This afternoon, Fisker, the maker of the Karma plug-in hybrid, dropped
the veil, then dropped the top, on its new concept hardtop convertible,
the Karma S, also known as the Sunset. The Sunset features a
Fisker-exclusive lithium-ion battery, two electric motors, a sleek body
style, and a plush interior.

Although the Karma-S concept greatly resembles the production model
Karma, the crowd seemed pleased at the unveiling, but the champagne and
chocolate-covered strawberries may have had a hand in that.

Today, on the manufacturer’s twentieth anniversary, Lexus introduced its 2010 HS250h, a hybrid sedan that will go on sale late this summer. With a body style somewhere between the IS and the ES, the HS is Lexus’ first dedicated hybrid vehicle.

Besides being better for the environment, Lexus continues to provide a vehicle meant for comfort and ease of use. Along with the HS’s hybrid technology, use of ecoplastics and recyclable materials, and exhaust heat recovery system, Mark Templin, Lexus Group Vice President and General Manager, highlighted some of the vehicle’s bells and whistles. The HS250h features a 190-degree front monitor, a Pre-Collision alert system, XM navigation, and an ultra-bright heads-up display. Templin also emphasized the Lexus Enfom technology, which allows users to send information to the car’s navigation system via the Internet.

Also in attendance at the unveiling was Chief Engineer Hiroyuki Koba.

Click through the gallery above to view photos of the Lexus HS250h press event, or scroll down to read the official press release.

With every automaker attempting to out-green each other with hybrid vehicles at the Detroit auto show, we're unsure how this one flew underneath the radar. As we attempted to squeeze our way out of the Mitsubishi press conference, we stumbled upon this Mazda5 Hydrogen Rotary Engine (HRE) Hybrid tucked in a hidden corner of Mazda's stand.

It's not the first time a 5-based hydrogen hybrid has been shown in Detroit; the original concept was on display - in a similar locale - nearly two years back. Although at that time, the system was merely a concept, Mazda tells us they're now ready to lease limited numbers of the alt-fuel hybrid van to select customers.

(Click through for a gallery of live shots, more on the hybrid and a release from Mazda)