The highlight of Volkswagen‘s press conference at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the Up! was designed as a spiritual successor to the original Beetle. Priced at 9,850 Euros (roughly $13,500) it is intended to be the new “people’s car”.

That is, if the people you’re referring to are numbered four or less. You see, the diminutive new Up! seats four and is intended as form of urban transportation, measuring just 11.6 feet in length (roughly three feet longer than a Smart Fortwo) and 5.4 feet wide.

Two gas engines are offered, both being tiny 1.0-liter 3-cylinder mills. The entry-level one makes just 59-hp, but get an impressive 56-mpg (on the Euro test cycle). The “more powerful” 74-hp model gives up little in terms of fuel economy, managing 55-mpg. VW is also offering a 67-hp natural gas version with 73-mpg!

Already available to order, deliveries will begin in December, with a possible Up! electric car available in 2013.

GALLERY: Volkswagen Up!

We’ve already done previews on them. Now, we can reveal the new Audi S6, S7 and S8 in all their glory. Some may question whether there’s in fact a need for all three, but with Audi seemingly hell bent on filling every niche possible in the market, they’re with us nonetheless.

Of course the biggest news concerns the engines that power them. All three will feature a version of Audi’s 4.0-liter twin turbo V-8, rated at 520 metric horsepower (PS) in the A8 flagship and 420 PS in the A6 sedan, Avant and S7 Sportback.

The key behind the switch to the new engine (especially in the S8) has been driven by the need to improve fuel economy (reportedly reduced by around 25 percent) while maintaining a healthy dose of performance.

According to official stats from Audi, the new 2012 S6 will sprint from 0-100 km (0-62 mph) in just 4.8 seconds; the S7 in 4.9; while the S8 will do the same jaunt in just 4.8 seconds. All three cars are limited to a stop speed of 155 mph and are said to return at least 27.7 miles per gallon (Imperial) in terms of fuel economy.

A big development is Audi’s displacement on demand system, which shuts off four-cylinders under light throttle openings; and as we’ve reported before Active Noise Cancellation, which incorporates a computer activated antiphase sound to cancel out any unwanted cabin din.

All three cars feature Audi’s quattro system with self-locking center differentials as well as adaptive air suspension and seven speed automatic transmissions on the S6 and S7 (the S8 features eight speeds).

Although slated for European delivery first, don’t expect it to be that long before the S6, S7 and S8 show up here, though odds are, the S6 Avant wagon probably won’t make the cut.

Honda unveiled a new five-door Civic designed specifically for Europe at the Frankfurt Auto Show.

According to Takanobu Ito, Honda Motor president and chief executive officer, the new Civic was tested on European roads more than any other Honda model produced.

The hatchback Honda Civic will arrive in European showrooms in early 2012 with either a 1.8 liter gasoline engine or a 2.2 liter diesel engine. A smaller diesel engine, also developed specifically for Europe, will be introduced by late 2012, heralding the start of a new generation of low emission Honda powerplants.

GALLERY: Honda Civic

Making their world premiere at the Frankfurt Auto Show, the BMW i3 and i8 may just be concepts, but point to a major push by the German automaker into the realm of electrified vehicles. In fact, BMW is so serious that its working towards an entire range of “i” branded alternative vehicles, sporting both electric and hybrid-electric powertrains.

As a full-electric car, BMW obviously has high hopes for the i3, naming it in line with its much-loved and best-selling 3 Series. Making 170-hp and 184 lb-ft of torque it can hit 60 mph in roughly 8 seconds and on to a top speed of 100 mph, making it functional for more than just city driving. With a unique regeneration system similar to that found on the MINI-E, even just laying off the throttle acts as a brake. Recharging the car’s batteries takes just one hour for an 80 percent charge.

The i3 is also BMW’s fist foray into the world of carbon fiber platforms, using a carbon fiber reinforced plastic chassis to keep weight to a somewhat reasonable 2,755 lbs.

