Photos: Design concept cars

As part of our retrospective of the 2007-08 auto show season, we're taking a look at the concept vehicles most likely to influence the design of production cars in the next few years. As a sign of the times, most of the cars in our roundup feature some kind of advanced or alternative-fuel drivetrain technology, while many of them hint at some of the new cabin gadgets that might soon be hitting the mainstream.

Maserati Chicane

Designers at Maserati beware: there is a whole new generation of drawing-board divas waiting to take your place. That was the message from the Chicane design study, created by students from the Instituto Europeo di Design for this year's Geneva auto show. The full-scale model of the 2+2 coupe combines Batmobile-fenders with swoopy lines and sharp creases not typically associated with the refined styling of Maserati, while still managing to retain an elegant profile.

Photo Credit: CNET Networks

Text By: Kevin Massy