Motor shows are a prime opportunities for manufacturers to showcase their latest products, and of course also a key sales event to get customers to put pen-to-paper (or finger-to-iPad in this digital age). 

But motor shows are also a chance for manufacturers to showcase their concept models to the world. Concept cars often foretell future models to come, but it's not just cars, of course. Technologies, new hardware, even flying vehicles. 

Auto Shanghai is no different. Amidst the sea of new cars on show, there were also plenty of concept models on display. Here, we highlight some of the most interesting ones to catch our eye: 

BMW Concept Skytop

We're stretching the definition of 'concept' here because BMW’s special star for Auto Shanghai didn’t technically make its debut at the show. Neither is it strictly concept-like anymore, since BMW has already confirmed it will go into a very limited production run of 50 units.

Still, the Concept Skytop is worth drooling over for all its well-proportioned beauty, eschewing the excess of recent BMW models for more understated muscularity and an almost targa-like roof. What lies under its long bonnet is tantalisingly old-school too: A 4.4-litre V8 putting out an incredible 617bhp. A production-ready, pure combustion-powered concept car? In this era? Sign us up.

Buick Electra GS Concept

Sleek, long and painted in a bright shade of copper, the Buick Electra GS is an eye-catching machine. Once the model name of a series of sedans and coupes from the 1950s, Buick is reviving the Electra nameplate as an EV and plug-in hybrid sub-brand. In a sea of crossovers and EVs that look much too alike, the Electra GS sure stood out with its attention-grabbing fastback styling.

BYD Ocean-S Concept Car

Could the successor to the BYD Seal look somewhat like this gorgeous sedan at the BYD booth? The Ocean-S concept car has been positioned by China's dominant electric carmaker as the new flagship of its Ocean Series, and will ostensibly set the tone for the design language of future models.

This is how you blend aerodynamics and beauty: With the right mixture of smooth lines and curves that add presence to the car’s body without compromising style. Even the head lights mimic the ocean's waves effortlessly. Since this appears more to be an exercise in design than anything else, powertrain details have not been revealed for now.

(A fluffy) Chery iCAR V23

We suspect the appeal of this car might start to diminish very quickly the moment it starts to drizzle (or even in Singapore’s humid weather).

Still, there's no denying this was one of the showstoppers of Auto Shanghai, over at Chery's iCAR booth. Without its fluffy wrap, the neo-retro, fully electric iCAR V23 can take to the roads in both single-motor RWD or dual-motor AWD guises, and boasts genuine offroading prowess thanks to its ground clearance and short overhangs. 

Denza Z Concept

Not content with duking it out with established players in larger SUV, Sedan and MPV segments, Denza clearly wants to take on the sports car manufacturers as well. Hence this Z Concept, an all-electric two-seater two-door coupe with a huge wing on the back. And given Denza's track record, we're pretty sure this will make production in the not too distant future. 

Hongqi Tian Nian 1（天辇 1号）

When Shanghai’s roads are jammed up, and you need to get from the NECC to The Bund in a jiffy, even a quad-motor hyper-EV won’t be of much help.

Enter: Hongqi’s flying Tian Nian 1 concept, which - unlike conventional eVTOLs - has a proper car-like body with wheels that suggests it could actually roll about on tarmac. It's quite the sight to behold, bearing the Chinese brand’s signature red flag symbol struck down the 'bonnet', and apparently has a claimed a flight range of more than 200km. We're not too sure how you'd find the clearance all around for those massive wings and rotors, though.

Lotus Theory 1 Concept

With its Theory 1 concept, Lotus says that it embodies the new design manifesto as well as a new user experience benchmark, and also embraces electrification to deliver immense performance. We're sure all those things are true, but perhaps the most notable feature about the Theory 1 is its three-seat, central driving position setup. Yep, sounds just like the fabled McLaren F1. The cool doors ("reverse opening and wrap-over design") don't hurt, either. 

MG Cyber X

The Cyber X was one of many (many) boxy Defender-eque electric SUVs showcased in Shanghai. It seems like rugged SUVs are very in-trend right now. It apparently showcases the next model to come in the 'Cyber' lineup (following from the Cyberster), and we are certainly excited to see how it translates into production form. And the best part? Pop-up head lights! 

Volkswagen ID. ERA

Between 'production-ready' and 'preview of a more distant future', you'd file Volkswagen's trio of concept cars that debuted at Auto Shanghai under the former.

Among them, the three-row ID. ERA was the one that stood out most to us because of its unique positioning: It will mark the first ever VW model to feature range-extender technology, with an onboard fuel-powered generator helping to provide an additional 700km of range. Coupled to the car’s 300km of electric-only range, VW is claiming an impressive total of more than 1,000km.