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Volkswagen Cross Coupe Concept

Let's get one thing straight: This is not a coupe. Not even close. But ever since BMW kicked off the bastardization of the word 'coupe' with its X6 crossover, automakers seem to think that any vehicle with a sloped roofline can be classified by this word that has always been – and should always be – reserved exclusively for two-door cars. That's a whole different rant, though. In the meantime, we'd like to introduce you to the Volkswagen Cross Coupe concept.

Debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show, the Cross Coupe is the first vehicle to ride on Volkswagen's new modular transverse matrix architecture, and it previews the future of the automaker's crossover range. It may look large, but the Cross Coupe is actually smaller than the current Tiguan, closer in size to that of a Nissan Juke. It certainly isn't bad to look at, even with that big, grinning face. The compact shape is well-proportioned, though it appears that the chrome wheels were ripped right off a loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The Cross Coupe is powered by a unique all-wheel-drive hybrid drivetrain, with two electric motors (one for each axle) paired with a turbocharged gasoline engine. Volkswagen estimates that this powerplant will produce around 262 horsepower, but will be able to drive on pure electricity for about 25 miles. Running to 60 miles per hour will take around seven seconds.

Nismo Leaf Nismo Concept is a look at the future of performance EVs, but don't expect it too soon

Sitting inside Nissan's Smart House perched above the automaker's booth here at the Tokyo Motor Showwas a fitting setting to talk about Nissan's plans for future electric vehicles. The mock building was being powered by a Leaf, with the EV parked below and connected through the Leaf-to-Home system. Within a few minutes of starting my interview with Hideaki Watanabe, Nissan's corporate VP of the Zero Emissions Business Unit, the lights flickered on and the ceiling fan began to spin. For a country just beginning to recover from the March 11th tsunami, being able to pull extra energy from an EV during a blackout would be indispensable. But that's not why I'm sitting down with Mr. Watanabe.

I want to know about performance EVs.

Seeing a Nismo version of the Leaf sharing the stage with Ghosn implies that Nissan is at least exploring the possibility of a sports-oriented EV.

Nissan is committed to a zero-emissions future. Carlos Ghosn, Nissan's President and CEO, maintains that 10 percent of the global automotive market will be comprised of electric vehicles in 10 years. And Nissan is helping to lead the way with the Leaf and two forthcoming EVs: a small commercial vehicle and an electric city car, both due to arrive in the next few years.

But more often than not, zero emissions means zero fun. So seeing a Nismo version of the Leaf sharing the stage with Ghosn implies that Nissan is at least exploring the possibility of a sports-oriented EV. And even Ghosn hinted at the idea when speaking about Nissan's dual (or is that dueling?) roles as both performance brand and alt-powertrain champions.

But after speaking with Watanabe, we're still a ways off. "It's about [EV] volume," Watanabe tells me, making it clear that first comes widespread electric vehicle adoption followed by component costs coming down. Once that happens, Nissan can justify production of an electron-powered sports car. So when is that going to happen? Three to five years seems like a reasonable guesstimate, but more importantly, what form will it take?

The Nismo Leaf Nismo (above) is just a concept and it's nothing more than a body kit to provide additional downforce and a new set of wheels – a bit ridiculous for a glorified commuter. The Leaf RC – with it's dramatic weight loss and race-spec hardware – may pack the performance, but it's far too hardened to be considered for production. So what's likely to happen first is some kind of hybrid sports coupe from Infiniti, followed by a full EV (see Esflow) that can justify the price premium, ala the Tesla Roadster. But an electric performance vehicle from a major automaker is definitely in the cards; it's just a matter of waiting to see who pulls it off first.

Jaguar's jungle looks awfully inviting

There are plenty of attributes we associate with Jaguar. Luxurious, powerful and attractive all spring readily to mind, but we're not sure we'd tie the world "playful" to the brand. Jaguar seems to think otherwise, and has released a new ad showing three of its most sultry models frolicking about in jungles both natural and urban. The spot ends with the tagline "Welcome To Our Jungle," though Axl Rose and Slash are conspicuously absent.

The XJL Supersport, XFR and XKR-S all share some time on screen set to a little Spanish guitar and the bark of delicious supercharged 5.0-liter V8 exhaust notes. The agency behind the spot, Spark44, says that the goal was to show the vehicles as animate, fun objects.

