France hosts the last major European motor show of 2008; the biennial Paris Motor Show is an opportunity for French manufacturers to reveal the latest new cars and concept vehicles. This year, the general theme from nearly all major automakers was environmentally friendly vehicles. Hybrid and pure electric powertrains were the highlight in many production and concept cars. Per the latest EU regulations, many gasoline-powered cars and trucks advertised their low carbon dioxide emissions; incremental innovations such as an automatic start/stop function were a popular technology to further reduce CO2 and fuel consumption. At the Paris show, Honda revealed the new Insight hybrid, aimed directly at the Toyota Prius. For GM, the production Chevrolet Volt and Cruze sedans showcased the importance of electric and compact cars in its future product plans. Among mainstream vehicles, the latest VW Golf, Renault Megane, Ford Ka, Peugeot 308 CC, Opel Insignia, Toyota Avensis, and Nissan Note are destined to appeal to the typical European customer. For the affluent, Lamborghini unveiled the Estoque sedan, BMW showed the new 7-Series, and Audi had the sporty S4 sedan and wagon. The 2008 Paris Motor Show revealed a glimpse of the trends in the European automotive market that may eventually trickle over to the US in the near future.