Auto Expo 2018: Concept cars showcased

Motor shows would be boring without auto makers displaying their scintillating concept vehicles.

A concept car is either a prequel to an upcoming production-spec model or a preview of a certain tech that a company wants to incorporate in its future portfolio. Either way, such cars look pretty cool and draw a lot of attention. We bring you a list of all the concepts that stole the spotlight at the 2018 Auto Expo.

Kia SP Concept

The SP Concept isn’t just a great looking crossover, it is also one of the most important concepts of this year’s Auto Expo, as it will likely be Kia’s debut model in India. Based on the same platform as its sister-brand’s Creta, the SP concept will morph into a production vehicle sometime in late 2019. Technical details of the car remain slim at the moment, but expect a lot of component sharing with the Creta to keep costs in check.

Maruti Suzuki Concept Future S and e-Survivor

Already dominating the India UV space with its Vitara Brezza, Maruti aims to further strengthen its position in this segment with a new vehicle which to be positioned below the former. Named the Concept Future S for now, this new concept will be targeted at the likes of the Mahindra KUV100. It will be built on a tighter budget to keep costs in check.

Maruti also showcased its e-Survivor concept. First revealed at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show, the e-Survivor concept is a funky small off-roader with an open top. Based on body-on-frame chassis, the concept is powered by four electric motors – one at each wheel – and sports AWD. It won't become a production vehicle anytime soon, but is more of a preview of Suzuki’s EV tech.

Tata H5X and 45X

Tata Motors revealed the H5X SUV concept, which is based on the Land Rover Discovery Sport platform. This new SUV, in its production form, will take over the Tata flagship title from the Hexa. One of the highlights of the concept is the new Impact Design 2.0 language. Although the concept has a 4-seat layout, the production version will likely be 5 or 7-seater. There’s no word on the powertrain as yet, but it’s rumoured to get the 2.0-litre diesel engine from Fiat.

Apart from H5X, Tata also took the wraps off the 45X, which is an early preview of a new premium hatchback. It’ll also be based on an all-new platform. It follows the same new design philosophy and looks stunning in the concept form, to say the least. Production is expected to begin in 2019. When launched, it will go against the likes of the Hyundai i20 and the Maruti Baleno.

Mahindra Stinger Concept and e-KUV100

Mahinda is known for showcasing outlandish concepts at Auto Expos, and this year has been no different. The company revealed its new Stinger concept – a convertible SUV based on the TUV300. Well, convertible as Mahindra would like to call it, because it has its roof chopped and therefore is a permanent open-top instead. As you’d expect, this one has been made solely to grab eyeballs at the expo, so don’t expect to see one in production form, ever.

Moving forward in the field of EVs, Mahindra also showcased the electric version of its KUV, called the e-KUV100. The company claims that the e-KUV has a driving range of 140km, and the optional fast charging can boost that range by 80 per cent in less than an hour. While no launch date for the e-KUV has been confirmed as yet, Mahindra is using it as a prototype to test its EV tech on.

Mercedes-Benz Concept EQA

First revealed at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Concept EQA is a preview of an upcoming entry-level EV that is to be launched under Merc’s new EQ range. The EQA draws its power from two electric motors – one that lies under its hood, while the other is integrated with the rear axle. Due to its four-wheel-drive setup, the car is capable of varying the torque distribution between front and rear through different driving modes. Running on a 60kWh lithium-ion battery, the EQA is claimed to have a range of about 400km.

Renault Trezor and Zoe e-Sport

While Renault did not have any brand-new India-spec model to showcase, the French company brought some of its global concepts to please the crowd. Taking the centre stage was the Trezor Concept – an all-electric Grand Tourer that was first showcased at the 2016 Paris Motor Show. At the heart of the Trezor is a power plant inspired by Renault's Formula E endeavours, which makes 350bhp and 380Nm. All of this power pulls the Trezor Concept from standstill to 100km/h in under 4 seconds.

Moving onto the Zoe e-Sport concept, it has a light-weight body structure crafted from carbon fibre, thanks to which it tips the scale at just 1,400kg, which also includes a 450kg battery. The tiny electric hatch is capable of pushing out 460bhp and 640Nm, thus justifying that ‘e-Sport’ suffix.