Automotive News Europe

Frankfurt show A-Z: All the debuts

Electric will take center stage

Paul McVeigh

Automotive News Europe | September 13, 2009 06:01 CET

The 2009 Frankfurt auto show will mark a major step toward the introduction of production cars that run on electric power. In addition to eye-catching concepts such as BMW's plug-in electric , automakers will unveil small electric cars that will be on the roads in cities within a few years. , and PSA/-Citroen are among volume carmakers that will show production- ready or near-production-ready electric cars aimed mainly at buyers in cities where the cars' limited ranges will be less of a drawback for drivers.

Renault CEO Carlos Ghosn says electric vehicles could account for 10 percent of the global market by 2020, The French carmaker will show four concepts previewing a new zero-emissions product range.

Peugeot's stand will showcase the brand's iOn electric minicar, based on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Peugeot says the is particularly suited for use in urban areas.

VW will reveal an electric version of its new Up minicar.

Here are the debuts listed by automaker from A to Z:

ASTON MARTIN

Aston Martin will unveil its new Rapide four-door that will go on sale in early 2010 as the company's first true production sedan. The production car stays true to the eye-catching concept that debuted at the auto show in 2006. The Rapide will be powered by a 470-hp, 6.0-liter, V-12 built at the company's factory in Cologne, . Magna International Inc.'s Austrian subsidiary, Magna Steyr, will build the Rapide. It will compete with cars such as the Panamera, Mercedes-Benz CLS and upcoming A7.

AUDI

Audi is expected to show electric and versions of its R8 supercar alongside a new niche model, the A5 Sportback.

The electric R8 likely will appear as a concept. Audi has not confirmed that the car will debut at the show so it's unclear whether it will be a pure electric vehicle or a hybrid. The mid-engine R8 spyder convertible version of R8 will be shown in its production form. The R8 spyder will have the same 420-hp V-8 and 535-hp V-10 as the coupe.

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European sales of the Audi A5 Sportback start soon after the model's debut in Frankfurt. The car is a four-door variant of the A5 coupe.

Audi may also show a concept for a based on parent Volkswagen's VW Bluesport rear-engine roadster unveiled at the Detroit auto show in January.

ENLARGE

Audi A5 Sportback Bentley's Mulsanne will replace the Arnage as the brand's flagship when it goes on sale in the middle of next year.

The ultraluxury sedan was first unveiled at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in California on August 15 and Bentley says it will release more information about the car when the sedan has its European debut in Frankfurt.

Bentley was not releasing engine details before Frankfurt but reports said the sedan will be powered by a lighter, more fuel-efficient version of the Arnage's 500hp, 6.75-liter V8 with fuel consumption cut by 20 percent.

Specialist car magazines said the Mulsanne could be priced at about $350,000.

BMW

BMW will show a concept for a plug-in diesel-electric hybrid alongside its new 5-series Gran Turismo and X1 SUV. Called Vision EfficientDynamics, the sports car concept with gullwing doors is powered by a three-cylinder turbodiesel engine and two electric motors.

BMW says the concept showcases "the dynamic performance typical of a BMW against the backdrop of future demands in sustained mobility."

The production 5-series Gran Turismo aims to offer a sporty alternative to an SUV or with its coupe-like styling, high driving position and roomy interior. It is based on the new 7-series platform and is almost as long as the BMW flagship.

The car's space can be enlarged to 1,700 liters from 440 liters, giving it the second-largest trunk space of all BMW models after the X5. An innovative feature is a two-piece tailgate, which opens like a conventional sedan-style trunk for smaller objects or -style for bigger items. The 5-series GT will go on sale in the U.S and Europe soon after the show.

The X1 is another production debut. The X1 will be the smallest model in BMW's SUV lineup. Based on the 1-series hatchback, the car will go on sale in Europe soon after the show and in the U.S. starting in 2011.

BMW also will unveil production-ready gasoline-electric hybrid versions of its X6 and 7-series models. The ActiveHybrid X6 and the ActiveHybrid 7 hybrids combine electric motors with powerful twin-turbocharged V-8 to boost output, performance and fuel economy.

