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The top concept cars of early 2015 (pictures)

Concept cars are like crystal balls that let us peek at the near and the far-flung futures of transportation. We take a look back at the coolest concepts of early 2015.

Antuan Goodwin
Antuan Goodwin gained his automotive knowledge the old fashioned way, by turning wrenches in a driveway and picking up speeding tickets. From drivetrain tech and electrification to car audio installs and cabin tech, if it's on wheels, Antuan is knowledgeable.
Antuan Goodwin
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1 of 16 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Subaru STI Performance concept

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.

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2 of 16 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Nissan Sway 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.

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3 of 16 Sarah Tew/CNET

Honda Civic (10th generation) concept

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.

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4 of 16 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Honda FCV 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.

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5 of 16 Josh Miller/CNET

Chevrolet Bolt 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.

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6 of 16 Chevrolet

Chevrolet FNR 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.

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7 of 16 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Mercedes-Benz F 015 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.

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8 of 16 Sarah Tew/CNET

Lincoln Continental concept

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

Check out the luxurious Lincoln Continental concept.

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9 of 16 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Buick Avenir 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.

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10 of 16 Josh Miller/CNET

Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 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.

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11 of 16 Wayne Cunningham/CNET

Volkswagen Sport Coupe GTE 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.

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12 of 16 Josh Miller/CNET

Infiniti Q60 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.

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13 of 16 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Hyundai Santa Cruz 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.

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14 of 16 Wayne Cunningham

Mitsubishi XR-PHEV II 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.

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15 of 16 Antuan Goodwin/CNET

Lexus LF-SA concept

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.

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16 of 16 Josh Miller/CNET

Aston Martin Vulcan

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.

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