Japanese concept car at cutting egde of eco vehicles

Enough of all this fume-emitting motor racing. Let us stop for a second to consider the fragile planet that we live on (cue Enya)…

Here’s Toyota’s Hybrid-X, an eco-friendly concept car that is being shown off at all of the big spring motor shows. It’s currently on show in Beijing, at Auto China 2008. So, what’s so special about the Hybrid-X? Er, well, it’s essentially a next-gen version of the Prius (as driven by Larry David in “Curb Your Enthusiasm” – a ringing endorsement in our book), Toyota’s pioneering hybrid-fuel car. As such, it’s a damn sight better-looking than the Prius. More photos if you step this way…

PR bullshit alert! “Aerodynamic lines are unbroken by front headlights which are integrated into the dashboard and are actually part of the vehicle’s interior. The boundaries between ‘inside’ and ‘outside’ now become blurred.” (Hybrid-X press release)

Sources say that we could see a version of the Hybrid-X within the next 18 months, but concept cars have a spectacular history of never seeing the light of day, so don’t hold your breath.

Other big news from Auto China that you might be interested in:

• Audi unveiled its new Q5 luxury sport-utility hybrid vehicle: more choice for mums in Fulham can only be a good thing. [domain-b]

• Mercedes-Benz takes wraps off GLK compact SUV class. [Gizmag]

• Volkswagen launched two new cars designed by its China joint ventures for the local market – the Bora and the Lavida. [Forbes]

Hmm, notice a trend? Could it be that German auto manufacturers are hell-bent on cracking the Chinese market?

Anyway, that’s more than enough eco nonsense for one day. Let’s rush back to the world of petrol and smoking-hot babes…