At the end of auto-show season there's a typical letdown. Lots of fancy sheet metal was shown, but when the cars don't make it to the dealership, it feels like a hot date called off at the last second. Sometimes, though, show cars aren't just pretty teases, but harbingers of real, viable automobiles. Here are the concept cars we expect to come to the showroom (though in an altered form), with our best guess on timing, specs and, when possible, price.
2013 Alfa Romeo 4C
Pray that Fiat gobbling up Chrysler is a gamble that pays off, so that nothing scuttles the plan to bring this car to our shores. The Alfa is nothing short of a mid-engine Italian masterpiece. While the horsepower figures don't jump off the page (250 from a turbocharged, 1.75-liter four-cylinder), the show car weighed less than 1800 pounds. That would make the 4C plenty quick, and at least as entertaining as the present Lotus Elise. For handling, think of the long-departed Toyota MR2 with, we'd wager, a far more gorgeous exhaust note. And, yes, there will be a convertible version too, likely in 2013.
2013 Jaguar C-X75 Of all the cars at the Paris Motor Show last September, we thought Jaguar's C-X75 seemed the least likely to see production. Well, we were wrong, but if you want to pick one up it'll cost you a cool $1.1 million. Formula One maker Williams will help to develop the chassis and supposedly the hybrid system as well. We won't see the twin gas-powered turbine system that was originally shown in
Paris. Rather, there will be a conventional gasoline-powered motor (with specs yet to be determined) mated to a hybrid-drive mechanism. Still, if the C-X75 (it will get a new name, too) features four electric motors (one at each wheel), it will offer all-wheel drive and extremely high torque. Jaguar promises a run to 60 mph in under 3 seconds, a top speed of 200 mph and a range of 31 miles in electric-only mode.
