Mazda Takeri Concept

While it's already been shown at three other auto shows around the world, the Mazda Takeri Concept finally made its North American debut at the 2012 New York Auto Show. Looking as stunning as ever, the four-door concept features Mazda's new KODO "Soul Of Motion" design language, and previews the next-generation Mazda6 mid-size sedan.

Up front the Takeri sports the new corporate face of Mazda, with a five-point grille and bladed front end design. Flared front fenders and large 20-inch alloy wheels give the Takeri an aggressive stance and lean proportions. In the rear, the trunk lid runs into the taillights--a design cue intended to give the Takeri more visual width.

The interior of the Takeri Concept features sculpted white seats and metallic accents. A three-spoke steering wheel, aluminum pedals, and paddle shifters all hint at Mazda's sporting intentions with the car.

Under the hood the Takeri Concept features a SKYACTIV-D 2.2-liter turbo clean diesel engine which is connected to a lightweight six-speed automatic transmission. Mazda's i-stop start-stop system and i-eloop capacitor-based brake regeneration system both help increase fuel economy.

GMC Denali XT Hybrid Concept

This GMC sport-utility truck (SUT) borrows its unit-body construction from the General Motors' Australian Holden unit, which is the prime mover on GM's global rear-drive Zeta platform. While the design is rugged and futuristic, the concept it self harkens back to such car-based pickups as the GMC Caballero and Chevy El Camino.

Riding on a 125.4-in. wheelbase, the Denali XT measures 205.0 in. in overall length and has a 55.0-in.-long cargo box behind its 4-door, 4-passenger cabin. Like GM's truck-based SUTs, the Chevy Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade, the Denali comes with a mid-gate bulkhead that allows the passenger compartment to be opened up to the cargo bed to carry longer items.

Power comes from an all-new 4.9-liter V-8, which produces 326 bhp. This flex-fuel vehicle can be operated on unleaded regular gasoline or ethanol mixtures up to E85. The engine, which features cylinder-deactivation for fuel savings, is mounted to GM's 2-mode hybrid transmission. That system combines a stop-start feature and low-speed electric operation that enables the vehicle to deliver city fuel economy ratings on par with the traditionally higher highway number.

GMC Terrain

In an unsteady economy with strangely fluctuating gas prices, the only thing consumers can count on is that it's best to be prepared for the worst. That means buying fuel-efficient, durable and practical transportation. Trucks and SUVs generally don't meet all those requirements. The new breed of car-based SUVs, which we like to call crossovers, is trying to change that by focusing heavily on fuel-economy improvements. The results speak for themselves.

The GMC Terrain is based on the Chevrolet Equinox, but looks nothing like it. It's a 5-passenger crossover with bold styling, and it's available with fwd or awd. Making it unique is its base 182-bhp direct-injected 2.4-liter 4-cylinder engine that is tuned for the best possible fuel economy. GMC anticipates an EPA rating of 21/30 mpg. That's quite close to the 32 mpg highway rating of the Saturn Vue Hybrid, and 5 mpg better than the 2009 Chevrolet Equinox's city rating.

But don't expect great performance; to achieve these fuel-sipper numbers requires a special driver-selectable "ECO" mode that results in a low-rpm torque converter lockup of the 6-speed automatic and likely a sluggish throttle map. The 4-cylinder also has electric-assist power steering to help maximize efficiency.

GMC Granite Concept

The GMC Granite Concept follows the theme that seems to be everywhere at the Detroit show—small is in. This little box on wheels is a nifty Scion xB fighter. Its size would indicate it rides on a platform shared with the Chevrolet Cruze, but this concept seems to have little production potential. Many of its design elements, however, could be integrated into a more buildable car. The suicide rear doors for example are a big no-no. Sliding doors would be better, and I don’t think they would hurt the design. Being able to fold the front passenger seat completely out of the way is handy, giving the Granite the ability to carry a bicycle or a motorcycle.

I like the “industrial design” on the exterior and interior. It will help the Granite appeal to buyers who might consider a full-size van because of its practicality, and may even think the Transit Connect is neat, but find the Ford visually unappealing. With this style, plus a fuel-efficient powerplant and decent driving dynamics, the GMC Granite could challenge the leaders in the mini-minivan market. 

The proposed powertrain has a 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-4 mated to a 6-speed dual-clutch automated manual. The 20-in. wheels on the concept are a bit unrealistic for production, but maybe GMC is aimed at inner city dwellers who value compact size and practicality over driving in the dirt.

2014 Rolls-Royce Corniche

We know Rolls-Royce builds some of the most expensive and luxurious cars in the world, but who could have imagined how creative the British luxury brand was in terms of prototype camouflage. These spy images of the future Rolls-Royce Corniche offer a hint at what the opulent 2-door Rolls will look like once it reaches production in the next couple of years. Though from all the bizarre humps and bumps of this test mule (especially towards the rear of the car), not to mention faux rear doors and massive BMW twin kidney-style grille cut outs, Rolls could be hiding pretty much anything beneath the swirly black and white paintjob. Even the center caps of the 7-spoke alloy wheels have been hidden

Expect the production model to wear a grille that’s slightly smaller and, perhaps, raked back a few more degrees compared to the sedan. While it’s hard to see on this car, the roofline will elegantly taper down to where it meets the trunk – fear not, the blocky rear spoiler on this test car is only part of the extensive disguise.