BUGATTI

Bugatti's stand could feature a concept for a luxury four- supercar. If built, the car is expected to get the same 1001-hp, 8.0-liter engine found on the Volkswagen subsidiary's Veyron, suggesting it will be the fastest four-seat model ever built.

CHEVROLET

Chevrolet will show its new Spark. The five-door minicar, which will replace the Matiz, will go on sale in Europe in early 2010. In some European markets Chevrolet already uses the name Spark for the car. Chevrolet says the Spark will offer versatility with a fresh, youthful exterior and interior designs that are reflected in the selection of materials and colors.

CITROEN

Citroen will unveil a concept called the Revolte, the latest-generation C3 and the production-ready DS3, the first model in Citroen's http://europe.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID...template=printartANE&AssignSessionID=373363141968522 (2 of 10) [9/14/2009 10:54:19 AM] Automotive News Europe planned three-car near-premium range.

The French brand was not releasing details of the Revolte before the Frankfurt show, but reports suggested it will be an with a design that hints at the next C2 subcompact. Citroen's 2CV that was sold from 1949 to 1990 inspired the concept's styling.

Citroen has given the new C3 a sportier edge, with a tauter profile that gives the car a more dynamic appearance. The second-generation C3 will have a panoramic windshield that flows over the heads of the front occupants to give a feeling of roominess inside the car. ENLARGE

Citroen DS3 The new C3 will remain one of the most compact vehicles in its segment, weighing the same as the current model, which ranges from 1085kg to 1132kg depending on the size of the engine. At 3940mm long and 1710mm wide, the new C3 has 300 liters of trunk space.

Its most fuel-efficient variant, powered by a 90hp , will have CO2 emissions of 99 grams per kilometer, the first production Citroen to emit less than 100g/km. The C3 will go on sale in Europe starting early next year.

The DS3 is the first car in the Distinctive Series range aimed at giving Citroen an image boost. Based on the C3, the DS3 will rival BMW's and the 500. It will go on sale in Europe in March, priced below the Mini, which starts at 15,200 euros in Germany.

Cars in the range will carry the legendary DS badge, made famous by Citroen's iconic executive sedan during the 1950s, '60s and '70s. A DS4, based on the C4, and DS5, based on the C5, will follow in 2011. Citroen says higher design and performance standards will set the DS cars apart from the rest of the brand's range.

FERRARI

Ferrari's 458 Italia coupe will replace the company's best-selling model, the 430. The 458 Italia gets its name from its 4.5-liter, eight- cylinder engine. Ferrari also added the word Italia, which means Italy in Italian. Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero Di Montezemolo said the company decided to dedicate its most innovative product to Italy as a tribute to a country that is a worldwide "synonym of excellence, creativity and quality."

The 458 Italia has the same layout as the 430. It's a two-seat coupe with the V-8 longitudinally mounted between the passenger compartment and the rear . The car is based on an aluminum spaceframe coupled with aluminum body panels. Ferrari said the car's top speed is more than 325kph (about 202 mph) but doesn't disclose precise figures. The 458 Italia accelerates from 0 to 100kph in less than 3.4 seconds, making the car 0.2 of a second quicker than the current fastest accelerating Ferrari, the Scuderia.

FIAT

Fiat has given its Grande Punto, which has been on sale in Europe since 2005, a face-lift and a new name. The updated hatchback will be called the Punto Evo. The revised car will be more fuel efficient than the Grande Punto with an updated engine range that includes an innovative 1.4-liter gasoline Multiair powerplant, which uses electrohydraulic valve management to reduce fuel consumption. Stop-start technology will be fitted as standard throughout the engine range. The car's length grows by 30mm to 4060mm. The Punto Evo will go on sale in Europe starting in the second half of October.

FORD

Ford Motor Co. will give its new C-Max a more dynamic design and new technologies to boost the 's appeal.

