WHEELS OF THE FUTURE CONCEPT CAR DESIGNERS TRY TO CAPTURE CALIFORNIA LIFESTYLE MULTITASK CONCEPT VEHICLES EXPECTED TO HAVE MASS APPEAL.

Byline: Gregory J. Wilcox Staff Writer

You want a pickup truck, your kids want a convertible and your wife wants anything as long as it has style. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to buy one car that fits all those needs.

What a concept.

That's what designers at Torrance-based Honda R&D Americas Inc. thought when they came up with the Spocket, a futuristic looking two-seat sports car, pickup trick and sport utility vehicle all rolled into one.

You pick the mode of transportation to suit your mood.

``The main idea was to do a car that shows the California lifestyle so we started from zero,'' said Jose N. Wyszogrod, one of the car's designers. ``In L.A. people like sporty cars, they like SUVs and they like convertibles. They like to go skiing, to the beach and haul stuff around. They like everything.''

Wyszogrod and fellow designer Bernard Lee turned out the concept - which looks like a shortened Chevrolet El Camino on steroids - in seven months.

It is one of 17 concept vehicles making either its world or North American debut at the Greater L.A. Auto Show, which runs from today through Jan. 16 at the Los Angeles Convention Center.

Not only do the concept vehicles let designers explore their wild side, they also push the technology envelope. For example, the Spocket's roof slides back over the cargo bed opening the passenger cabin to the sky and the rear bulkhead unfolds into a rear seat.

Environmentalists should like it too, because it's a hybrid. The designers were able to increase cargo space in the truck bed by eliminating the rear axle and putting electric motors in the wheels. A small gasoline engine is up front.

Will this cross-pollenated vehicle ever reach a showroom near you? That's hard to say. And it's why concepts make such a splash at shows like L.A.

``We're waiting to see what the reaction of the public is. It was very positive in Japan,'' said Wyszogrod.

Sometimes concepts do make the leap to production; the redesigned Ford Thunderbird is a case in point.

The car with lots of retro character was introduced in concept form last year and is again making the car show circuit as a concept. But sometime next year it goes into production, said Ford spokesman John W. Clinard.

Ford still plans some design tweaks and will be listening to what the public has to say about the model during the show's run.

So don't feel like you have to watch what you say while drooling over the merchandise during the show.

``We put people at the show to hang around cars to listen to the comments. We like it a lot because it's unbiased, true feedback. It validates our market research,'' Clinard said.

The lines of the new Thunderbird harken back to the models of the 1950s. There are concepts in yellow, red and black.

So far, there is no word on whether turquoise will be available or what the price will be, although some sources at Ford said it might be in the $40,000 range.

96th GREATER LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW 

--WHERE: Los Angeles Convention Center, 1201 S. Figueroa St.

--WHEN: Today through Jan. 16. Weekdays, 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; and Sundays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

--ADMISSION: General admission $7; senior citizens $5 on weekdays, $7 on weekends; children 12 and under free when accompanied by an adult.

--CONTACT: [phone], Ext. 1; or www.laautoshow.com

FAR OUT IDEAS

Here, in alphabetic order, is a list of concept vehicles making their world or North American debuts at the Greater L.A. Auto Show:

--Buick Regal Cielo

--Cadillac EldoRODo

--Chrysler Java

--Dodge Neon SRT 

--Ford Mustang Concept

--Ford Desert Excursion

--Honda Spocket

--Hyundai Equus

--Lincoln LS Concept

--Mercury Mountaineer Concept

--Oldsmobile Profile

--Saturn CV1

--Subaru ST/X

--Suzuki Platinum

--Toyota Ultimate Celica

--Toyota Celica Convertible

--Volkswagen Concept

CAPTION(S):

4 photos, 2 boxes

Photo: (1 -- color) The Spocket is Honda's vision of the truck of the future.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer

(2 -- color) The Ford Thunderbird will go into production next year.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

(3 -- color) Buick shows off its vision with a prototype of the Cielo at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which runs today through Jan. 16.

David R. Crane/Staff Photographer

(4 -- color) Mitsubishi has designed a Sport Utility Vehicle for the future.

David Sprague/Staff Photographer

Box: (1) 96th GREATER LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW (see text)

(2) FAR OUT IDEAS (see text)