The CTS is clearly a car set for production in a near identical form. Though John Manoogian, director of exterior design for Cadillac, remained tight-lipped when speaking to CDN about the car's production feasibility, he did tell us that the car is the same as the CTS sedan from the A-pillar forward. He also divulged that the interior is a carry-over from that car; bar the color, materials and door furniture.

The new aspects to this design are very much in the detailing and the subtle resolution of the surfaces. The DLO graphic is set off by the shoulder between the A- and C-pillar, as it is in the sedan. But the tighter radii of the panel creases and graphics really set this feature off well in the Coupe concept.

At the rear, the handsome lights are made from three near-flat surfaces that harmoniously integrate with their surrounding surfaces. There is also another new Cadillac design solution at the rear: the two exhaust apertures positioned centrally one on top of the other.

This is a fairly conservative design in many ways; but the coupe profile, clean lines and the four-inch shorter rear overhang manage to give this car a distinct appeal relative to its platform sibling. And every designer we spoke to thought CTS Coupe was very attractive.

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The LRX has been designed for one main reason: to show the scope for a new smaller type of Land Rover product. This compact sporting 'crossover' SUV is a relatively small vehicle for Land Rover and, with a hybrid powertrain, it is also championing environmental credentials for the brand.

In design terms, the LRX is perhaps most significant as the first Land Rover design to emerge under Design Director Gerry McGovern. To gain more insight CDN spoke to the entire design team under Gerry: Head of Advanced Design Julian Thompson, exterior designer Jeremy Waterman, interior designers Sandy Boyes and Mark Butler, and color and materials designer Joanna Keatley. 

Beyond the dynamic profile, stance and the cars' core conceptual design, there are several interesting subtle design innovations. One is the near-flat fillet surface that sits just above the body side undercut at the base of the shoulder. This design element adds strength and will clearly become a unique Land Rover design signature.

The interior is "All about bringing the structure to A-surface," according to Butler, "then you get all this jewelry for free." It is also packed full of detail innovations: from the vegetable tanned brown leathers with integrated wine cooler, to the multilayered instrument binnacle glazing and rear speakers that rotate around to face out of the open tailgate.

This design was getting a lot of attention from the media at the show as well as from other car designers. With so much to see, and so much of it executed to a very high standard, this just might be the star of the show. We'll be covering the LRX in more depth in a forthcoming Design Review.

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The RA is a compact two-seat sports coupe concept similar to the Porsche Boxster - in its curvaceous and relatively long rear deck - and the Audi R8, with its low set front graphics. But unlike these two German designs, the RA has its engine at the front - a new diesel powerplant. The design has been created to showcase the new power source, which is prominently displayed uncovered at the front of the car.

Speaking to exterior designer Gary Ragle, we heard how he designed the RA to have a four-wheel-drive look with a balanced elevation front to rear, unlike most cars. Dynamism is introduced with the DLO and the shut lines of the massive butterfly doors, which run all the way to the front wheel arch. The Lancia Stratos was also an influence in the way the broad wheel arches meet the tapering main body plan.

Inside the car, Christopher Schuttera has aimed to capture a modern fighter-jet feel in the driver-focused cockpit area and with the execution of the instrument binnacle design. This is combined with colors and materials more typically associated with classic sports cars.

With the Eclipse in Mitsubishi's North American market model line up, the Concept-RA perhaps hints at  a possible design direction the firm may decide to take when it comes time to launch the next generation.

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