Ford's second-generation C-Max, which will be unveiled in Frankfurt, takes its "kinetic" design cues from the iosis MAX concept car unveiled at this year's Geneva auto show, incorporating features such as a coupe-like sweeping roofline.

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A 1.6-liter Ford EcoBoost direct-injection gasoline engine, semiautomatic parallel- parking and blind-spot detection are among the technologies that the C-Max will introduce to Ford models.

The C-Max uses the automaker's first global C-segment platform, which will underpin other models, including the next-generation Focus, also coming in 2010. The C-Max will be launched in Europe in the second half of 2010.

Ford has released few details on the new C-Max, but the carmaker is expected to add a seven-seat variant to the standard five-seat model. ENLARGE Ford also will show an electric version of the Focus, which was first unveiled at the Ford C-Max Detroit auto show earlier this year.

HYUNDAI

Hyundai will give world debuts to a hybrid city car concept and a production-ready electric version of its i10 minicar. The ix35, which will replace the Tucson SUV will have a European premier.

Called the ix-Metro, the city car concept is designed to showcase the automaker's new environmental technologies. The concept is powered by a gasoline-electric hybrid powertrain based on a 1.0-liter, three-cylinder engine featuring direct-injection, on both intake and exhaust cams and a turbocharger, all combined with a six-speed dual-clutch transmission. The car emits 80 grams of CO2 per kilometer.

The i10 Electric is powered by a 49kW motor and a 16kWh battery and has a range of 170km (105 miles). The hatchback will go on sale in Korea next year. Hyundai said it is considering whether to launch the car in Europe.

The ix35 will go on sale in European markets next spring. The SUV will keep the Tucson name in other global markets. The ix35 will be positioned between the Nissan Qashqai and the Ford Kuga, the carmaker says.

Kia will build the European ix35 at its factory in Zilina, Slovakia, alongside the Kia Sportage while production for other global markets will be done in Ulsan, Korea.

JAGUAR

Jaguar's new XJ aims to build on the design success of the acclaimed XF sedan and move the brand away from its older customer base and toward a younger generation of buyers.

Jaguar Design Director said the sedan is the most "emphatic statement yet of Jaguar's new design direction."

The XJ will be the flagship of the British brand, which Ford Motor Co. sold to India's Ltd. last year.

The sedan will have its auto show debut in Frankfurt although the company has already shown the car to invited guests in London on July 9 and at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance in August.

The XJ will be available in standard- and long- variants. The long- ENLARGE wheelbase version offers 125mm (4.9 inches) of additional legroom. Jaguar XJ KIA

Kia will debut its new Venga small minivan, a new addition to the Korean brand's European lineup that will go on sale soon after the Frankfurt show.

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Designed and engineered by Kia in Germany, the Venga will be produced at Kia sister brand Hyundai's factory in Nosovice, Czech Republic. The Venga uses the same platform as the Kia Soul and shares a lot of components with the Hyundai i20 subcompact. The Venga also will share its underpinnings with the next-generation Kia Rio.

The Venga will offer 1.4- and 1.6-liter gasoline and diesel engines. All four of the powerplants will be available with Kia's fuel-saving stop-start system.

Kia also will debut its new Sorento SUV, which has been re-engineered to drive more like a car to broaden its appeal. Kia ditched the current Sorento's body-on-frame structure and designed a new bodyshell.

A mid-life face-lift for the Cee'd hatchback, the brand's best-selling car in Europe, will be unveiled.

Kia also will show hybrid concept versions of the Cee'd and Sorento models and will launch its new Eco Dynamics badge, which will be used to designate the company's most fuel-efficient models.

LAMBORGHINI

Lamborghini will unveil the Reventon Roadster, a convertible that follows the debut of the coupe version at the Frankfurt show in 2007. Lamborghini reportedly will make only 20 copies of this car, priced about 1.2 million euros ($1.74 million).

