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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Mitsubishi i MiEV Sport Air

Mitsubishi Motors will reveal a new i MiEV Sport Air concept at the 79th Geneva International Motor Show in March. Using the same nomenclature as the Saab 9X 'Air', the new car is an open top variant of the i MiEV Sport design study first unveiled at the 2007 Tokyo Auto Show.

Like its hardtop counterpart, the two-door concept has a bold, wheels-at-each-corner stance and accentuated fenders, while chiseled body lines guide airflow to cool the rear-mounted electric motor. Above the cabin, a 'clear cutaway' roof (with integrated solar panels) is said to enable the driver to 'enjoy the exhilaration of fresh-air motoring while also highlighting its eco-friendly qualities', according to the Japanese automaker.

Claimed to emphasize exhilarating driving pleasure by providing a balance between environmental and dynamic performance, the car has a lithium-ion battery pack mounted in the floor for a lower center of gravity. It measures 3450mm long and has a 2550mm-long wheelbase.

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Opel Ampera preview

Opel has released a teaser sketch of its new five-door extended-range electric car ahead of its public debut at the Geneva Auto Show in March.

Based on the Voltec powertrain and chassis architecture of Chevrolet's Volt, the Ampera promises to surpass that car in terms of style by some margin. The body appears to be nearly identical between the A- and C-pillars, but the deformed horseshoe-shaped headlamp design and two-bar grille come straight from the 2007 Flextreme concept, as do the car's tree-branch alloy wheels. Sadly, the Ampera prototype will feature a conventional rear hatch rather than the Flextreme's novel two-piece gullwing design.

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