Most exciting cars at Detroit Auto Show 2016

U.S. and international automakers debuted several new cars Monday, with the Chevrolet Bolt EV, Lexus LC 500, and Buick Avista each attracting attention from analysts and reporters.

As an electric vehicle with more than 200 miles per charge and costing only 30,000 U.S. dollars after U.S. Federal tax incentives, it is difficult to see a vehicle other than the Chevrolet Bolt taking best-in-show. Although not yet planned for release in the China market, the Bolt EV is likely to become the first plug-in EV that is affordable for ordinary Americans, Europeans and Chinese.

At a press conference, General Motors CEO Mary Barra said: "Bolt EV is truly the first EV that cracks the code of long range and affordable price."

The Bolt delivers 200 horsepower, along with a 0 to 60 miles per hour speed of less than seven seconds, and GM representatives say that the low center of gravity created by the placement of the battery in the floor of the vehicle makes Bolt's handling feel more like that of a sports car than an ordinary sedan.

GM engineers note that the cost of 145 U.S. dollars per kilowatt hour will keep costs down for consumers, and that the vehicle will deliver 90 miles of range with 30 minutes of charging.

Other technology added to the Bolt includes a rear camera mirror, replacing a traditional rearview mirror which can be blocked by the car interior. The camera mirror shows a full wide angle view of what's behind the vehicle.

Lexus debuted its LC500 on Monday, as part of a drive to capture more market share, and shift away from design that consumers have described as boring and uninspired. The new LC500 is powered by a 5.0-liter V8 engine which delivers 467 horsepower and exerts 389 pounds of torque. The company said it can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in less than 4.5 seconds.

The exterior is anything but bland, as a redesigned grill and aerobatic curves delineate the front and sides of the vehicle. Inside, the company says a Lexus Multimedia package has been designed to work with a Pioneer audio system that comes standard with every new car.

Under the hood, Lexus' active safety system works to help prevent collisions, as well as a feature called Lane Keeping Assist which helps prevent vehicles from departing from their lanes, and all speed dynamic radar cruise control.

Finally, the Buick Avista Concept was unveiled to the U.S. public, a 2+2 coupe that retains the Buick Avenir's design language and retains simplicity in its bodywork. One unique feature, a 3D printed door, may be a first for the Detroit Auto Show, as 3D printing of car bodies remains prohibitively expensive for production cars.

Under the hood, the Buick Avista has a 400-horsepower twin-turbocharged V-6 engine, which Buick management is proud of.

"The Avista embodies the dynamic soul of Buick," said Duncan Aldred, vice president of Global Buick Sales, Service and Marketing. "It is a modern expression of the brand's heritage of sophisticated performance, communicated with beautiful elegance."

The North American International Auto Show, taking up more than 722,500 square feet in the Cobo Center, will last from Jan. 11 to 24, and expects to have 5,000 journalists from more than 60 countries, 45 vehicle debuts and more than 500 vehicles on display. U.S. President Barack Obama is expected to visit the show on Jan. 20. Endi