Five Hot Cars From The 2011 Shanghai Auto Show

By Suzanne Kane

Suzanne Kane

Contributing Writer BIO

Suzanne Kane is an editor at High Gear Media focusing on covering the latest product and other auto-related information for Family Car Guide... More

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1,942 views Apr 27, 2011

Buick Envision Concept

Some may make it to the U.S. as production cars, while others are definitely headed here, but these five hot cars from the 2011 Shanghai Auto Show prove that automakers are keen to show off their stuff to show goers worldwide.

Sure, there were some other concepts at the Shanghai show, but they’re either only for the Chinese market or clearly not intended for the U.S. With that said, however, there’s a lot to like about this group of five, generally considered among the stars of the show.

MINI Goodwood

MINI partnered with Rolls-Royce to create the limited-edition (only 1,000 will be sold worldwide beginning in spring 2012) MINI Goodwood. Essentially, this is a MINI Cooper S with an interior that’s more Rolls-Royce than MINI. Inside, there’s soft leather and Rolls-Royce Walnut Burr trim. The Diamond Black metallic exterior paint is exclusive to Rolls-Royce as well. Under the hood, the MINI Goodwood is powered by a 181-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine paired with standard six-speed manual transmission or optional six-speed automatic. MINI says the combo is good for an estimated 27 mpg city/33 mpg highway. Just to clarify, the automaker says this is MINI INSPIRED BY GOODWOOD. We think most consumers will just call it MINI Goodwood. Motor Authority’s Viknesh Vijayenthiran has more coverage on MINI Inspired by Goodwood.

Audi A3 e-tron

Neither a pure electric nor a sports car, the Audi A3 e-tron is something in-between. Indeed, it’s more like a high-tech small sedan from the German automaker. Powered by a 209-horsepower 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine and 26-horsepower electric motor paired with seven-speed dual-clutch automated manual transmission, the Audi A3 e-tron can travel up to 34 miles on electric power alone. Read more about the Audi A3 e-tron in Motor Authority here.