The Future of...Cars?

So at the beginning of the week, I read an article about GM releasing a car that can travel more than 240 miles on one gallon of gas.  I know that cars like this have been conceived of in the past, but after reading the article I felt as though this car is the beginning of the future of cars.

Well, skip ahead a few days to the end of the week, and I read this little article:

http://autos.yahoo.com/auto-shows/frankfurt_auto_show_2009/1106/Volkswagen-L1-Concept

I didn't feel as impacted by this story as the one I read earlier in the week.  However, I still thought this is the direction that all new cars are taking.  The 240+ mpg sounds wonderful, and even though the car(s) will cost a load of cash when it's first released, the price will come down in due time.  Something that I always look for in car articles (especially for new cars) are pictures of what the cars will look like.  So, I was thrilled to see that Yahoo!/Car & Driver had a picture of this VW to go along with the story.  I noticed the design of the car and realized how Jetson-ish the VW car looks.  I had to laugh at myself for thinking of the cartoon and relating it to this new VW.  That's just my imagination getting wild again...or is it?

Then I started to ponder on this issue.  This is a futuristic car, so how will the general public react to these cars?  Are cars like this to last?

Although I didn't answer my first question (I have a feeling that will be an extended period of time type of question), I did however say "yes" to my second question.  At the turn of 2000, I remember car companies trying to make car models and designs that were revolutionary to the time.  The cars look cool, but there really was no promise.  It seemed illogical at the time.  However, I now feel like this is changing.  Right now.  We will begin seeing more cars like this on the market in the near future.  We will also begin seeing more articles like the one I posted.  The times are changing, and times like this, I have to tell myself we're living in the future.