Green concept cars star at Paris Show

The 2008 Paris Motor Show will feature a massive array of machinery and there's no better place to keep abreast of what's happening than here on Yahoo! Cars. Over the next couple of weeks we'll be previewing the most interesting exhibits, from modest (but significant) new family cars to sublime supercars and cool concepts. This week we've rounded up the concepts that feature a green theme, some more tenuous than others...

Citroen Hypnos

It's known that Peugeot and Citroen are working on diesel-hybrid technology, so it's of no surprise to see a concept from Citroen in Paris featuring this layout. Saying that, Citroen hasn't actually admitted that the Hypnos concept utilises a diesel engine, but with power output of 197bhp, yet combined cycle economy of 60mpg and an emissions rating of just 120g/km we suspect that's what's under the bonnet.

The Hypnos itself takes the form of a crossover, with SUV-like ground clearance and detailing sharing body space with a sleek profile. Inside, passengers are treated to bright colours and a curving architecture not likely to be seen on any production car any time soon.

Honda Insight

Here's one concept on display that buyers will have the opportunity to get their hands on before too long. The Honda Insight 'concept' is, by the Japanese company's own admission, a very close approximation of the final production car, which we expect to makes its appearance later this year.

Honda has not yet revealed what technology features beneath the Toyota Prius-like bodywork of the Insight, but does promise that it will utilise new methods to reduce fuel consumption in real-world driving while being the cheapest hybrid on the market.

Mazda Kiyora

Mazda concepts are a common sight at international motorshows and the Paris exhibition will host the debut of the Kiyora city car concept. The name loosely means 'light and pure' in Japanese and its stylists apparently took inspiration from the way water flows over obstacles.

The Kiyora uses its flowing bodywork to cheat the wind, while a new direct injection engine utilises the company's new stop-start technology to reduce fuel consumption further.

Nissan Nuvu

Pictures of Nissan's Nuvu concept car are not due to be released until the first day of the show, but it sounds like it'll be the star of the stand for the company. Nissan's designers wanted to portray their vision for a city car of the next decade.

The Nuvu features just three seats in a '2+1' layout where the third seat is for occasional use only. Drive comes from an electric motor that will be used in a production car next year, though it's unlikely that the Nuvu's novel leaf-shaped solar panels will make it through to the showroom.

Peugeot RC Hybrid

This concept has the potential to be one of the overall show stars. The RC Hybrid title isn't the final name of the show car though, as Peugeot is holding that back until the doors open in Paris. That's probably because the name will be featured on a new production car too.

Rumours suggest that the stylish four-door shape of the RC could be carried over to the replacement for the current 407 saloon. Buyers of a future four-seat family car won't be disappointed by the concept's promised 313bhp and 109g/km of CO₂ either and Peugeot says that its hybrid system features an electric-only mode.

Peugeot Prologue

The RC isn't the only hybrid-powered concept on the Peugeot stand, as the French company will also show off the Prologue. As the name suggests, this show car is much closer to reality than the RC and we think a new MPV or crossover will appear soon, featuring the smooth overall lines of this concept.

Like its swoopy sibling, the Prologue boasts a hybrid powerplant, this time combining a 200bhp engine (probably diesel) with an electric motor, resulting in 109g/km of CO₂. That's impressive for such a large car.

Renault Ondelios

If you've had your fill of diesel-electric hybrids you better look away now, as that's just what the Ondelios is. For the record, a 2.0-litre dCi engine puts out 202bhp and 332lb.ft of torque, presumably thanks to some hefty turbocharging, while electric motors are also on board to assist acceleration and traction.

Despite the size of the six-seat crossover, Renault is claiming that the concept can do 63mpg on the combined cycle while emitting just 120g/km of CO₂. That's thanks to some pretty trick aerodynamics, which goes some way to explaining the rather unusual styling...

Shane O' Donoghue

Wednesday September 17