For anyone interested in catching a glimpse of tomorrow's vehicle technology today, there is only one place to look.

The North American International Auto Show, in Detroit.

Every January, car enthusiasts everywhere join the world's motoring press to be the first to see the most advanced vehicle gadgetry on earth.

Beautiful new designs from both the giants of the manufacturing world and more elite producers are released for display at the show.

But the real jaw-dropping, crowd-pleasing moments undoubtedly come as the latest concept vehicles are unveiled amid bright lights and dry ice. It's pure car theatre.

Some represent the outrageous imaginings of top designers while others hint at technology and styling set to filter through to road cars within the next five years.

Either way, you cannot fail to be excited by the futuristic appearance, ideas and accessories fitted to each one.

This year, audiences at the show were able to feast on a variety of desirable road vehicle designs with simple and fluid exterior styling and sleek interiors.

The Nissan Azeal Coupe Concept was among the cars making a debut and is the first concept car created by Nissan Design America's new studio in Farmington Hills, Michigan.

Nissan describe the Azeal as having an aggressive body design with wide wheel arches, short overhangs and a sharply sloped rear roofline with integrated active airfoil.

Inside there is a dark industrial metallic instrument panel with Wasabi Chartreuse fabric seats and an open greenhouse glass-panel roof.

Power comes from a turbo-charged 2.5 litre 4-cylinder engine with a 6-speed manual transmission.

Toyota opted to blur the boundaries of car genre with their new FT-SX concept.

The design team has created a bold vehicle combining the ride comfort, handling and fuel efficiency of a saloon with the utility, spaciousness and visibility of a car-based SUV.

The 15ft long vehicle has a V6, all wheel drive engine with 21-inch wheels, a large multi-function glass roof and innovative rear hatch. Inside, a streamlined interior complements the overall look.

Kevin Hunter, head of Toyota's North America design and studio activities, said: "Its surprising utility, powerful design, innovative features and luxurious comfort create the passion necessary to fulfil the requirements of its buyers in a fresh new way."

Designers at Chrysler exhibited elegance and refinement with the Firepower Grand Tourer Concept. The two-seater model features a tinted glass roof that extends to the rear liftgate and a 6.1 litre V8 engine to combine sleek design and precision engineering.

One of the most striking-looking concepts was unveiled with an exclusive 15-second video clip this year and is actually due to go into production in 2006.

Volvo's sporty two-door C30 was inspired by two previous concept cars the Safety Concept Car, first seen in Detroit in 2001 and the 3CC, which made its show debut this year.

The smallest model in the Volvo stable features an unique tapering tail to give a Bluebird-style appearance alongside a raft of safety measures which reduces G-force on the human body in the event of a crash as well as adaptive shock absorbers that tailor the damping effect to suit the collision force and the weight of any occupants.

But no visit to Detroit's motor show would be the same without taking a peek at some of the more outlandish designs which are, unfortunately, never intended to go into general production.

Ford's concept-only SYN broke the mould with a tough, small and boxy van.

The doors are made of 6in thick aluminium with bullet-proof windows, an on-board camera system to see around the vehicle and a 45in flat screen television positioned on the rear door.

The fluid interior allows the forward seats to swivel round, allowing all four passengers to watch the screen.

Ford confirmed the exaggerated styling and accessories are unlikely ever to make it on to the mainstream market.

However, the Chrysler Group again stole much of the attention with the outrageous Jeep Hurricane the most extreme 4x4 ever produced.

Inspired by the world of radio-controlled cars, the machine has the ability to spin on the spot with separate steering for both front and rear axles, as well as the power and traction to accelerate from 0-60 in less than five seconds.

Depending on the driver's needs, the Hurricane can be powered by 4, 8, 12 or 16 cylinders that translate into enough torque to enable it to scale obstacles other 4x4 vehicles cannot comprehend.