LAND ROVER

Land Rover could show a production version of the LRX small SUV that was unveiled as a three-door concept at the 2008 Detroit auto show. The British brand, which Ford Motor Co. also sold to Tata Motors Ltd. along with Jaguar, says it will decide later this year whether to build the car. It also says that if it is produced, the model will be the lightest, most fuel-efficient and most environmentally friendly vehicle built by Jaguar Land Rover and it will be sold under the Range Rover name.

LEXUS

Lexus will unveil a concept for a new car that will compete in Europe with popular entry-premium cars such as the BMW 1 series and Audi A3. Called the LF-Ch, the five-door concept is a gasoline-electric hybrid car.

Lexus said the concept is a response to the growing demand for cars that are smaller and more fuel and CO2 efficient. A production model similar to the concept could go on sale in Europe starting in summer 2010.

Lexus will also show its revised LS, GS and IS ranges in Frankfurt.

MASERATI

Maserati's GranCabrio is the Italian sports car maker's first four-seat convertible.

The softtop variant of the four-seat GranTurismo has a roof that opens or closes in 28 seconds. The car will go on sale by the end of the year.

The GranCabrio completes the three-car Maserati family with the GranTurismo and Quattroporte sedan. The new car will add volume to the company's sales, especially in the crucial U.S. market, which is expected to be the biggest market for the convertible. ENLARGE Maserati GranCabrio

Mazda will display the MX-5 Superlight concept, which showcases fuel-saving technologies that could be transferred to production versions of the MX-5/Miata.

MCLAREN

McLaren Automotive will unveil the MP4-12C, a car it started to develop after the British sports car maker and Mercedes-Benz http://europe.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID...template=printartANE&AssignSessionID=373363141968522 (5 of 10) [9/14/2009 10:54:19 AM] Automotive News Europe wound down their production cooperation. McLaren builds the Mercedes SLR McLaren.

The two-seater MP4-12C will be a rival to cars such as the Ferrari 458, Lamborghini Gallardo or Aston Martin DB9. McLaren plans to build 1,000 MP4-12Cs in its first year on sale in 2011. The car is the first in a line of three new sports cars from the company based in Woking, southern England..

The MP4-12C has a one-piece molded carbon-fiber structure similar to a racing car and is powered by a 3.8- liter twin-turbo V8 engine that produces about 600hp. The car will be priced between £125,000 ($209,000) and £175,000 ($292,000).

MERCEDES-BENZ

Which green technology will power cars of the future? Whether it's full electric, hydrogen, gasoline- or diesel-electric hybrid, Mercedes-Benz aims to show in Frankfurt that it's ready for all possibilities.

The German premium carmaker has four green car debuts -- a plug-in electric version of its flagship S class, an electric B-class concept with a range-extending gasoline engine, a -powered B class and an E-class diesel full hybrid.

Mercedes could even show a plug-in electric version of its new SLS AMG supercar that it will debut in Frankfurt, according to German press reports.

The S-class plug-in electric concept is called the Vision S 500 Plug-in HYBRID and Mercedes says it plans to bring the car into production as soon as possible. The concept can drive for up to 30km (18.6 miles) at a time on electric power. Mercedes says the car uses 3.2 liters of gasoline per 100km (74 U.S. mpg) and has CO2 emissions of 74 grams per kilometer. The concept is powered by a 3.5-liter V-6 direct-injection gasoline engine and a 44kW electric motor.

Mercedes also will unveil a near-production-ready Vision E300 Bluetec diesel hybrid, which combines a 2.2-liter, four-cylinder diesel engine with the 15kW/20hp hybrid module that's also in the recently launched S 400 gasoline-electric hybrid. Unlike the S 400 mild hybrid, the Vision E300 can travel on electric power alone.

The Vision E300 uses 4.5 liters of diesel per 100km and has CO2 emissions of only 119 grams per kilometer. Mercedes says it is a near-series vehicle but has given no launch date.

The company also will show the BlueZero E-Cell Plus plug-in electric car concept, which has revised specifications from a similar concept unveiled at the Detroit auto show in January.

Powered by an electric motor running on lithium-ion batteries, the B class-based hatchback can travel 100km under battery power with its range extended to 600km by a small gasoline engine with an electrical generator that can recharge the battery.

