Sexy Concepts Seduce Car Lovers With Premium Promise

Can’t wait for industry reaction to Ford’s Evos concept car at the Frankfurt auto show next month. From the photos, it’s brilliant. I, for one, would buy it in a New York minute.

Yet, Ford does not intend to build the car, and that’s a shame, because it surely would send the likes of Audi, Jaguar and Hyundai designers scampering back to the drawing boards.

WardsAuto editor Byron Pope reports in his story posted today the car is merely a glimpse at Ford’s future global styling direction.

As J Mays, Ford’s global design chief, explains it, the idea is to offer premium-styled Ford-brand cars that are affordable to mainstream buyers, while also offering many of the new technologies.

That’s probably is why the concept car appears on a C-segment platform with a C/D width.

But Editor Eric Mayne argues the Lincoln brand could use the Evos’ glitz to kick-start sales after losing Mercury, claiming such a model would be an ideal Genesis killer.

General Motors hints at a long-awaited flagship sedan for Cadillac with its Ciel concept, a 4-seat convertible recalling the brand’s grand touring days. The Ciel will be shown at Frankfurt, as well.

Editor Jim Amend says there’s more promise for a production version Ciel, French for “Sky,” as GM long has sought a highly luxurious, range-topping passenger car for the Cadillac lineup to compete with German entries such as the Mercedes-Benz S-Class.

No matter where the road takes them, it’s clear U.S. auto makers plan to make a worthy showing at the all-important German auto show and that U.S. car buyers soon will have even more choices when it comes to top-notch vehicle design.

Me? I’m still holding out for the sweet Cadillac Sixteen from 2003.