The Paris Motor Show is just a few weeks away, but General Motors yesterday surprised the world by revealing details about its upcoming Saab concept, expected to debut at the French show, at a media event in Detroit. The concept is the new 9X Air – a convertible version of the previous 9X BioHybrid concept vehicle from March’s Geneva Motor Show.

Reports that Mercedes-Benz might be considering renaming the CLK to reflect its E-Class design cues have taken firm hold of the automotive world. Now Mercedes has officially confirmed the E-Class coupe will be returning, and as a preview, will be showing the Fascination Concept at next month’s Paris Motor Show.

Hybrid concepts are among the hottest offerings on the international concept car scene, which is understandable given current political and economic trends. Keeping pace with the times, Renault has joined its French rivals with the announcement today of a new hybrid concept vehicle set to grace the carmaker’s stands at next month’s Paris Motor Show. The latest concept is called the Ondelios and is described as a luxury crossover designed for the environmentally conscious.

Except for the efforts of a few carmakers such as Mazda and Toyota, concept vehicle design has increasingly become a way to preview production cars in recent years. The Suzuki Kizashi 3 is an excellent example of this school of thought, but unlike some of its more mundane cohorts the Kizashi blends a fresh and edgy concept-like look with the real-world, production-ready look of a street car.

While we may be used to more sedate creations from Peugeot, such as its latest 308 Touring vehicle, the carmaker will be showcasing a bold new hybrid concept at the Paris Motor Show in October. Tentatively named the 'RC...’, the concept car is shrouded in mystery with even the full name being reserved for its debut in Paris.

General Motors is scrambling to bring its most well-received small-car concepts to life as global preferences and oil price pressures drive interest in the segment to new highs. Near the top of the list is the Beat concept, currently in development by GM Daewoo in South Korea. These latest spy shots reveal the car is headed nearing production, though some definite changes from the concept are in store. 

Th LS, a prototype vehicle in development by a German company called Loremo, proves that hybrids and electric vehicles aren't the only ones capable of impressively high fuel efficiency. Rated at a minimum of 2.94L/100km - and that's for the high-performance version - Loremo's two-cylinder turbodiesel powerplant promises to deliver efficiency as high as 1.96L/100km, over twice as efficient as the Toyota Prius.