Looking to diversify the portfolio and develop the design direction of the Hummer brand is the HX concept, designed with input from three recent CCS graduates. "The timing was perfect," said Carl Zipfel, Director of Exterior Design for Hummer, "We were just starting the development of the HX, having not even done one sketch yet, and three new designers joined us from CCS."

The exterior design, originally envisaged by David Rojas, includes a modular roof and rear end for a multitude of different configurations. The removable doors are no longer straight panels but feature a taut shoulder line that intersects with the removable front and rear fenders, giving the concept a distinctive Hummer aesthetic. Louvers in the hood - which pivot when the engine reaches higher RPM - and faceted surfaces are entirely functional styling cues.

Inside, the design team blended three core attributes: public service, true off-roader and urban chic. There is extensive use of billet aluminum on the IP and in the seats, and the dashboard layout is simple but modern - taking elements from the exterior design theme in creating forms that follow function. Materials such as ballistic nylon, neoprene seat coverings and rubber flooring allow the vehicle to be easily cleaned, while a removable glove box and storage compartments beneath the rear seats shield items from prying eyes.

With many interesting innovations and design details, the HX is a well resolved concept that is also reminiscent of the Jeep Hurricane concept shown in Detroit in 2005. "They're definitely going after the Jeep space, it's very obvious" said Ralph Gilles, Vice-President of Design at Chrysler when speaking to CDN at the show, "And that's a compliment to us. We're not going to sit on our laurels, but it's interesting to see that they're after such a special place."

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Not a production preview, but clearly hinting at the direction for the next production Ford Explorer, the Explorer concept was created by Stuart Jamieson and John Paxton - the exterior and interior designers respectively - under the lead of David Woodhouse and Strategic Design Director Freeman Thomas.

At the front of the SUV, the still new integrated Ford facial identity is taken to the next level with an integrated plastic "mask" element over the grille area and running into the lights. Behind this is a soft edged clam shell hood whose shut lines lift up over the wheel arches and in the middle of which is a separate "power dome" element. The overall form is a well resolved with gently convex surfaces that flare into the concave surfaces around the wheel arches. The rear lamps are notable details being a band of LEDs that run around a section of the body surface.

Inside, the car has a floating band theme that runs around the leading edge of the IP and down into the sides, where the side air vents puncture through. This theme is also in the center console that runs through from the front to the second row, with two separate seats. These seats can fold forwards and hug the front seats, facilitating access to the third row. There is also a super fat quartic steering wheel, a dome-like etched plastic compass on the center of the IP, chunky aluminum control dials, and seat material made from recycled soft drink bottle-based fabric and leather.

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Pronounced 'foo-rye' and meaning the sound of wind, the Furai is the latest in the Nagare design series from Mazda. Based on a US Le Mans race series Courage C65 chassis and featuring a 3 rotor rotary engine, the car "blends the line between race and road car" according to Ken Saward, the Furai's lead designer.

Full of innovative design details we will cover in a forthcoming Design Review, the core significant development in the Furai design can be seen in the flow lines that run through the full spectrum of textural, through to prominent surface form, and on to the core feature lines and volumes of the car. In previous Nagare designs they formed the macro volumes and the surface textures only. This can be best seen in the sides, where flowing lines progress rearwards along the dihedral doors - becoming more distinct bone lines. These lines go on to gain small LEDs, which dramatically illuminate the side air intake apertures that they run into.

Other innovations include the "Air fang", which sits just aft of the cockpit above the boundary air flow layer (that draws clean air into the mid-mounted engine); the 'dolphin suede' material lining for much of the tiny cockpit; and the use of red as a secondary highlighting color contrasting the main graphite gray interior and exterior elements.

This was one of the richest and most exciting designs at the show, the big question that every non-Mazda car designer we spoke to asked was: 'How will this translate into a production design?'

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