We can certainly attest to these vehicles' ability to paint a smile on your face. The ad does still seem plenty conservative, however. While there's a bit of sideways action here and there, the vehicles mostly seem constrained to speed limits and turn taking.

Yamaha Y125 Moegi is an elegant cruiser

Call us jaded, but these days, there are few vehicles at the average auto show that can stop us in our tracks. Yamaha has proven there's still something to get excited about on the show floor with its Y125 Moegi. The design study has all of the grace and elegance of a bicycle with the all important element of internal combustion lifted from a small-displacement motorcycle. The 125cc fuel-injected single cylinder engine likely has just enough power to whirr you around town.

Yamaha didn't release any actual figures for horsepower or torque, but we do know the bike weighs a scant 176 pounds soaking wet. It wouldn't take much to propel the machine through the city streets. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like Yamaha has any plans to bring the sexy contraption to market. That's a shame, but it's at least good to know that the company's designers are throwing an eye towards elegance.

Ferrari unveils upgraded 599XX Evoluzione in Bologna

An outfit like Ferrari keeps a tight product portfolio. Four model lines in all, when it comes down to production models. Even with the various derivatives that follow, that still doesn't amount to a large number of new debuts from year to year. But as a racing team first and an automaker second, it rolls out a new vehicle at least once a year. What falls between, then, bridges the gap.

What comes in between a road car and an F1 car, you ask? With a rapidly escalation level of crossover in technologies, less and less. But the narrow territory we're talking about is the XX development program – what Ferrari terms as their elite cadre of "client development drivers." That is, the customers who are willing to shell out big bucks – and we do mean big bucks – to test out the latest technological developments on the path from F1 cars to road cars.

The program initially launched with the FXX, an Enzo-based track car that was neither homologated for any racing series nor certified for road use (save a handful of well-heeled customers in some small countries where cash can overcome regulation). That was later improved upon with the FXX Evoluzione, an upgrade offered to existing owners/participants in the program. That, in turn, was succeeded by the 599XX, which has now led, somewhat expectedly, to the 599XX Evoluzione.

For another €185,000 (about $250k) over the €1.3 million ($1.75m) purchase price of the initial 599XX – existing buyers-in to the program can opt to upgrade to the Evoluzione model. That includes a two-year extension of factory-backed "test sessions", as well as a number of upgrades that center primarily around the aerodynamics package. Aside from the giant front splitter that juts out from the nose, you might notice a rear wing that would make a jumbo-jet blush. But it's not just a big spoiler: it's an adaptive one, too. Like the DRS mechanism employed in Formula One, the FXX Evo's rear wing can be opened up for reduced drag on straightaways or closed for increased downforce in the corners.

Coupled with an incidental 30-horsepower increase in output from the 6.0-liter V12 (for 740hp total), the 599XX Evoluzione can now lap Ferrari's private Fiorano test track in 1:15 – a full second faster than the existing 599XX... or nine seconds ahead of the 599 GTO, the fasted street-legal version of the same road-going GT.

Mercedes-Benz prepping tiny-tough B-Class AMG

It's still unclear whether or not the all-new Mercedes-Benz B-Class will be offered here in the United States (for reference, the old B-Class was available in Canada, meaning the small Benz hatch has seen plenty of time on North American shores), but these spy shots certainly give us one more reason to lust after the compact Merc. Nearly every model range in the automaker's lineup benefits from some sort of high-performance AMG variant, and it appears that Mercedes-Benz is working on something sweet for its little B-Class, as well.

Rumored to be dubbed the B25 AMG, this hotter B-Class will likely be powered by a turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four capable of producing somewhere between 320 and 350 horsepower. That grunt will reportedly be sent to all four wheels via a dual-clutch transmission, though the number of speeds (six or seven) is unclear at this time.

Visually, the AMG will stand apart from the standard B-Class with the addition of larger wheels on lower profile tires, bigger brakes and a more aggressive front end treatment – you know, the standard AMG flare. It certainly seems like a potent package, and if Mercedes-Benz does end up offering the B-Class her in the U.S., we certainly hope the little AMG variant will be part of the lineup.