Best Car Concepts

The seriousness with which automakers are wrestling with environmental issues confronting the industry today can be seen in the latest crop of concept cars on display at the IAA motor show in Frankfurt. The concepts, rather than flights of automotive fancy, are rooted in the science of exploiting alternatives to traditional gasoline-fired powerplants. And while the majority of the show cars stress this new thinking, one maker, Mini, has decided to celebrate its 50th anniversary with a new coupe concept. Here are our picks for the best concepts from the Frankfurt show:

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept

Blending plug-in hybrid technology with a fuel-stingy turbodiesel, the BMW Vision EfficientDynamics concept blends avant-garde styling and high performance in a lightweight fuel-efficient package capable of hauling four passengers. The car's aluminum space-frame chassis is clad with polycarbonate body panels whose wide gaps accentuate the car's aerodynamic shape. The concept is powered by two electric motors, one on each axle. The forward motor is powered by a plug-in battery pack, while the rear is run through a 1.5-liter 3-cylinder turbodiesel. All told, the car is capable of producing 356 horsepower and 590 lb ft of torque, good for 0–62 mph (100 km/h) acceleration of just 4.8 seconds.

Lexus LF-Ch concept

Taking a cue from the original VW's ad campaign "Think Small", the Lexus LF-Ch concept is the Japanese luxury automaker's way of addressing the emerging premium small car market in Europe. Which is another way of saying that the prospects of U.S. sales of this attractive 5-door hatch are somewhere between slim and none. Still, this Toyota Matrix-sized vehicle does share something in common with the recently launched Lexus 250h sedan in that it utilizes the same hybrid powerplant that combines a 4-cylinder engine with a battery pack. The LF-Ch not only offers good fuel economy, but is high on style thanks to its blacked out B-pillars that give the vehicle coupe-inspired styling.

Mini Coupe Concept

Mini Coupe Concept

It was 50 years ago that the iconic Mini was launched and to commemorate that event, the British automaker unveiled the Mini Coupe Concept, a 2-seat variant of this popular hatchback. The much lower roofline is accommodated by removing the car's rear bench seat, which increases the vehicle's luggage compartment from 5.7 to 8.8 cubic feet. The Coupe Concept rides has the same wheelbase and width as the standard Mini hatch, but is slightly longer overall while standing a full 2 inches lower. Mini is coy about whether or not the coupe will be built, but hints that the vehicle is capable of using the most powerful engine available in a Mini — the 208-horsepower turbocharged 1.6-liter four in the John Cooper Works edition.