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Volvo's C70 coupes have always been the stylish exception to the boxy norm, but as the company's design theme grows ever more curvaceous, so does its two-door model. The new 2010 Volvo C70, which debuts at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, is perhaps the shapeliest Volvo design to reach consumers yet.

BMW has already announced two hybrid vehicles that will debut at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show, so the fact that its latest concept is also a hybrid shouldn't be terribly surprising. However, we didn't expect the Vision EfficientDynamics concept to be a turbo-diesel hybrid that uses a lithium-polymer battery pack and be capable of a 0-62 mph sprint in a mere 4.8 seconds. If the M division ever decided to build a hybrid the results couldn't be too different from what we see here.

It may be wrenching on a crossover and toying with eco-friendly electric vehicles, but Mini hasn't forgotten about its die-hard, speed-crazed enthusiasts. The Mini Coupe Concept, which debuts at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, is aimed squarely at this demographic.

It would have been the perfect birthday bash: Audi celebrates its July 16, 2009, centenary with the rebirth of an icon - the original 1980 Coupe Quattro. But it wasn't to be. Although the concept car was almost complete, the board pulled the handbrake at the eleventh hour. What happened? All of a sudden, the brand chiefs decided that Audi should present itself in a less aggressive and more eco-friendly manner.

Although visually striking, most auto show concepts are about as fun to drive as a homemade kit car, barely able to turn a wheel under their own power and limited to brisk walking speeds. Not so the Volkswagen Concept BlueSport, which is more of an early prototype than a humble design exercise. After an entertaining two-hour drive through the Bavarian Alps, we are convinced that the BlueSport - whose approval by VW brass is only a formality - has the potential to become a hit. The hikers, bikers, pedestrians, and fellow motorists along our route seemed to agree; we would have seen even more thumbs-up had the fans not been so busy taking pictures and videos with their mobile phones.