VOLVO has unveiled five concept design studies at www.conceptlabvolvo.com.

Scale models of these are on display at the New York Auto Show. Concept Lab Volvo showcases five interesting concept studies of an entire range of possible small Volvos.

n A sports coupe: A blend of retrospective shapes from earlier Volvos and a futuristic view on a compact two-seater sports car. It also includes a zero-emission powertrain with a hybrid battery pack.

n A sports saloon: A study that explores how dynamic a compact saloon can be. Ultra-light construction is utilised for outstanding fuel economy and many of the visible and structural and suspension parts are derived from motorcycle design.

n A four-seat hatchback: Maybe the shortest Volvo ever, with short fºront and rear overhangs which could be a three or five door design.

n An “Urban Jungle Rider”: An extremely compact four-wheel drive roadster with a flexible roof set-up. The glass roof may be removed, exposing the aluminium structural frame.

n A small SUV: The 4x4 capability and flexibility of a large SUV in compact size to offer all-road use as well as urban convenience.

Concept Lab Volvo is a unique interactive experience that gives consumers the chance to question and give feedback direct to Volvo.

Henrik Otto, Volvo car chief designer, said: “As designers, we are employed to set trends. But we cannot sit in the design studio in Sweden and decide what the rest of the world should drive. We need to know what people think about our ideas and our visions of the future.

“Concept Lab Volvo is an unfiltered pathway between the company and the individual, and the Internet gives us contact with people who do not go to motor shows or read car magazines.

Personally, I think that Concept Lab Volvo appeals to a younger audience. And we are very keen to know what young people think about our future and visions. After all, they are the ones who are going to buy these cars,” he added.

Volvo concept cars are not simply one-off dreams - they feed into the development of production cars. In fact, two of the concept cars previously shown became production vehicles.

The website includes detailed information about Volvo Versatility Concept Car (VCC), unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year and now these five new small Volvo concepts. The concept models give a glimpse into possible futures - although note that no decision has been made for any of these models to go into production.