Also on display will be the B-class F-Cell, a fuel cell-powered hatchback that will go into limited production later this year. The car is powered by a compact, high-performance fuel cell system, in which hydrogen gas reacts with oxygen to generate a current for the electric motor. The B-class F-Cell's performance is similar to a 2.0-liter gasoline car and it consumes the equivalent of 3.3 liters of diesel per 100km. It has a range of about 400km and refueling times of around three minutes.

Mercedes plans to deliver about 200 B class F-Cell cars to customers in Europe and the starting in January.

Mercedes' new SLS AMG will debut in production form in Frankfurt. The two-seat supercar replaces the SLS McLaren and is not based on any existing Mercedes model. It has been conceived, designed and engineered by the German carmaker's in-house tuning division, AMG.

The SLS AMG will go on sale in the spring with prices starting at 177,300 euros in its German home market and at $200,000 in the United States.

Mercedes also will show its new E-class station wagon, the fifth-generation of the car and the third new E-class model variant, following the recent launch of the sedan and coupe.

MINI

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Mini will unveil a concept for a new performance-oriented coupe that could expand the brand's lineup to five models. At the show, the BMW-owned carmaker also will unveil a similarly styled two-seat roadster, which likely will head into production along with the coupe.

Mini says the two-seat concept is designed to be the most dynamic and agile Mini ever. The coupe's roof is made of aluminum and the concept's sleek looks have been achieved by lowering the roofline compared with the standard Mini hatchback.

Mini aims to bring the coupe to market in two to three years. The front-wheel- drive concept is powered by Mini's most powerful engine, a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline powerplant found in the carmaker's high-performance models from tuning division John Cooper Works.

The coupe and roadster are likely to join the hatchback, convertible and Clubman ENLARGE wagon versions already on sale and a model in the final stages of development as part of a strategy aimed at further raising the appeal of the iconic Mini coupe concept small car.

OPEL/VAUXHALL

General Motors Co.'s /Vauxhall unit will debut the latest Astra , a model crucial to GM's German-based unit. The latest generation of Opel's best-selling model has taken most of its bold styling cues from the 2009 European , the Insignia. The Astra also offers many of the Insignia's high-end options as standard equipment.

Marking the sixth generation of the Astra in 30 years, the new model is based on GM's new Delta platform, which also underpins the and Cruze. The new Astra has grown slightly to provide a roomier interior.

The latest Astra will offer eight gasoline and diesel engines that achieve 12 percent better fuel economy overall compared with the current generation, Opel says.

The average fuel consumption of the four diesel engines, which are expected to represent almost half of the Astra sales in Europe, is 4.6 liters per 100km. The ENLARGE gasoline lineup averages 6.1 liters per 100km.

Opel Astra An ecoFlex Astra variant with CO2 emissions of 109g/km and an average fuel consumption of 4.2 liters per 100km will be added to the range in spring 2010.

Opel will also show its Ampera extended-range electric car, which is a sister model to the Chevrolet Volt. The Ampera will go on sale in Europe at the end of 2011, a year later than the Volt.

PEUGEOT

Peugeot's stand will showcase the brand's new electric minicar, the RCZ coupe, the 5008 compact minivan and the brand's latest diesel hybrid technology.

The electric car is called the iOn and it will go on sale starting at the end of next year. Based on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the four-door car can travel 130 km on a full electric charge. Its lithium-ion batteries can be fully recharged in six hours or to 80 percent of their capacity within 30 minutes. Peugeot says the car is particularly suited for use in urban areas.

The RCZ, which is based on the 308 hatchback, has similar styling to the Audi TT. Contract manufacturer Magna Steyr will build the low-volume 2+2 coupe at its plant in Graz, . The car will go on sale starting next spring.

The launch of the five- and seven-seat 5008 just after the Frankfurt show will mark a strategic reversal by PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, which until now has reserved the highly competitive minivan sector for Peugeot's sister brand Citroen.

