With the ever growing trend to "Go Green," auto manufactures have stepped up to the plate this year introducing several new electric concepts, realities and an vast array of new Hybrids set to launch into the market within the next several years. As the price of oil continues to fluctuate with the facts leaning to over the next few years’ gasoline being sold at record prices, want and need to start using other resources has been on the consumer’s constant mind. Hybrid sales rose 42 percent alone in December compared to the previous year providing actual proof that Hybrids are just not for the crunchy. Ten years ago there was only one option, now the road is slowly filling up with Hybrids that range from compact to luxury as drivers look for ways to not only ease the burden on their wallets but on their carbon footprint too.

This year GM will release the Chevrolet Volt. Comparable in size to the now Colbalt, the electric battery can provide 40 miles of variable driving then resorting to a gasoline engine once it has exhausted its resources. The four door, five passenger car is what GM hopes to break into this every growing area. GM currently has several Hybrid vehicles but this will be its first electric car into production coming out late this spring. Cadillac Converj, a sporty luxury plug-in hybrid coupe is set to go into production around 2013. Even though GM will no longer produce the Hybrid Malibu, the Silverado, Sierra, Yukon, Tahoe and Escalade will still be available for the 2010 year.

Toyota will double their Hybrid production to 1 million by 2011. It took the company 10 years to sell its first 1 million Hybrids globally. Toyota will boost production of existing plus launch several new subcompacts, minivans and luxury cars including the FT-CH concept released last week at the North American Auto Show in Detroit. The FT-CH would become the company’s most affordable and highest mpg car so far. Currently Toyota with Lexus combined offers over 10 Hybrid choices ranging from the Camery to the Lexus LS600H.

Honda plans to launch the CR-Z late this summer. The two seater hatchback reminiscent of the CRX with ratings of 31-38 mph on average depending on the transmission selected will be the third car Honda offers in a Hybrid. The current Insight competes with the Prius and the ever popular Civic remain their strong sells. Word that Acura will soon have its own Hybrid lineup is in the works.

Ford continues to stay strong in the Hybrid market with the green car of the year, Fusion. The Mercury twin Milan also continues to receive strong accolades as well as rating high in customer satisfaction. The Ford Escape/Mercury Mainer along with Mazda Tribute, also continue to stay in the edgy small SUV market by providing the only Hybrids in their class. Ford continues to unveil newer, more fuel efficient cars with the release of the new long awaited, Ford Focus set for 2011 launch.

As Volkswagen has demonstrated its abilities to provide consumers with favorable clean burning diesels, they have also finally created the New Compact Coupe (NCC) with a hybrid powertrain to the TSI gasoline engine with a lithium battery and turbocharged direct inject engine. Volkswagen promises 45 mph combined city and highway with an 8.1 0-60 response too. With their ability to reintroduce the diesel back into our lives, this Hybrid should have no problem finding its niche in the always loyal Volkswagen owners heart as well as the new ones it will pick up along the way with the good looks and respectable reputation the brand is known for.

Luxury hasn’t always been associated with Hybrid but BMW has taken notice and launched the Active Hybrid X6 this December. A two mode Hybrid full electric operation up to 37mph for 1.6 miles increasing fuel economy 15-20 percent. The Active Hybrid 7 is considered a mild Hybrid that uses electric motors to boost the operation of a gasoline engine and recaptures energy in a lithium-ion battery. The 7 is set to go on sale sometime this year.

The Audi e-tron electric sports car offers just what it the title states, a two seater sports car. With 204 hp, 0-60 in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 124mph, this isn’t the golf cart commuter so many others have set out to be. Lithium-ion batteries offer realistic operating range of 155 miles possible. With a standard volt charge, it takes 11 hours to fully charge the batteries or two with a heavy current. Batter is constantly being charged not only when stationary but while in motion thanks to the electronic-mechanical brake system that enables further exploitation of the potential of electric motors for energy recovery.

Nissan’s LEAF set to go into to production this year is the first truly electric vehicle to be sold to consumers. It burns zero gas, has zero emissions and can travel up to 100 miles per charge with a top speed of 90 MPH. The batteries are fully charged within 8 hours. The five seater, five door is set to be priced around $30k. AeroVironment charging stations will be sold additional at the time of sale that way the consumer can charge their LEAF while it’s parked in their garage or wherever the vehicle will be used. Nissan hopes to have 20k reservations once it begins excepting them this Spring. More than 70 percent of the people who have contacted Nissan regarding LEAF reside in the markets where the car will be launched first. The strongest responses have been from San Diego, Tucson, Portland and Los Angeles. Ninety percent who contacted drive less than 100 miles per day while 75 percent indicate they are a two car family and this would make the ideal commuter car.

