Concept Cars: A Glimpse of the Future

Cadillac ULC

A Cadillac that gets up to 65 mpg? That’s the promise of the Cadillac Urban Luxury Concept (ULC), which is a four-seat micro car that showcases a hybrid propulsion system. It would integrate a turbocharged, 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine and a dual-clutch (automated-manual) transmission with a motor and small battery pack to produce as much as 56 mpg in the city and 65 mpg on the highway, GM says. The driver uses touchscreens for audio and climate controls; projected readouts on the dash display virtual images of traditional gauges. The ULC’s scissor-type doors rotate forward—a silly look that’s good only for the show floor.

Prognosis: There is nothing overly futuristic about the ULC, but GM says this model is just a “test well” for the future of Cadillac.

Mazda Shinari

Mazda says elements of its latest design style will be massaged into its lineup. The look is intended to capture the energy of a wild animal that’s about to pounce on its prey. We can see the posture and tensed muscles in the Shinari, which Mazda calls “Kodo—Soul of Motion.” The fenders actually look like those that are on a redesigned RX-8, but Mazda insists that the Shinari is a pure design concept model of a four-door, four-seat sports coupe. Mazda hasn’t said what might power such a beast.

Prognosis: The Mazda RX-8 just had a heavy redo for 2010, so we don’t expect major Shinari-influenced changes for that model. We believe that the Mazda6, however, could easily adapt the lines for its next makeover in about 2 years.

Jaguar C-X75

The C-X75 is a tribute to 75 years of Jaguar’s swoopy, race-car design heritage wrapped around what would be an amazing futuristic four-wheel-drive propulsion system. The extended-range electric concept would use twin micro gas turbines and four electric motors—one at each wheel­—to produce a total of 778 hp and a staggering 1,180 foot-pounds of torque. The turbines would spin at 80,000 rpm and provide enough electricity for a total of 560 miles of driving (gas and electric combined mileage). Jaguar estimates that this car would have a driving range of about 68 miles on battery power alone. The C-X75 would have a top speed of 205 mph and accelerate to 62 mph in 3.4 seconds. Unlike in traditional supercars, the two seats that are in the C-X75 are fixed, and the steering wheel, controls, gauge cluster and pedal box adjust toward the driver. 

Prognosis: Although Jaguar has been bombarded by pleas to “just build it,” the company says this concept is only that. However, the C-X75 styling will influence all future Jaguars, a spokesperson says.

Volkswagen XL1

It has been Volkswagen’s mission for about a decade to build a “1-liter car,” which uses just 1 liter of fuel per 100 kilometers. That’s roughly 235 mpg! Believe it or not, the automaker says its XL1 diesel-powered plug-in hybrid exceeds the goal. The rear-wheel-drive XL1—the third version of this concept—ran that distance on just 0.9 liters of fuel. The secret is extreme light weight (1,752 pounds, about 1,000 pounds less than the Honda Insight hybrid) and a two-cylinder, direct-injection diesel engine, electric motor, lithium-ion battery pack and seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.

Prognosis: Get ready to pinch your pennies. VW CEO Martin Winterkorn says the XL1 will go into production in 2 years, first for Europe, then for the United States. VW hasn’t discussed pricing, but given the XL1’s hybrid and diesel features, we wouldn’t be surprised by a price that’s in the low $30,000s.