Motor City is no longer a three-horse town as the annual Detroit motor show was overtaken by foreigners this year.

The traditional curtain raiser on the motor show circus is usually dominated by new releases from hometown heroes Ford, General Motors and Fiat Chrysler, but not this time.

Sure, the Big Three grabbed plenty of local headlines with updated versions of America’s favourite pick-up trucks, but it was the Japanese and South Korean brands that showcased their global status’ with a collection of far-out concept cars and a bunch of striking new models that are just around the corner.

As a sign of the times in North America, which isn’t under as much pressure to eliminate petrol-powered vehicles as countries in Europe and China and still enjoys good ‘ol muscle cars and big trucks, there wasn’t as much chatter about electric cars or autonomous vehicles as there has been at recent major expos like those in Geneva, Frankfurt and Shanghai in 2017.

Still, Detroit provided plenty of glimpses into the future with this motley crew of machines.

Lexus LF-1 Limitless

Lexus opened the Detroit motor show with its striking LF-1 Limitless concept, the Japanese brand’s interpretation of a coupe-style crossover.

Following in the wheel tracks of the pioneering BMW X6, a concept that has been copied by rival brands like Mercedes-Benz with its GLC and GLE Coupes and soon Audi with its Q4, Q6 and Q8 sporty SUVs, the LF-1 Limitless brings more resolved overall proportions with its long bonnet and rearward cabin.

But it does have some polarising elements, such as the three-dimensional interpretation of the company’s signature ‘Spindle Grille’ that is flanked by a complex series of lights.

Lexus says the inspiration for the details in its design came from the molten steel used to make Katana swords, the traditional fighting implements of the Samurai.

Like the outside, the four-seater cabin is just as radical with a driver-focused design that features high-resolution screens for the rear-view mirrors on either side of the instrument cluster, gesture control operation for functions like the windows and open-pore wood highlights that house optic fibre stems which deliver a choreographed light show when occupants enter the cabin.

Lexus left the door open as to what could power the LF-1, saying it could be driven by a traditional petrol engine, a conventional hybrid, a plug-in hybrid or a fully-electric drivetrain.

Lexus is renowned for turning its concept cars into production reality, and we’d expect the LF-1 to hit showrooms by 2020.

Infiniti Q Concept

Fledgling luxury brand, Infiniti, is about to take a different tack in its assault on established European rivals.

The premium arm of Japanese car maker, Nissan, showcased a radical new design direction for future models with its Q Inspiration concept car, bringing a sleeker and simpler style than today’s curvy Q50 sedan.

The new design is expected to come to reality on the replacement for the company’s mid-sized sedan which is due to hit showrooms within the next two years.

Under the skin, the Q Inspiration also highlights Infiniti’s commitment to extending the use of its high-tech variable compression engine technology, which Infiniti claims offers the power of a six-cylinder motor with the fuel economy of a smaller four-cylinder.

The cabin design complements the minimalist exterior, with clean surfaces, large display screens, light open-pore wood highlights with contrasting light and dark leather and red ambient lighting.

Nissan Xmotion

Not to be outdone by its own luxury brand, Nissan rolled out its radical-looking Xmotion concept.

Taking a polar opposite approach with a chunky style dominated by its bluff nose and hard-edged body sides, the compact SUV is said to preview a new direction for the Japanese brand’s next-generation soft roaders.

With measurements that put it in the same segment as the X-Trail, the XMotion could provide a hint at its replacement which is due to hit showrooms within the next few years.

The cabin is just as striking, with a minimalist interior that features six seats positioned over three rows, all of which can be adjusted to allow occupants to interact while the car is controlled by its fully autonomous driving functions.

Hyundai Veloster

Back to reality, Hyundai was one of the stars of the Detroit motor show with the reveal of its second-generation Veloster.

The quirky coupe follows much the same formula as its predecessor with its unique asymmetrical three-door layout – featuring two doors on the passenger side and one on the driver side – front-wheel drive configuration and a choice of two engines, a base-level naturally-aspirated 2.0-litre four cylinder and a more modern 1.6-litre turbo four cylinder in the range-topping SR variants.

