THE ONES UNLIKELY TO BE MADE
BMW VISION CONNECTED
It may don an aggressive-looking roadster body, but this concept merely wants to present a new infotainment system which can scan the environment outside the car to aid the driver. The car's face could point to a new family look.
MINI ROCKETMAN
It may look a production reality, given Mini's history and the presence of the Toyota iQ. However, it is still some years away before we could see the compact Rocketman becoming the next Mini in the model range.
NISSAN ESFLOW
Now that Nissan has put the Leaf _ its first mass-produced electric vehicle _ into production, it wants to show the market that a sports car can also go CO2-less in tailpipe emissions. The Esflow has two electric motors driving the rear wheels, potentially pointing to a Fairlady EV.
RENAULT CAPTOR
This is Renault's take on the B-segment crossover that's likely to share its giblets with the Nissan Juke if it is to be made. The show car has three doors _ the same way the Juke was previewed in the Quazana concept.
RENAULT R-SPACE
There are two key elements Renault wants to communicate to the market: an MPV-style body that can look sporty at the same time, and a new petrol engine with direct-injection and twin-clutch automatic technologies.
ROLLS-ROYCE 102EX
The people at RR say the 102EX is simply a one-off Phantom with pure electric drivetrain which will make a global tour to gauge the opinion of potential customers needing to go green with a lavishly priced saloon.
SAAB PHOENIX
Saab wants to assert its new lease of life with this flashy concept that won't be made in the form it is seen here. It previews the looks of the next-gen 9-3, a host of new infotainment systems and a 1.6-litre petrol turbo engine from BMW.
SEAT IBX
VW's ailing Spanish offshoot hopes to capitalise on the burgeoning junior crossover trend. Showcased here is a three-door variant, even though a five-door is more sellable in the market. It is also talking about a new face for Seat.
SKODA VISION D
As its name clearly suggests, this concept merely previews the new design language of VW's Czech car arm. The first model that's most likely to herald the brand's new family look is the next-generation Octavia D-segment member.
SMART FORSPEED
Mercedes-Benz's small car arm freely admits this is more of a design exercise in testing the brand's potential with a speedster-style body. Powering the concept is an electric motor already used in the current Fortwo.
VOLKSWAGEN BULLI
Wolfsburg has revived the old days of the nostalgic Microbus, although the Bulli is smaller in size and is designed to take small four-cylinder engines. Attempts to build a modern Microbus are not new. There was a concept that appeared 10 years ago.
THE ONES THAT WILL BE MADE
AUDI A3
Audi is previewing three things here: the look for its next-generation A3 hatchback and cabriolet, a new four-door saloon derivative, and 408hp 2.5-litre inline-five turbo for a potential range-topping RS3.
FORD B-MAX
Ford is gearing up to launch a new MPV-like version of the B-segment Fiesta hatchback with a versatile interior to sit below the C-Max. Whether the rear sliding doors will be made remains to be seen.
INFINITI ETHEREA
Nissan's upscale nameplate is moving downmarket with a new hatchback, which will carry a different name. In hybrid guise, the five-door will go head-to-head with the Lexus CT200h and with conventional engines the Audi A3.
MAZDA MINAGI
Ignore the nickname and this will be the CX-5 baby crossover for Mazda complementing the CX-7 and CX-9, its bigger brothers. It will serve as an answer for the booming trend of fashionable city SUVs triggered by the Nissan Juke.
MITSUBISHI GSC
This is the basic shape of Mitsubishi's Ecocar due on Thai forecourts early next year. The yet-to-be-named B-segment hatchback is confirmed to come with 1.0- and 1.2-litre engines, CVT auto transmission and automatic stop/go.
OPEL ZAFIRA
The third-generation Zafira comes with a similarly aggressive face used on the Ampera plug-in hybrid, essentially a reskinned Chevrolet Volt. The usual highlight of the Zafira is its innovative Flex7 seating arrangement.
SSANGYONG SUT1
Ssangyong's next double-cab pickup will come with Korando's 2.0-litre diesel engine, along with the choice of manual/automatic transmission and 2WD/4WD drivetrain options. The Koreans say it will launch in early 2012, but not as a direct rival for the mass-produced Isuzu and its likes.
SUBARU COUPE{aac}
For the first time ever, Subaru is previewing an all-new coupe{aac} architecture, which has been jointly developed with Toyota (see below). The two-door sports cars will come with 2.0-litre Boxer naturally aspirated engine, six-speed manual and rear-wheel-drive.
SUZUKI S-CONCEPT
This no-brainer points to the sporty, three-door version of the latest Swift B-segment hatch, itself set to form the basis of next year's Thai Ecocar. No power output was revealed, although pundits expect some 150hp.
TOYOTA FT-86 II
Now that Toyota has made a habit of facelifting concept cars, it has presented the second prototype of its all-new coupe{aac} that's confirmed for showrooms in 2012 to replace the Celica. Let's hope there won't be an FT-86 III.
TOYOTA YARIS HSD
Toyota is preparing a petrol/electric hybrid version of its Yaris B-segment hatchback, after putting such kind of power in its C- and D-segment of cars already. Toyota is yet to reveal the size of the engine.
Credit: Bangkok Post (www.bangkokpost.com)
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