The top concept cars of early 2015 (pictures)

You wouldn't know it by looking at it, but the wild Subaru STI Performance concept is actually one of the mildest concepts in this roundup. The concept shows that small tweaks to the BRZ's style and performance can make a very big impact.

Check out more pictures of the Subaru STI Performance concept.

Nestled in a sea of supercars, the Nissan Sway concept went largely overlooked at the 2015 Geneva Auto Show, but the compact concept gives us our first look at the next generation Versa Note.

Check out the Nissan Sway and the rest of the concepts of the 2015 Geneva auto show.

It looks bonkers in that retina-searing green paint, but the most interesting detail about this Honda Civic concept is that it will reach the States with a new series of turbocharged engines beneath its hood.

Learn more about the 10th generation Honda Civic concept.

Honda gives us a look at the successor to its FCX Clarity hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle at the 2015 Detroit auto show.

Learn more about the Honda FCV concept.

Chevrolet's compact, inexpensive Bolt concept will boast over 200 miles of claimed EV range when it goes into production in the very near future.

Check out the Chevrolet Bolt concept.

Chevrolet's recently debuted concept is a peek at the brand's autonomous driving ambitions. It also looks amazing.

Find out more details about Chevrolet's FNR concept.

The autonomous Mercedes-Benz F 015 concept is unique in that it's the only concept on this list we've actually taken a ride in.

Watch CNET hit the road in the Mercedes-Benz F 015 autonomous concept.

Lincoln resurrected the Continental name and raised a few eyebrows with this ultra-luxurious concept.

Check out the luxurious Lincoln Continental concept.

Buick explores a new direction in style while paying homage to some of the best models of its past with the Avenir concept.

Find out more about the Buick Avenir concept.

The Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 is a coupe concept (with a very long name) that could preview a future hybrid grand tourer.

Get more details about the curvaceous Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 concept.

Wearing a four-door coupe profile that's all the rage these days, the Volkswagen GTE concept distinguishes itself with conceptual integration with a smartwatch or fitness band to assess and adapt to the driver's mood.

Check out the rest of what we know about Volkswagen's Sport Coupe GTE concept.

About as thinly veiled as concepts come, the Q60 concept previews an Infiniti sports coupe of the same name that will debut in 2016. 

Learn more about the production-bound Infiniti Q60 concept.

The Detroit auto show is where we typically expect to see pickup truck debuts, but no one saw this compact Santa Cruz concept from Hyundai coming.

Find out why we're so excited about the Hyundai Santa Cruz concept.

With its presence in the US shrinking, Mitsubishi strikes back with its latest crossover concept and a plug-in hybrid powertrain.

Learn more about the Mitsubishi XR-PHEV II and the rest of the concepts at the 2015 Geneva auto show.

Lexus continues to push its angular design to new extremes even with this, its smallest concept yet.

Check out the unveiling of the pint-sized Lexus LF-SA concept.

We're cheating here because the 800-plus horsepower Aston Martin Vulcan is a production car, not a concept. However, it's simply too hot to ignore and Aston is only building 24 examples, none of which will be street legal. This is an ultra-exclusive, track-only toy.

See more pictures of the awesome Aston Martin Vulcan.