Gizmag has been busy bouncing around the numerous halls of the Frankfurt Motor Show for the past couple of days. During that time, we've seen concept cars of every shape, size and style – electrics and hybrids, shape shifters, autonomous commuters, motorcycle-cum-go karts and many more. If these concepts are any indication, the near future of car design will be very interesting.
With so many intriguing concepts on display, we're loath to choose a favorite. However, if pressed, we'd probably have to go with the Mercedes-Benz Concept IAA.
Not only is this concept cut from the same dazzling show-car cloth as this year's F 015, but it features something we didn't see coming: a shape-shifting body kit that cuts the drag coefficient to 0.19, down around Volkswagen XL1 territory (0.186).
Another Frankfurt highlight sure to be on everyone's best of list, Porsche's Mission E shows a very clear vision of how Porsche's design and drive technology could evolve in the future. It packages a race-derived, high-voltage 600-hp powertrain inside a freshly styled body defined by matrix LED headlights and swooping, arched fenders.
It's a fun departure from Porsche's usual gently reworked 911 styling and successfully manages to be both completely new and distinctly Porsche.
Usually we can take or leave Vision Gran Turismo concepts. It's cool that automakers take the time to build these video game cars into life-size machines, but many of them belong as much to the science fiction gaming genre as to the racing one. Bugatti's Vision Gran Turismo is more than just a wild video game car, however; it's a rare opportunity to watch Bugatti design evolve before our eyes.
"Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo is the first stage on a new journey that Bugatti is embarking on following the successful completion of its Veyron chapter, and which will culminate in the unveiling of the next Bugatti super sports car in the not too distant future," explains Bugatti president Wolfgang Dürheimer.
We suspect that features like the narrow headlamps and rear-end shape might make the move over to production, with drastic aero components like the cow-catching splitter and huge fin left behind.
There are plenty more Frankfurt design highlights to be found, so head to our photo gallery and get your fill of freshly baked concept cars.