Concept Cars

Concept cars have always interested me. Even though many of them are a style I wouldn't want to drive, the design innovation and often wacky features are fascinating. Here's just a few of the ones hitting the circuit this year.

The chassis is built on an aluminium frame and the body parts are made from 100% recyclable resin. The whole vehicle is lightweight to ensure the 2.2L TD engine isn't overworked. Puts over 200BHP.

Boasting a 500BHP 5.0L V10 engine under a carbon-fibre/aluminium chassis to reduce weight, the Concept Car from Lexus is capable of speeds over 200MPH.

A sporty version of a Land Rover, with all the common features familiar to the brand. The LRX logo appears in odd places on the vehicle; the treads on the tyres and on the tail-lights. The interior lights change depending on where and how it's being driven.

My favourite! Hummer has come a long way in recent years, and this one, although 10 inches shorter, is slightly wider so it feels more stable. It carries a 3.6Li V6 engine and can be coverted to an open-air vehicle by removing the roof and panels.

Quite normal-looking for a concept car, the Verve started life as a 3-door hatchback, until it hit China and acquired boot space (trunk space for those across the pond) and 2 more doors. It steers away from the usual Ford style, yet remains an efficient, stylish feel which we have come to expect from Ford.

For sheer fuel economy alone, this car has to be the winner - if this were a contest of course! It's a hybrid of course, and the Lithium-Ion battery will take you for around 50 miles, then the 4-cylinder engine cranks up and starts to generate more electricity. The average top speed is 125mph, and the consumption is a whopping 100mpg! that means you can travel nearly the whole way across the country (UK I mean) on a full tank. You can't beat that!

To be honest, I couldn't find much out about this particular car, other than the fact that it's due to be released sometime in 2009. Cadillac are being very tight-lipped about it. They have admitted, however, that the engine will be a 2.9TD, but the vehicle will also be able to accommodate a petrol engine.

Another favourite of mine, not least because of the Delorean-style doors! Made from a carbon-fibre exterior to make said doors easier to open, it's also got a multitude of gadgets and a control panel featuring an LCD touch-screen. Unfortunately it's not been announced whether this particular model will make it to production.