Look past its familiarity and there are some neat details in its design, with a bolder version of the company’s signature cascading front grille that is flanked by recessed headlights on either side and supported by a complex lower splitter that flips up in the air intakes to create fences that improve aerodynamics.

The wheel arches are wider, the roof line is lowered and the rear end features a bolder diffuser with a central exhaust outlet. There’s the option of a two-tone paint job that gives it a meaner stance.

Inside, the cabin is more modern than before and the car benefits from the latest in safety equipment with up-to-the-minute features like autonomous emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and a heads-up display all now available on the Veloster.

Local details are still to be confirmed, but it is expected to be offered in four model grades and retain a starting price under $30,000 when it arrives in Australian showrooms around the middle of the year.

Kia Cerato

The Kia Stinger was a star car at last year’s Detroit motor show, and a little bit of the swoopy sedan returned this year in the form of the all-new Cerato sedan.

With styling elements that are clearly take inspiration from the Stinger’s eye-popping design, the South Korean brand looks set to shake-up the compact sedan segment when the Cerato lands in Australian showrooms later this year.

The sleek body hides a car that is physically bigger in almost every dimension to improve cabin space, while under the skin it is expected to carry over much of the same mechanical package as the current car, with a 2.0-litre four-cylinder driving the front wheels via either an automatic or manual transmission.

Inside, the cabin is not only bigger but features more equipment than before and better-quality materials.

Kia Australia is finalising local specifications for the Cerato sedan ahead of its arrival around mid year.

Ford Edge ST

It was unusually quiet from the American big three in Detroit this year, but Ford grabbed some of the spotlight with a pair of unique performance cars.

The first, and potentially most relevant for Australia, is the Edge ST SUV, the latest hotted-up model from the Ford Performance division.

It’s essentially a go-fast variant of the five-seat SUV that will come to Australia as the Endura later this year, powered by a 2.7-litre twin-turbo V6 that delivers 250kW and 515Nm to all four wheels via a specially-tuned eight-speed automatic.

Considering our appetite for sporty soft roaders, the Endura ST would seem like a lay down misere for Australian showrooms but Ford has ruled it out – for now – as it will concentrate on establishing the mainstream, diesel-powered, version first.

For those a little more selfish, Ford also tooks the covers off the latest limited edition Bullitt Mustang – 50 years after the release of the iconic Steve McQueen blockbuster hit the silver screen featuring one of the most revered car chases in Hollywood history.

The special Mustang takes inspiration from the original movie car with a host of exclusive design cues, while under the bonnet the 5.0-litre V8 has been tweaked to produce higher outputs.

Like the Edge ST, it is yet to be confirmed whether the Bullitt Mustang will be sold outside of North America.

Ford Ranger

Ford also provided a sneak peek at the facelifted Ranger ute that is due to arrive in Australia later this year.

The dual-cab ute made its return to North America at the Detroit show featuring a host of styling and safety upgrades which are expected to make their way into the updated local version, including a new front bumper, grille and headlights, a tailgate with RANGER stamped in it and a few tweaks inside the cabin.

Under the bonnet, the US version will be powered by the 2.3-litre turbo charged four cylinder that drives the Mustang Ecoboost and Focus RS, but Australia models will stick with an all-diesel engine line-up that will include a new-generation 2.0-litre twin-turbo four-cylinder in the highly-anticipated flagship Ranger Raptor.

Mercedes-Benz G-Class

The toughest new arrival at the 2018 Detroit motor show didn’t come from Motor City itself, but from Mercedes-Benz with its all-new G-Class four-wheel drive.

Even though it is the first time the G-wagen has been redesigned from the ground up since it was first introduced in 1979, the second-generation model looks largely similar to the original.

But underneath its iconic boxy body it features lighter, stronger underpinnings that also liberate more space within the cabin and an independent front suspension for the first time that is claimed to improve both its on-road dynamics and off-road ability.

The interior also benefits from the latest technologies from Mercedes-Benz with greater connectivity functions, more comfortable seats and up-to-date safety features.

Mercedes-Benz Australia will launch the new G-Class with the range-topping G63 AMG that is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 that produces a mammoth 450kW and 850Nm.