More exciting, both to look at and to drive (we imagine) is the i8. A plug-in hybrid electric vehicle, it makes use of a modified version of the i3′s electric motor mated to the front wheels, while a turbocharged 3-cylinder engine delivers 223-hp to the rear axle. While that might not sound like a lot for a car that looks this impressive, BMW claims a 0-60 time of roughly 5 seconds.

With an onboard battery pack, the i8 has a zero-emissions range of 22 miles and BMW claims a 78-mpg rating.

Headed to production, look for the biggest changes to happen not with the powertrains, but with the interior and exterior styling. Those looking to park an electric BMW in their driveway won’t have to wait too long either, with the i3 set to go on sale in 2013, while the i8 will arrive a year later.

GALLERY: BMW i3, i8 Concepts

Watch video of the i3 and i8 concepts from their Frankfurt debut after the jump:

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When I first laid eyes on the Chevrolet Miray concept, I thought: this is what the Batmobile would look like if it was small, silver, and Korean.

A product of GM Korea, the Miray (Korean for “future” first debuted at the Seoul Motor Show earlier this year but made its European debut at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Built to mark Chevrolet’s 100th anniversary, the Miray re-interprets design cues from throughout the company’s sports car heritage.

The Miray can run in either front or rear-wheel drive. A turbocharged 1.5 liter four-cylinder engine drives the rear wheels while a pair of 15 kWh electric motors can power the front wheels.

A carbon fiber shell surrounds the twin cockpit (for Batman AND Robin) which is inspired by Chevrolet’s iconic sports cars.

GALLERY: Chevrolet Miray Concept

There’s something really Chinese about the Volvo Concept You but I just can’t quite put my finger on it. And I’m actually Chinese.

That there is an oriental feel shouldn’t be a surprise. The Concept You is an evolution of the Concept Universe revealed earlier this year at Auto Shanghai earlier this year. Volvo sought the input of a number of potential Chinese customers at the Shanghai show, and a lot of those ideas were carried over into the You.

Volvo is, of course, now part of China’s Zheijiang Geely Motor Holdings, and part of the company’s focus is on capitalizing on the emerging luxury car market in the world’s most populous country.
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Audi‘s original pint-size A2 was very much a city car. In fact, it’s been used as the basis for a number of electric vehicle experiments. Now, Ingolstadt has combined both aspects in its latest A2 Concept, unveiled this week at the Frankfurt Motor Show.

Weighing in at just 2,535 lbs (200 hundred less than the BMW i3), it’s fairly light by EV standards and is said to deliver a 124-mile operating range and can accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 9.3 seconds, and is able to reach an electronically limited top speed of some 93 miles per hour.

In addition, using a 400 volt cycle, it reportedly takes just 1.5 hours to charge (at 230 volts the time is longer, approximately four hours). Still among current EVs, such statistics aren’t bad.

Part of the reason why the A2 Concept is a relative bantam comes down to its multi-material construction; the outer body and chassis is made largely from aluminum, while additional parts are fabricated in Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP).

Suspension design is utterly conventional, with the typical small car arrangements of front MacPherson struts and a rear I-beam axle; steering and braking are purely electric, operated by drive-by-wire assist.

As it has been largely designed for city and commuter driving, the new A2 Concept boasts a feature that most 9-to-5 road warriors will probably find appealing; a semi-autonomous cruising mode, whereby by touching two large pads, the vehicle takes control of all operating features bar the turn signals and windshield wipers. Simply tapping both pads at once disengages the system, allowing the driver to regain full control.

Much like the original A2, the new concept was designed from the outside to pack the most amount of space within a small, physical form. Consequently, despite its rather tiny dimensions (150-inches in length; 66.6-inches in width and 58.8 inches in height), it still boasts ample seating for four, plus their luggage.

Like many automakers, Audi is pushing the Electric Vehicle idea quite hard. Besides the A2 there were two additional EVs on display at Frankfurt; the much talked about Tandem-seat Urban Concept and the latest in a line of eTrons, this one based on the R8 Supercar, which will make series production.

