With the new model, the automaker is targeting class-leading fuel economy and low emissions, without forgetting performance. The Vertrek is powered by a 1.6-liter turbocharged Ecoboost four-pot with start and stop technology.
Another Hyundai designer, Arash Badeanlou boldly stated “The world has never seen lines like this on a car before," adding "it is as if the architect Santiago Calatrava inspired it
“We wanted the Curb to be urban tough without looking like a Brink's truck,” said Jason Brown, Hyundai designer. City driving was going to be its forte, not crossing the Rubicon trail, but we wanted it to have urban armor for daily driving on city streets. It needed to empower its passengers in this setting.”
After two teaser shots and a couple of leaked images earlier today, Kia’s “activity MPV” concept, the KV7, finally hit the showroom floor at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show.Designed to challenge the notion that minivans are strictly for transporting people, the KV7 stands out with its boxy design and, according to the Koreans, also wants to serve as a “connected social hub for groups of friends and adventure-seekers”.
The Peugeot HR1 Concept has been created to appeal to young city dwellers; individuals and couples, who lead an active outgoing life and who seek out new lifestyle experiences in relation to their leisure activities and their mobility.
It is designed to make urban travel easy and pleasurable even in the busiest or most confined urban areas. It is helped by its particularly compact dimensions (a length of 3.67 m and very short front and rear overhangs) but also an original system for getting into and out of the vehicle. Based on the Marque's experience in this field, the Peugeot HR1 Concept has two electric "scissor" doors to facilitate access under all circumstances (restricted parking, small garage, etc...). To improve visibility and manoeuvrability and provide a dominant driving position, the ride height of the vehicle has been raised, also improving ground clearance.
Chrysler’s Concept 70X concept car featured parallelogram doors similar to those used on today’s minivans. Interior contained a small ultrasonic electronic device that was mounted next to the rear seat speaker. This component swept an area 50 feet to the rear in three zones: left lane, right lane and immediately behind. When a vehicle entered one of the swept zones, a red warning light lit up on the mirror, often giving as much as .04 seconds warning before impact.
Another one I really like.. this time a show car that might have very well done a good job for the then dying Packard (remember the name Packard died in 62 but stopped in 58) This one is called the Predictor... Done under Bill Schmidt's leadership, style done by Richard Teague.. (this is one of the un-sung heroes of car design) for after Packard died he later went to Chrysler then AMC (American Motors corp) and was the design director of all their cars, the Gremlin, AMXs, Pacer and the JEEP as we know it now. 
The Predictor had a 300-hp Packard engine and has electronic push button Ultramatic transmission, electric trunk (like Lincolns now!) reversible cushions leather on one side fabric on the other.. the panels above the doors slide into the roof over the doors to ease getting in and out.. and could be left open for ventilation like T tops on a Trans Am years later. 
That rear window (Backlight as designers call it) was retractable. It was built by none other then Ghia of Turin (the same ones from Karmann-Ghia VWs and Ghia is now part of the Ford family) This car would have been a HUGE influence on the cars of Packard had the company survived. 
The cars styling was a bit different and hard to say if it might have had the same problems as the Ford Edsel with the Vertical grille which is suppose to give the cars that "classical " look of the 20s and 30s but which was really out of the norm for the 50s and most didn't care for that... the shape is VERY similar to the Edsels "industrial espionage"? nah.. just designers thinking like they do.. that upright vertical is classical and just happen to be by chance that both cars looked a bit alike. the back window though WAS to influence the '58 Continental though! and a few other styling exercise cars at FORD during that! time.
I even like the color.. this is a car though that for ME at least is much better styling and taste for it's size then the 59 caddy monster of the same time.. and this car also reflected much more of cars to come.. as the lean squared body and conservative use of chrome was pointing RIGHT TO THE ' 60s...lean, clean and nice...
-Mark (loti.com)
