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The addition of the 2012 Buick Regal eAssist hybrid didn't come as much of a surprise, given the ease of sharing the engine and "light electrification" system with its LaCrosse stablemate. The more efficient Regal, which is making its debut at the 2011 Chicago auto show, is expected to be rated 26/37 mpg city/highway pending EPA certification.

With its shapely sheetmetal, usable cabin, and production intent, the 261-mpg Volkswagen XL1 seems too good to be true. But to believe in the Volkswagen XL1, you simply have to recognize that the Bugatti Veyron exists. Both cars are pet projects of Dr. Ferdinand Piech, the authoritative chairman of the Volkswagen Group's supervisory board who is drawn to extreme cars. And after delivering a 260-mph supercar, Piech is now set on building a 260-mpg ecocar. While a hyper-efficient two-seater may not be as sexy as a Veyron and could never command its $1.7-million price, the engineering and ingenuity behind the XL1 is just as impressive as that which went into the Bugatti.