Opel Insignia concept

Unveiled today at the Frankfurt IAA, the Insignia is a large E-Segment concept from Opel which investigates how the brand might approach a new flagship model in future. With a long 2900mm wheelbase and short overhangs, the Insignia has a dynamic profile and a pronounced rear shoulder haunch which grows out from the pantograph-type rear door. The front features an imposing grille flanked by LED-type headlamps, while power comes from a 344ps V8 engine as used in the Corvette.

The interior is a rich mixture of dark tobacco-brown leather, inlays of Macassar ebony, combined with Chinese lacquer surfaces and highlights in polished aluminium.

Bearing some striking similarities to the Jaguar R-D6 concept also shown today, the Insignia was built at Bertone in Italy under the guidance of Opel designers Stefan Lamm, Kurt Beyer and Danny Larsen. NH

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Jaguar R-D6 concept

Making a surprise debut at Frankfurt IAA today, the R-D6 is the most compact 4-seat Jaguar ever, and builds on the design direction shown by the R-Coupe two years ago. The long 2840mm wheelbase and short overhangs give a new proportion for a premium car, while the pronounced rear haunch provides a very dynamic emphasis to the rear.

The headlamps and grille show a fresh interpretation of the Jaguar face. Meanwhile, the rear end has echos of the E-Type with a 'coffin lid' rear hatch and slim taillamp graphic. The interior is laid out as four individual seats and is finished in black leather with piano black and aluminium inserts.

Built on a shortened aluminium XJ platform, the R-D6 is powered by a bi-turbo 2.7 litre V6 diesel with 230ps, underlining the message that Jaguar will increasingly offer such powerplants in future. NH

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Audi Le Mans

Following on quickly from the Pikes Peak and the Nuvolari, the Le Mans is the latest Audi concept car to showcase the new, more emotional design language that Audi is now heading towards. Based on a modified version of the Lamborghini Gallardo platform, the Le Mans is a celebration of Audi's recent motorsport successes in its name, its mid engined configuration and its driver-centric interior design.

The way it eschews the formal, geometric Audi form language is evident in the interior even more so than the exterior, where a dramatic, sweeping feature moves up from the door to encompass the instrument binnacle, before running back down through the centre console embracing a myriad of innovative control features as it does so. SL

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Skoda Roomster concept

The Roomster, says Skoda’s Chief of Design, Thomas Ingenlath, “is for people who need space but want a good looking car” and seeing this car in the flesh it’s is hard to argue with him. From the strong, well resolved Skoda face, through cleverly integrated feature lines that run into the DLO and define taut surfaces between them, to the completely glass tailgate, the Roomster is a conspicuously stylish utility MPV.

Asymmetrical, with one door on the left and two on the right, and with an exceptionally long wheelbase, the car has more rear passenger space than a London taxi.

Whilst some of the interior design details, glass tailgate and wheelbase length are unlikely to make production, everything else about this concept seem so right for the Skoda brand that its hard to imagine not seeing the Roomster making production soon.

For Ingenlath’s first big statement since he took the top design position at Skoda and for people who need space and want style, the Roomster looks like very good news. Best concept of the show? I’d say so. SL

Volkswagen Concept R

In the words of its exterior designer, Maximilian Missoni, "the Concept R should be a creature more than a machine." This mid engined sports car concept does just that with front lamps that literally open like the iris of an eye, and in other less explicit ways with very subtle concave surfaces running into the front brake air intakes and feature lines which appear to push up into the surface as if bones pushing through skin.

As a statement that the Volkswagen brand is putting passion into its cars and as a close indication of a forthcoming new production car, the Concept R is a welcome new breed. SL

Aston Martin DB9

Few production cars look better than the concept versions but this is one of the few exceptions. As the replacement for the 10-year old DB7, it appears identical to the V8 Vantage concept shown at Detroit in January but the new DB9 is bigger in every way.

Comparing the two, the styling is tighter, more muscular. The whole front end is higher, more balanced, the grille corners are pulled a whisker more, the lower grille has sharper radii and adds two side grilles. A new flick in the lower sill adds a bit of relief where the concept was a tad slabby. And it sports a 450ps 6.0litre V12.

Same goes for the interior. Dash, console and doors all echo the Vantage concept theme, while the seats foams are more bolstered, a bit sharper. Simply gorgeous, queue here… NH

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