As for the A2, it’s very likely something similar will find its way into dealer showrooms in a few years time. As to whether a second generation A2 will make it to American or not, that remains to be seen. The previous model was never officially sold here, yet, considering that small cars might finally be catching on stateside it might be foolish to rule out the possibility this time around.

GALLERY: Audi A2 Concept

Debuting alongside the new Focus ST, Ford‘s Focus ST-R hopes to give buyers of the hot hatch something else to brag about. There is, after all, not better way to instantly give a car some serious credibility than to know it shares its underpinnings with a race car. It does, however, help if the race car is successful.

Built by Ford Racing and powered by the same 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine found in the Focus ST hot hatch, the ST-R also gets a roll cage, upgraded brakes and a full race suspension. Unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the car was designed to be used in North America as well and will be eligible to compete in the Grand-Am ST, World Challenge TC and Canadian Touring Car Series.

Unfortunately Ford didn’t announce a factory backed program, instead offering up the car to privateer teams.

GALLERY: Ford Focus ST-R Race Car

After showing it in concept form almost as many times as the FT-86, Toyota has finally unveiled the production version of its Prius Plug-in Hybrid at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Called “the world’s most sophisticated hybrid electric powertrain” by Toyota Europe boss Didier Leroy, the company is claiming an incredible 112-mpg rating for the car. Believable? Not really, and for good reason. The actual rating provided is 2.1 l/100 km in Europe and while that does translate to 112-mpg, the European test cycle is far more forgiving the in the U.S. Still, that number could reach as high as 70-mpg (or higher) on the U.S. EPA system.

On a full charge the Prius PHEV is capable of 23 km (14 miles) of emissions free driving, after which is operates like a conventional Prius hybrid, eliminating any range anxiety. During this post-emissions free stage, Toyota claims the Prius is still, “much more efficient than the backup powertrains in competitors,” says Leroy – a shot a the Volt (sold as the Opel Ampera in Europe).

On sale in the first half of 2012 in Europe, look for it to arrive in North America about the same time. European pricing is set at 37,000 Euros, or about $11,500 more than a conventional Prius. If that increase holds true, look for the Prius PHEV to be priced between $35,000 and $40,000 in North America.

GALLERY: Toyota Prius PHEV

It’s dramatic, it’s rear wheel drive and it is, quite simply, unlike anything Kia has ever done before. And it has proved to be one of the star attractions of this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

It began as an idea back in 2010 when Peter Scheyer, Kia’s Chief Design Officer and European Styling Chief Gregory Guillame, looked to building a concept in the spirit of the great European luxury Gran Turismos from the 1960s and early ’70s.

“This concept allows us to explore exciting new design directions, as using a rear-drive layout creates very different proportions compared to a front-wheel drive car,” said Schreyer, who also added that the classic, front engined, rear-drive sports sedan has unique appeal, not for just a Korean audience, but Europeans and Americans as well.

A key directive during the concept’s development was that the car be unmistakable for anything but a classic, front engined, rear-drive GT. Aeronautical themes are also popular as was the use of copper on components such as the brake discs and greenhouse trim; in the latter’s case running all the way from the front A-pillars to the edge of the back light.

Inside, a spacious cabin sports several ‘floating’ features including the seats, which incorporate a ‘buffed’ leather surface to aid driver and passenger comfort, while a trio of LED layers for the instrument panel results in a 3 D effect, that helps free up the center console from the usual secondary control clutter.

Powered by a 395 horsepower 3.3-liter Lambda direct-injection gas engine coupled with an eight speed automatic, Schreyer believes that as well as being a serious performance piece, the GT concept is less about design specifics and more about a general feeling of stance, proportion and balance – elements that will influence and guide his design team’s approach to their next project.

“One of the great things about working on this project was that this is a very real car,” he said.  “It felt good to be working on a car that could roll down the road tomorrow. It would be a dream to put this into production – not only does it have a logical layout, with four seats, and good luggage space; it’s also engaging and dynamic and makes a strong statement.  It’s exactly the kind of car Kia should be making.”

GALLERY: Kia GT Concept

Watch video of the Kia GT Concept from its Frankfurt reveal after the jump:

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