"With the C concept we've tried to show what a smaller fuel-efficient, petrol-engined Lincoln could look like," says Ford group design boss J Mays.

The C, built on the next-generation Ford Focus platform, was one of the surprises of the show, and features a very unusual exterior design. With a high belt line, upright and wide aluminum C-pillar and cantrail, and a low pronounced shoulder that leads to a protruding rear end with full-width LED tail lamps, the exterior aesthetic is reminiscent of the previous-generation Renault Mégane.

Inside, the light and high-quality interior features two three-seater benches wrapped in white leather engraved with subtle floral patterns, and a low floating IP with smart grey horizontally grained wood. Both help to create a strong feeling of space as Mays told Car Design News: "Bottom line, it's got the footprint of a Focus, but the interior dimensions of a ‘61 Lincoln Continental."

The HMI features next-generation Microsoft Sync technology with an Avatar that can talk to driver and passengers and is only two years away, reckons Mays, although not necessarily in a small Lincoln. "We're not making any announcements yet, but we're hopeful and have the technology to do this. I personally think Lincoln needs a car this size," Mays added.

Given how quickly Lincoln now seems to be turning concepts into production reality - the MKT production car also unveiled at the 2009 Detroit show was only shown in concept form 12 months ago - you never know. Either way, the C is another convincing Lincoln concept.

The ninth-generation E-class isn't on Mercedes' Detroit auto show stand - allegedly as its US on-sale date is some way off - but it did nonetheless get its global unveil in the city on Saturday night (January 10) at an exclusive preview downtown.

The car goes on sale in Europe from late spring and features a new squarer interpretation of the 1995 model's quad-lamp front face plus echoes of the 1953 ‘Ponton' Mercedes' – specifically its distinctive rear wing contour, which rises from the rocker line round the wheelarch to the meet the rear taillights.

Design chief Gorden Wagener explains the new look: "The 1995 E-Class was the first Mercedes-Benz to feature the famous 'four-eye face'. This was an important design feature because it created a symbolic repositioning of the brand. With the new E-Class the structure of the front headlamps is adapted to the overall angular design." 

Close attention has also been paid to aerodynamics, with the tauter lines helping obtain a class-leading 0.25 drag coefficient. Inside, the solid-feeling cabin offers double the number of trim options available in the previous version, with strong ambient lighting, and open-pored wood and brushed aluminum as well as the more traditional high-gloss fine hardwoods.

The design seems evolutionary rather than revolutionary - a fair decision given that the car has sold 1.3 million vehicles in Europe alone and is clearly doing lots of things very right. But the similarity to Volvo's new ‘DNA' lamp look might mark it down in terms of standout factor.

Related Article:
Leaked: Mercedes-Benz E-Class

The Fisker Karma S (aka Sunset) concept is a logical progression of the design elements previewed on the Karma concept revealed at last year's Detroit Auto Show. With a two-piece folding hardtop and seating for four, the two-door Karma S appears to be better suited to its low-slung proportions and is a more aesthetically attractive package than the the production four-door parked next to it on the stand. Both were designed by ex-BMW and Aston Martin designer Henrik Fisker.

The S retains many of the design attributes of the Karma sedan – including its front and rear fenders, grille aperture and front and rear fascias – yet it is a more emotional design. And its two-piece folding hardtop retracts within the trunk without the rear end appearing overly bulbous. In fact, the decklid is exactly the same height as the four-door's – a feat accomplished by optimizing the curvature of the roof and altering the chassis at the rear. The only notable changes fore of the A-pillar are a sportier insert in the front grille and fenders that include an air vent to release hot air from the small ICE unit (the exhaust is a thin outlet below this).

Inside, refinements introduced during the process of bringing the Karma to production have had a similarly positive effect on the S. Created by exterior design director Alexander Klatt, the environmentally sustainable seat covering is adorned in materials that would typically be found on luxury furniture. The exterior form vocabulary was carried over to the interior, which features extensive use of aluminum. Detailing includes stitching around the steering wheel (also repeated on the center console) and an instrument hood with the same cross section as the diamond-shaped air intake – a theme that also appears on the door panels.

Related Article:
Fisker Karma concept - Detroit Auto Show 2008