New York Show Highlights: Concept Cars

The New York Auto Show, open to the public April 6-15, boasts the largest attendance of all North American auto shows and always hosts the world debuts of quite a few vehicles. Not surprisingly, many of them are focused on urban drivers and the upscale market. Below are the highlights of concept cars unveiled at the show.

Click here to see the production cars unveiled at the New York Auto Show.

Chevrolet Minicar concepts

General Motors showed three new concepts it calls “the triplets” — minicars which would be smaller than anything Chevrolet has ever sold in the U.S. The company is closely watching reactions to these models, which could be the basis for a forthcoming production car. The three cars, called the Beat, Groove and Trax, were developed at GM’s design center in South Korea and are aimed at urban commuters across the globe. The blaze-orange Trax is a sporty, small crossover SUV with a high beltline and a bold, urban look. The four-door mover is powered by a 1.0-liter gasoline engine and has a low-cost all-wheel-drive system courtesy of an electric limited-slip differential with an independent battery pack and electric motor to drive the rear wheels. The front-wheel-drive Beat concept is a bright green, three-door hatchback with a 1.2-liter turbocharged engine mated to an automatic transmission. It is packed with high-tech features like a pop-up navigation system and a premium Alpine sound system that features six speakers and a subwoofer mounted in the trunk. With the army-helmet inspired Groove concept, GM’s designers try to break free of the “cute” and “weak” association with minicars by playing up a robust, contemporary design with classic Chevrolet elements, like an upright windshield and prominent fender flares. Chevrolet says the Goove concept has a “West Coast hot-rod attitude.” It’s powered by a 1.0-liter diesel engine. The automaker is asking consumers to visit vote4chevrolet.com to choose their favorite of the three new minicar concepts unveiled. This input will help the company determine U.S. market interest in the minicar segment as well as which package resonates best with potential buyers — and it may eventually lead to a production vehicle.

Hyundai Concept Genesis

In an effort to move further upmarket and away from its budget-car roots, Korean automaker Hyundai is unveiling a rear-wheel-drive, V8-powered sport sedan concept called the Concept Genesis. The car is very close in spec to a production model that will be part of Hyundai’s 2008 lineup. Despite speculation among industry analysts and watchers that Hyundai may spin off a luxury sub-brand, current plans are to put the Hyundai name on the new RWD premium sedan that will sell for around $30,000. The production version of the Concept Genesis will be built on a new rear-drive platform (internally called “BH”). Its V8 engine should boast more than 300 hp and 300 pound-feet of torque and will be mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with “Shiftronic” manual control. Concept Genesis press materials describe a sophisticated new suspension system that optimizes electronic stability control and a 53/47 front-to-rear weight distribution for superior handling dynamics. Hyundai says its new sport sedan will do 0-60 mph in “well under” 6.0 seconds, but stresses safety features such as a rearview camera and multiple airbags. The production version to be launched in 2008 will be only slightly different than the Concept Genesis.

For more on the Hyundai Concept Genesis click here. 

Infiniti EX concept

Nissan announced Wednesday that a small luxury SUV called the Infiniti EX35 will go into production by the end of this year. The new vehicle is based on an EX concept that made its world debut at the New York Auto Show. Infiniti calls the four-door, all-wheel-drive EX a “personal-sized sport utility.” The design is inspired by the new Infiniti G37 Coupe, which also made its world debut at the show. Marketing materials position the EX as a fusion of coupe and so-called “crossover” SUV. “It’s a right-sized SUV for style-conscious drivers who desire versatility, comfortable passenger seating and flexible cargo space,” said Mark Igo, VP and general manager for Nissan’s Infiniti Division. The EX concept includes two features that are showcased first for Infiniti — “an around-view monitor” and “a lane-departure prevention system,” which Igo said will be in production within a year. The around-view monitor includes front, side and rear-mounted cameras meant to reduce driver blind spots when parking. “That would be especially useful in New York,” Igo said. The concept car’s lane-departure prevention system represents an enhancement on the current lane-departure warning system found on the Infiniti FX and M models. Igo said the new system adds automatic “brake intervention” when it senses drift or weaving, meant to aid the driver in maintaining lane position. An exterior feature of particular note is a touch-sensitive, “liquid crystal,” full-length glass roof panel, which Infiniti says can be made to change from transparent to translucent. The Maybach 57 and 62 have a similar roof available as optional equipment. The EX concept has a five-speed automatic mated to a V6.