While we continue to purchase the standard more fuel efficient vehicles over the trendier Hybrids it doesn’t seem like it will be that far off to come to expect one day that all vehicles on the road will either be in a Hybrid or electric state as we move forward to the future and those possible bubble cars we once thought we would drive by now.

It’s putting the key in the ignition after the day hasn’t gone as planned. It’s the urge that overcomes you to go somewhere other than where you are. It’s those cool Sunday afternoons that beg you to open the windows so your hair can blow in the wind. It’s the longest way down winding roads and interstate on-ramps with tight curves that have your car hugging the road while you sit back in your seat. It’s the thrill of merging quickly into rush hour traffic then slicing through it like a hot knife in butter and glancing in your rear view mirror at those left in your wake. It’s to your favorite music at the moment thumping through the speakers while rowing effortlessly through the gears. It’s to pressing down the gas pedal and watching the speedometer creep over the limit as your worries temporarily disappear. It’s one of my favorite ways to clear my head after all these years, it’s driving.

The Diva had her first and only speeding ticket 11 years ago and does not condone (excessive) speeding.

How do a majority of us end up with the vehicles we drive every day? We look at practicality, affordability and then the logical need to have some form of transportation. All of which translate into mundane reasons. Then there is status, trend and a reflection of who we are. I somehow missed out on the last 3 and now I am having serious buyer’s remorse.

This past July I needed a car after my divorce. I had been a loyal Chevrolet owner for the past eight years with 5 vehicles for proof. That loyalty soon went out the window after some shenanigans at a local dealer. I have absolutely no animosity towards General Motors , none. Especially after I received a letter from GMAC offering zero percent interest a month after the fact. Well, maybe not today but that day I saw red. Instead of going to another domestic dealer, I traveled up the road to Nissan with my dear old Dad.

What I went there for was not what I bought. Funny how that works, right? But a difference in a $100 a month says a lot for a car payment. Regardless of that savings I still curl my lip when I bill pay Nissan on the 15th of each month. Especially when the thought of the same car payment could be on a leftover Pontiac G8 GT found a short distance away that is begging for me to take her home. What was once going to be a $16,500 car turned into $21,000 after all the crap that gets added. The extended warranty, battery fee, tire fee, blah blah blah fee, dealer fee, state fee, and my favorite you’re going to walk out of here just happy that you only spent 4 hours at our dealership instead of 9 fee. The G8 can be bought for under $26k. What’s 5 grand more with zero percent anyways?

So what is it that I drive myself around in every day? A Sentra SE-R Spec V. La de dah! Don’t get me wrong, she is a fun car to drive. She is cute to look at and surprises me with her zip but I’m past owning the fun car and I just don’t want her. At all. Ten years ago, this car would have screamed me all over it but that was high school and I had a cool car in the same category back then. I know I should be grateful to own a brand new car but if it’s not something I want and I’m obligated to pay for it for the next X years; my feelings are completely valid. Not to mention the fact that I get approached at every red light by some punk in a riced out Civic with a fart pipe to race which lessens the enthusiasm to go anywhere. Add to the mix I’ve been to dealer for service 3 times since I bought it and my disgruntled customer attitude starts to seep out.

Oh G8, how I long for thee.

The Diva refers to all of the cars she has owned as “Her.”

From an early age, the love for all things powered by horsepower pumped through my veins. I was the baby in stroller at the drags, the toddler at the car shows and the young girl with pigtails on a Saturday night surrounded by muscle cars at a local hang out. I could point out each car giving specific details and tell you that in my own personal opinion, nothing sounded quite like a 5.0 Mustang. For the record, the sound of a v8 Mustang with a Flow Master exhaust still makes me stop and listen until it’s out of range.

I admit to being overwhelmed with facts and what sometimes seemed trivial information as to how much horsepower a certain car produced or what a zero-to-sixty time was but somehow those facts were burned into my memory. Now those random facts flow in the most startling conversations I have with the male population to just to make them walk away scratching their heads.

Often referred to as the son my father never had, I can proudly say that when the hood is open I know exactly what everything is and what purpose it serves. I’ve changed my own oil, fixed my radiator, replaced hoses, I even helped put a center stand on a Honda CBX( my mother loves to refer to it as giving birth to a double breasted Yamaha), replaced sensors, and I’m sure other random maintenance that most people pay for. I like knowing that I can do it. Doesn’t mean I don’t pay someone to do it for me now though.

I am not limited to cars. I love big trucks with souped up Duramax Diesels, Semi’s with ridiculous Detroit Diesels, motorcycles, airplanes “" if it can get me to where I am going then I am pretty sure I know enough about it.

It’s an appreciation and I owe this to my Dad who delightfully instilled this fascination with all things performance and of course the inability own to a car for more than two years.

A 1970 Pontiac GTO Judge and a 1971 Plymouth Barracuda are the favorite muscle cars of the Diva of Driving.