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The 5008 will compete directly with Citroen's Xsara and C4 Picasso, which were Europe's leading in 2008, with sales of 238,769 units. The 5008 will also compete with Renault's redesigned Scenic and Grand Scenic, which are now launching across Europe. The 5008 is based on the same platform as the 308 compact hatchback and the 3008 crossover.

Peugeot also will show diesel-electric hybrid concepts of the RCZ and its 3008 SUV. The 3008 diesel hybrid is scheduled to go on sale in Europe starting in spring 2011 while the RCZ HYbrid4 is an experiment prototype. Peugeot says the diesel-electric technology, which it calls Hybrid4, offers fuel savings of up to 35 percent compared with equivalent diesel engines.

PORSCHE

Porsche AG will present the seventh-generation of its flagship, the Porsche 911 Turbo, in coupe and cabriolet forms. The sports car features a new flat-six 500-hp, 3.8-liter powerplant. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission will be offered as an option. When the DCT is combined with direct and variable turbine geometry turbocharging the new 911's CO2 emissions decrease 18 percent compared with its predecessor. Sales of the new 911 Turbo will begin in Europe in November with U.S. sales starting in January 2010.

RENAULT

Renault says it will unveil four electric vehicle concepts previewing a new zero emission product range. The French carmaker is giving no more details about the concepts before the show but the cars are expected to use the same technology as the , a lithium-ion battery-powered, four-door family hatchback that Renault-Nissan CEO unveiled in on August 3. The debuts could be a two-seater city car, a sporty coupe, a Twingo-sized minicar and a compact sedan.

Renault also will show the Fluence, a roomy four-door sedan, which will it will build in Turkey. The sedan is aimed mainly at developing markets such as Turkey, Russia and eastern and but the car will also be sold in Western Europe.

ROLLS-ROYCE

The Rolls-Royce Ghost will be the brand's smallest model when it goes on sale after its debut in Frankfurt. With prices expected to be between 200,000 euros and 250,000 euros before taxes, the Ghost is intended to be a more affordable car from the BMW-owned ultraluxury carmaker.

Rolls-Royce says the Ghost will be the most powerful car the brand has ever produced. It will get that power from a new 563-hp, 6.6- liter twin-turbocharged V-12 engine that the carmaker says is unique to the model. The engine is combined with an eight-speed transmission supplied by German supplier ZF Friedrichshafen.

The production Ghost, which takes 20 days to build, is similar to the 200EX concept that Rolls-Royce unveiled at the Geneva auto show in March. The car is 400mm shorter than the Phantom, but Rolls-Royce says its interior space is comparable with the larger car because the Ghost is built around a steel monocoque body, which allows a reduction in exterior dimensions while preserving interior space.

The Ghost is expected to double the brand's annual sales with more than 1,000 Ghosts due to be built a year. About 80 percent of the sedan's buyers are likely to be new to the brand.

Starting in late 2009, Rolls-Royce will have five models: the Ghost, Phantom, Phantom Extended Wheelbase, Phantom Drophead Coupe and Phantom Coupe.

SAAB

Saab's new 9-5 flagship will be a key launch for the brand's success as an independent automaker under new ownership. In August, reached a deal to sell Saab to Koenigsegg Group AB, a consortium of private investors that includes Koenigsegg Automotive AB, a tiny Swedish maker of $1 million .

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The new 9-5 shares GM's Epsilon 2 platform with the Buick LaCrosse and Opel/ Vauxhall Insignia, but the Saab version has a longer wheelbase and its own unique muscular, low-slung exterior styling and unique interior.

The current 9-5 has been offered for 12 years. Typically, a European model is replaced every six to seven years. In the first seven months of this year, Saab built ENLARGE 9,756 units of the 9-5, down 52.5 percent from the year before, according to J.D Power Automotive Forecasting. Saab sold 93,000 cars worldwide in 2008. Saab 9-5 Saab says the new 9-5 is the most technically advanced car it has made to date with an array of high-tech features including an aircraft-inspired head-up information display, Bi-Xenon adaptive headlights, adaptive cruise control, parking assistance and all-wheel drive.

