DETROIT—Its grille is too large. Its glass roof is impractical. Its shiny, mirrored finish doesn't seem road-safe. But it's a concept vehicle at the 2014 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, so it can be all these things—oversized, over-styled, impractical, and done up in a ridiculous paint job—because it will never see production in its current form. Let's take a look at this year's batch of concepts: Some are high-tech, some run on alternative fuel, and some just look cool.
Honda FCEV
Toyota wowed crowds last week at CES 2014 when it showed off its Fuel Cell Vehicle (FCV) concept, which runs on hydrogen and releases zero emissions. But it's not the only Japanese automaker working with hydrogen: Honda, which released the first production FCV in 2002, showed off a Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle (FCEV) concept at NAIAS 2014. Honda's FCEV has a decidedly more futuristic look than Toyota's FCV (which is just a regular four-door sedan), but it will have a similar range of 300 miles when it's released in 2015.
Audi Allroad Shooting Brake
Audi debuted its Allroad Shooting Brake concept, a sporty two-door crossover that features Audi's e-tron Quattro hybrid system, on Monday. "E-tron Quattro" is a hybrid system that has two electric motors, one in the front and one in the back, giving the car all-wheel drive.
Interior tech is also impressive: Instead of a traditional instrument cluster, the Allroad Shooting Brake has a 12.3-inch TFT display behind the steering wheel that acts as both the cluster and the main infotainment screen. The concept car also sports the Audi phone box, a smartphone storage compartment with inductive charging.
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