2008 Paris Auto Show - 2008 Mondial de L'Automobile

The new Renault Megane Berline and Megane Coupe have been redesigned to offer an ideal combination of sporting heritage and motoring passion. Again, lowered emissions is the focus here, with a new TCe 130 gas engine that offers an optimized combination of not only efficiency but power and torque as well. Looks pretty cool, too.

Renault's Megane Trophy exhibits purposeful, motorsport-inspired bodywork and a 3.5-liter, 360-hp V6 developed under the Renault-Nissan engineering alliance. Looks a little extreme for the street, but pretty well suited to a race track.

The Smart ED is currently being tested in a large-scale pilot scheme in London, England. It features a zero-emission electric drive unit that produces around 41 hp and can reportedly be fully charged in around three hours. Just plug 'er in.

One of the more notable unveilings at this year's show was that of Volkswagen's spanking-new Mk VI Golf. Typically, it was shown in a wide variety of trims, including two doors and four, with diesel engines, gas burners. This, of course, is the Mk VI GTI. Looks pretty darn good if you ask us. Here's hoping they give it to us soon.

Although it didn't have much success in the States, the VW Phaeton luxury saloon is still sold in Europe. You can get it with a 4.2-liter V8 or the range-topping W12, but the really hot ticket across the Atlantic is powered by a V6 TDI oil-burner.

VW Scirocco: Some purists have complained that the new Scirocco looks A) too little like the old Scirocco, or B) too much like the modern Golf, or C) both. Having now seen it in the flesh, so to speak, we can say you need to see it in person to really appreciate its unique lines.

Volvo is among the foremost European manufacturers moving to spearhead the green car movement. The company's forward-looking DRIVe program currently consists of three existing vehicles, C30, S40 and V50, fitted with 1.6-liter diesel engines that produce carbon emissions of just 115 grams per kilometer traveled. The company plans to target similar low-emissions powerplants on further models in the coming year, including the V70 wagon and S80 luxury sedan.