Futuristic concept cars, plug-in hybrids, zero-emission electric vehicles and even a hydrogen-powered scooter jostled for the limelight as the Tokyo Motor Show kicked off on Wednesday.

Move over hybrids — the biggest buzz at this year's Tokyo Motor Show looks set to come from electric cars as the dream of affordable zero-emission vehicles moves closer to reality.

Jaguar recently launched its XF 3.0 TDV6 model in Taiwan, taking the island's luxury car market by storm.

Mazda Taiwan over the weekend unveiled its new Mazda 5, with better designs and smarter functions.

Besides showing off its well-known hybrids, Toyota will take a slightly different tack at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show to display a green sportscar with a special kind of gasoline engine.

Honda Motor Co. will display a battery-powered concept car at next month's Tokyo Motor Show, suggesting the company may widen its range of alternative-energy vehicles beyond gasoline-electric and hydrogen power.

The Frankfurt auto show buzzed with an amusement park atmosphere as it opened to the public on Saturday amid signs that Europe's biggest economy could soon pull out of a historic recession.

Automakers put last minute touches on fancy displays at the 63rd Frankfurt Auto Show on Tuesday, ready to show off future and current models in a bid to kick start sales amid a slowly improving global economy.

Chancellor Angela Merkel's Cabinet aims Wednesday to finalize a plan that envisions one million electric cars zipping along the nation's famed autobahns by 2020.

Audi unveiled its A5 Sportback, the newest addition to its A5 series, on July 16, during the German carmakers centennial celebration at it headquarters in Germany.