After concept cars and spy shots and teases of information, the new Honda Insight has broken cover.

Honda promises a Paris auto show debut for the new hybrid vehicle, which revives the Insight nameplate formerly applied to the two-seat hybrid vehicle that inaugurated the gas-electric class in the U.S. in the late 1990s.

Honda says the Insight's shape bears the hallmarks of its larger, fuel-cell-powered FCX Clarity, but it's hard not to see some echoes of the Toyota Prius in its greenhouse--though the front end is quite Civic-like in its appearance. The new Insight seats five, Honda says, and the rear seats fold for improved cargo access.

The important innovation in the new Insight is a much less complex, much more affordable hybrid drivetrain, the company says. It will allow the Insight to be sold for a price significantly lower than today's hybrids, Honda says. The automaker expects to sell 200,000 of the vehicles each year worldwide, with 100,000 heading to the U.S. from its Suzuka, Japan, factory. Combined with a production version of the CR-Z coupe hybrid concept, the new family of hybrids could swell to 500,000 sales annually.

The new 2010 Honda Insight bows at the Paris show on October 2, and goes on sale in the U.S. in the spring of 2009.

This is the Mazda Kiyora, a new concept due from the Japanese affiliate of Ford.

Due at the Paris auto show--which opens to the press on October 2--the Kiyora is a city car with a mission: lightweight construction and environmental purity, Mazda says. The name means "clean and pure" in Japanese, in fact, highlighting the Kiyora's use of a direct-injection four-cylinder engine.

The Kiyora is themed around water, for some unexplained reason. That doesn't stop it from using the gas engine and a start-stop system to provide good fuel economy and low carbon emissions.

Mazda says the Kiyora's spun from a new platform that reduces weight while retaining vehicle safety--another mission the brand has stated for all its cars going forward.

We'll have more on Kiyora from Paris--stay tuned.

We're getting closer to the opening days of the 2008 Paris Auto Show--and since iCal must be served, we're updating our Paris show preview today with the latest nuggets of news.

The Paris Auto Show has a unique place in our hearts; it's where we got the background on the Ford-Firestone debacle and lost approximately 40 pounds in water weight, since the Mondiale de l'Expo hall has no air conditioning. It's also been the platform on which some very important cars have been launched to the media and the world, cars like the Audi R8, the Ford Mondeo, the current MINI Cooper and, er, the Dodge Avenger.

Since we're already looking forward to Paris, it's only right that you should get in on some of the excitement. Here's the first batch of cars we're expecting to see in some form or another on the outskirts of town, down at the Porte de Versailles. TheCarConnection.com will be on hand when the show opens to the media on October 2.

Until then, soak up a little joie de vivre with these debutantes:

2010 Chevrolet Volt (concept, above)
It hasn't been officially confirmed, but the GM hybrid vehicle is rumored to be making its bow in Paris, after a splashy intro next month at an event celebrating GM's centennial on September 16th. (However, Chevrolet's plan to introduce the Cruze in Paris could mean an L.A. auto show debut for the Volt.) In recent days, the first images of the Volt have surfaced--with interiors, too--and GM has even let some details slip in its carefully orchestrated roll-out of the new vehicle. The $40,000-plus Volt is expected to enter production at the end of 2009, so it could wear a 2011 model-year tag. We'll have more for you in the coming weeks.

Honda small hybrid family
At the last Paris auto show in 2006, Honda showed a hybrid coupe concept called the CR-Z. This year in Paris, the automaker's expected to unveil at least one member of a new family of hybrids that will include a Prius-fighting hatchback, to be priced below Toyota's popular all-hybrid model.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze
The new Cruze compact, GM says, "was developed by a global design and engineering team and will be built in multiple locations around the world." At 4.6 meters long--or 181.1 inches--it's a fraction of an inch longer than today's Cobalt. GM also says it will offer "ample interior space and cargo capacity for five passengers, giving it an advantage over competition in the compact segment." It will also sport the new global themes for Chevrolet design, from the bow tie on back. It arrives in American showrooms in 2010.

2010 Lexus IS Convertible
A new hardtop convertible for Toyota's upscale brand, the Lexus IS convertible is based on the four-door sedan that emerged in 2006. No hardtop coupe version is planned in this generation, but the convertible is expected to be offered in Is 250 and IS 350 versions.


