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Hyundai refuses to rest on its laurels. In 2008, it pushed into the luxury-car realm in the U.S. and is now looking to make the German stalwarts shake in their boots with the second-generation Genesis sedan. Take a good look at the HCD-14 Genesis Concept at the 2013 Detroit auto show -- it's a direct preview of what to expect from Hyundai's midsize luxury fighter for 2015.

The Corolla may be one of the most important cars in Toyota's lineup, with 291,000 sold in the U.S. last year and a total of nine million sold here since 1968, but it's hardly the stuff of car enthusiasts' dreams. It owes its sales success to a continued image of sensible, practical, and economical driving. Imagine our surprise, then, to see that the Corolla Furia concept shown at the Detroit auto show wears 19-inch wheels, carbon fiber accent pieces, and a flashy orange paint job.

It's a bold man who wades into the impassioned war between Camaro and Mustang fans, but I'm feeling brave enough to take a stand. The 2013 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 convertible is much more fun than the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 convertible I drove two weeks earlier. The difference is clear: the drop-top GT500 feels wild and untamed, whereas the ZL1 is a complete and well-sorted package.

You're looking at the Honda's new Urban SUV concept, which makes its formal debut in Detroit at the 2013 North American International Auto Show. And, despite the fact that several cues are ripped straight from Acura's design playbook, the show car actually previews a forthcoming subcompact crossover that will be badged and sold as a Honda.

Audi's supercharged 3.0-liter V-6 in the A7 Sportback is such a lusty, powerfully good engine that it makes opting for the S7 and its 4.0-liter turbo V-8 seem superfluous. The 4.0-liter turbo S7 simply doesn't feel that much quicker or more powerful than the A7's V-6. In fact, Audi says the S7 was not designed to compete with the BMW M5, the Mercedes-Benz E63 AMG, or the Cadillac CTS-V, anyway.

Three-row crossovers are big money makers. Cooler than minivans and more practical than five-seat crossovers, these big models appeal to families and continue to sell well. Volkswagen wants to join the action and announced its intention to join the three-row segment with the CrossBlue concept shown at the Detroit auto show.