dodge brand, the ZEO exhibits a new, 'youthful breed of muscle car for the 21st century' according to its maker. It has been built for driving enthusiasts, and as it features an electric-only propulsion system with a lithium-ion battery pack it is also another push from the brand toward environmentally sustainable concept vehicle.

At 4390mm long and 1743mm wide (at H-point), the ZEO is 1290mm high and has a wheelbase of 2792mm. Though it is essentially a compact car, Dodge is keen to point out that unlike other compact vehicles featuring electric power, the ZEO Concept is a four-door, four-passenger (2+2) sport wagon that delivers function as well as environmental responsibility. Dodge claims the ZEO concept will be capable of traveling at least 250 miles on a single charge.

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Nissan Forum concept

Nissan has released a sketch of the Forum, a concept vehicle the firm will unveil at the Detroit Auto Show in January.

Created at Nissan Design America, the Forum concept offers innovations such as trackless sliding doors and no B-pillars. It is said to 'explore the next generation of family transportation'. While we're not exactly sure what that entails, it's probably safe to assume that the concept will feature some of the styling cues seen on the company's concept cars unveiled in Tokyo. We'll keep you updated in our Detroit Auto Show Highlights once we've seen it in the metal.

UPDATE: December 5 2007

An interior sketch, depicting the flowing instrument panel of the new Forum concept, has just been released by Nissan. The minivan's cabin, Nissan claims, will host an array of communications systems including an advanced Bose Media System with proximity sensor-based information controller and a one-button audio muting system. The technology laden interior will also feature monitoring cameras for the second and third rows, while individual seat-mounted speakers will be integrated into every row.

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Hyundai Concept Genesis Coupe

Korea's largest automaker is poised to unveil the Concept Genesis Coupe at the 2007 Los Angeles International Auto Show next week. Though these sketches are admittedly exaggerated, the coupe uses the concept Genesis sedan, unveiled it the 2007 New York International Auto Show in April, as the basis for the structure.

According to our sources, the sporting coupe concept hints at the forthcoming design direction for a future rear-wheel drive sports coupe from Hyundai called the BK, a luxurious sport coupe specifically for North American market. Contrary to popular belief, the BK coupe is not the replacement for the Tiburon/Tuscani but is positioned more upscale.

The sweeping, aggressive lines of the rendered images appear particularly radical and feature a Z-lined DLO around the waistline. Hopefully it will translate well onto the finished product, which we'll be seeing next week in LA. Stay tuned for our Los Angeles Auto Show Highlights coming soon.

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