Concepts that Could Make It

We’ll start off with an easy one, since the Subaru BRZ is actually slated for production starting in spring 2012. Subaru says that the BRZ concept shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show shares some styling cues with the upcoming car.

The rear-wheel drive BRZ is powered by a 2.0-liter flat four-cylinder engine, and seems poised to give cars like the Hyundai Genesis Coupe some serious competition.

Sleek coupe-like styling has been all the rage with luxury automakers lately. Since cars like the Audi A7, Jaguar XF and Mercedes CLS550 blend athletic looks with sedan practicality, the Volvo Concept You seems poised to take a piece of that market if it goes to production.

Volvo President and CEO Stefan Jacoby says, “Concept You gives a good indication of what you can expect from our next large sedan.” 

Check out our full coverage of the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Off-road SUVs have largely given way to crossovers that are more poised on city streets, but there’s still a niche market for customers who want the go-anywhere capability of a Jeep Wrangler in a luxury SUV.

Land Rover says that the DC100 and DC100 Sport “investigate potential future design direction for the Defender.” The hardtop DC100 and the topless DC100 Sport both feature permanent four-wheel drive, an eight-speed transmission and an intelligent terrain response system.

Jaguar’s Global Brand Director Adrian Hallmark says, “The C-X16 is our compelling vision for a 21st century Jaguar sports car.” While Jaguar’s current sports car, the XK, is certainly fast and luxurious, the automaker’s C-X16 concept explores new boundaries with a powerful hybrid drivetrain.

Jaguar says the C-X16’s 375-horsepower supercharged V6 and 94-horsepower electric motor propel this concept car from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.4 seconds with a top speed of 186 mph.

Check out our full coverage of the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show.

Electric cars like the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i and the upcoming Ford Focus Electric all deliver clean electric power in a reasonable package, but it’s only a matter of time before an electric luxury car hits the showroom floor.

BMW says that the i3 concept’s 170-horsepower electric motor and tight turning radius make for enjoyable driving dynamics. The i3 can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in less than 8 seconds.