A clever way for car manufacturers to find out the public’s response to futuristic design is to display them in a concept car. All of us will find something appealing in the concept whether it’s a technical or design breakthrough. For 2011 I present five cool concept cars.

If you are thinking of buying one of these new cars, you should also think about buying gap insurance to cover the probable, if not the inevitable.

Volkswagen XL1 Concept

Volkswagen is really putting the emphasis on economy with their XL1 Concept which was unveiled at the Qatar Motor Show. The use of a carbon fibre body results in reduced weight but real strength. The first 20 miles are covered by the use of a 20kw lithium-ion battery pack; after this, power is supplied by a 48hp 800cc engine. Although the fuel tank holds only 2.64 gallons, it is enough for a further 320 miles of efficient driving. It will be interesting to see how Volkswagen succeed in mass-producing this concept without its being uncompetitively expensive.

Renault Captur concept

Renault’s Captur concept car is intended to be a best seller.  With its removable hardtop and its eclectic features the Captur combines the characteristics of a convertible, an MPV, a coupe and a hatchback. Anyone sitting in the Captur will experience a strange floating feeling which is the result of having the seating attached to the central console rather than to the floor. A maximum speed of 130mph is possible as a result of its 158bhp engine. Low emissions put this concept in the tax free range.

BMW Vision ConnectedDrive

BMW’s sleek and aggressive looking concept is gathering a lot of attention at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. When looking at the lovely grill and rounded headlights one is reminded of a shark’s head. The new L shaped rear light cluster will be incorporated in all future BMWs; the sliding doors are reminiscent of the Z1 limited edition. Essential information such as speed is displayed on a 3D screen which can also display GPS information when needed.

Infiniti Etherea concept

In direct competition with BMW’s Series 1, Infiniti’s compact Etherea is another concept car on show at the Geneva Motor Show. The Etherea is a smart hatchback and a breakaway from Infiniti’s large and luxurious stable of 4×4’s and executive saloons. Probably to be powered by a turbocharged 4 cylinder Mercedes Benz engine, this petro-electric hybrid will be in production in 2014 and is clearly aimed at a younger market. The Etherea is on my wish list as is the necessary gap insurance.

Vauxhall Zafira Tourer concept

There are concept cars that lack high performance. The Zafira Tourer, by Vauxhall, is an example. The hugely popular MPV could be superseded by this seven-seater passenger vehicle. Perhaps when it goes into production later this year it will be the style and design that we’ll see even though it is a concept vehicle.

The Zafira features a new version of the Flex 7’s practical seating system but does not inherit the FlexDoor system from the Meriva. Internally, the dash sports a touch screen display while rear passengers can surf the internet or watch films on laptops mounted in the back of the front seats.

The basic Zafira is likely to have a 1.4 litre turbo-charged engine with a stop-start system and cost £20,000.

Since the likelihood of having your new car written off is fairly strong, it’s a good idea to take out gap insurance when you buy the new car.

We, the public, are given a sight of the future by concept cars whilst they, the manufacturers, find out what our responses to them are.  Reaction at the Geneva Motor Show suggests these cool concepts are something we should look for on our new car.