The 9-5 will be offered in Europe with three turbocharged gasoline engines – a 180hp, 1.6-liter unit; a 220 hp, 2.0-liter engine, or a 300hp 2.8-liter V6 – along with a four-cylinder, 160hp, 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel engine.

SKODA

Skoda will unveil a station wagon version of its Superb sedan, marking the first time the Czech carmaker has created such a variant of its flagship. The Superb wagon is expected to have exceptionally spacious trunk space. It will go on sale after the Frankfurt show, with prices in Germany starting at 24,400 euros.

TOYOTA

Toyota will focus on green technology with debuts for the Prius plug-in electric car and a gasoline-electric hybrid concept of its Auris compact.

The Prius plug-in is based on the new, third-generation Prius. Toyota says the car's lithium-ion battery pack can be recharged from domestic power supply or public charging point in about an hour-and-a-half. The gasoline-electric hybrid can drive using electric power only for 20km (12.5 miles).

Toyota will offer 500 Prius plug-in test cars to fleet customers in Europe, North America and Japan early next year and could start producing the plug-in hybrid for the mass-market consumers in 2012.

The Auris concept, which is called the Auris HSD Hybrid, previews a production car that will be built alongside conventionally powered Auris models at Toyota's factory near Derby, about 200km north of London, starting in mid-2010. Toyota says the Auris hybrid uses 19 percent less fuel and emits 17 percent less CO2 than the standard version.

In July, Toyota President Akio Toyoda said the carmaker would shift its focus in the diesel-heavy European market to hybrid vehicles as part of a new effort to use its resources more selectively.

The Trabant -- an icon of communist eastern Germany -- will make a comeback as an electric car concept in Frankfurt. German manufacturer Herpa Miniaturmodelle GmbH plans to show a "New Trabi" prototype in Frankfurt in the hope of attracting investors willing to help relaunch a modern, environmentally friendly version of the car in 2012. Herpa's updated Trabi has the square, boxy look of the original car, of which about 3 million were built between 1957 and 1991. Herpa has released few technical details on the new Trabant. The company said it will have a rooftop solar panel for recharging its battery, a range of about 250km (about 156 miles) and weigh less than 1000kg (2,200 pounds).

VOLVO

Volvo will debut a face-lifted C70 convertible in Frankfurt, with a new front-end design and improved interior materials and trim aimed at giving the car a more premium feel. The redesigned front end was inspired by the S60 concept shown earlier this year in Detroit.

VOLKSWAGEN

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Volkswagen will focus on environmentally friendly technologies by showing an electric version of its Up minicar. The electric Up is scheduled to go on sale in 2013 after gasoline- and diesel-powered versions of the car are launched in 2011.

VW could also unveil a study for a so-called "1 Liter Auto," an ultra fuel-efficient two seater that burns one liter of fuel per 100km. The 1 Liter Auto would be an updated version of a study first shown in 2002. The thrifty model previews a city car powered by a 30-hp to 45-hp, two-cylinder turbodiesel that could go on sale starting in 2013.

VW has used lightweight materials such as aluminum for the body shell, ceramic for the bearings and titanium for the wheel hubs to keep the car's weight to 350kg (770 pounds).

VW also will show the three-door version of its Polo subcompact (the five-door Polo went on sale in Europe earlier this year) and its latest Golf station wagon, which is built in Mexico.

In addition,the carmaker will debut a fuel-efficient Polo that will be sold under its BlueMotion badge. The car uses technological measures such as regenerative braking, stop-start and improved aerodynamics to cut CO2 emissions by 20 percent compared with the equivalent standard model. Powered by a 75-hp, 1.2-liter diesel engine, the car uses 3.3 liters of fuel per 100km and emits 87g/ km of CO2.

Luca Ciferri and Douglas A. Bolduc contributed to this report.

ENLARGE Peugeot's iOn electric car will go on sale starting at the end of next year.

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