Audi A6 and RS6
The 2009 Audi A6 already has been shown at the Moscow auto show, but it's also coming to Paris. Audi released photos and details of the updated A6 earlier this month, describing its more efficient engines, improved suspension tuning, and upgraded Multi-Media Interface (MMI) controller. The RS6, meanwhile, ditches the V-8s of lesser A6 derivatives for a 5.0-liter V-10 with twin turbocharged and quattro all-wheel drive. Audi says it draws 580 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque from the engine, which it teams with a six-speed automatic transmission with quicker shift reflexes. Quattro, in this setting, gets its power biased toward the rear for more agile handling. Audi promises acceleration to 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph.

BMW 7-Series
BMW has de-Bangled the big 7 Series somewhat for 2009, and refined its iDrive controller and its interior. It sports a new tail, a markedly cleaner interior, and a more refined silhouette. The new 7er will bow in Paris along with an ActiveHybrid version that could significantly boost fuel economy in the big sedan.

Ferrari California
Ferrari's first folding-hardtop car will get a splashy, no doubt overattended press conference in Paris's steamy Expo. A new 4.3-liter V-8 powers the California, and Ferrari promises it'll develop 460 horsepower and have "a torque curve that enhances vehicle dynamics and provides maximum driving pleasure which is typical for Ferrari." Teamed to a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox, the engine will push the California to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds.

Kia Soul
After a long trip around the auto show circuit as a "concept," the 2009 Kia Soul gets its worldwide coming-out bash in Paris. Few details have been confirmed on the production version of the Soul, but Kia promises that owners will be able to customize their Soul "through a variety of options, accessories and colors."

BMW X1
Months ago, BMW confirmed that it was working on a small, new crossover vehicle. There's talk that a concept for the coming 2011 BMW X1 will show up at the Paris Auto Show and that the production version will bow at the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show. An eight-speed automatic transmission may be teamed to a new range of direct-injection turbocharged four- and six-cylinder engines. The new X1 will be built by Magna Steyr in Austria.

Audi S4
Audi's new S4 range will ditch its V-8 engine in favor of a new 3.0-liter V-6 with twin turbochargers. Coupled to quattro all-wheel drive and a seven-speed dual-clutch S-tronic transmission, the new S4 and S4 Avant should pose a more serious threat to the BMW M3 range.

MINI Crossman
The new MINI crossover, which may or may not wear the Crossman badge, could make its inaugural appearance in Paris. Essentially a Clubman wagon with four-wheel drive, the Crossman shares its mechanicals with the BMW X1, including new engines and its off-road system.

Lexus is planning a convertible version of its IS sedan, but no coupe version is planned.

A report in Autoblog, via eGMCarTech this morning, says that the Lexus SC convertible is history, and that a new IS convertible is in the pipeline. TheCarConnection.com's sources report the new convertible IS will be shown as soon as October's Paris auto show.

The Lexus IS convertible won't quite let it mirror the BMW 3 Series lineup, as no hardtop coupe version is planned for the current-generation car. However, the hardtop convertible will bring Lexus a new offering at a much lower price point than the expensive SC convertible--and reportedly, the styling will be much more cutting-edge than the SC.

Autoblog passes on word that the Lexus cabrio will come in IS 250 and IS 350 models, and a lightweight IS sport sedan is in the pipeline.

The Paris auto show opens to the press on October 2.

Audi's revealed details and photos of the 2009 RS 6 supersedan--but don't get so antsy if you're in the United States.

Audi hasn't confirmed any plans to sell the new RS 6 in America, but it has released all the details on it prior to a public appearance at the Moscow auto show, and then the more widely attended Paris auto show this fall.

The new RS 6 has had the equivalent of a heart transplant, ditching the V-8s of lesser A6 derivatives for a 5.0-liter V-10 with twin turbocharged and quattro all-wheel drive. Audi says it draws 580 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque from the engine, which it teams with a six-speed automatic transmission with quicker shift reflexes. Quattro, in this setting, gets its power biased toward the rear for more agile handling. Audi promises acceleration to 60 mph in less than 4.5 seconds and a top speed of 174 mph.

Other technical upgrades include speed-dependent power steering, Dynamic Ride Control hydraulic damping for the suspension, stability control that's tweaked for high-performance driving, and a set of 19-inch wheels with 40-series tires. Big brakes with ceramic discs are included.

Outside the RS 6 wears adaptive xenon lights, LED daytime running lights, a rear spoiler, twin oval exhausts, and flared fenders. Inside, there are carbon fiber, aluminum and piano black trim and a choice of leathers. Audi's MMI system has been updated, and Bluetooth is included.

The Audi RS 6 goes on sale in Europe in mid-October. The starting price in Germany is the equivalent of $157,500. Even if you can't enjoy it here in the States for any price, you can take a look at some more high-resolution pics and console yourself with the latest on the 2009 Audi A6.