Photos: Los Angeles Auto Show preview

The Los Angeles Auto Show emphasizes design, and it's seen rising importance in the automotive world. We've gathered a few pictures of cars we anticipate seeing at the show. This sketch is of the Volkswagen Tiguan concept. This car would be the smaller brother to Volkswagen's Touareg and would give Volkswagen a player in the new crossover market. We saw the beginnings of this car at the 2006 Geneva Auto Show in the Volkswagen Concept A.

Nissan unveiled the hybrid version of its Altima sedan previously in Florida, but the Los Angeles Auto Show will be our first chance to see it up close. This is Nissan's first hybrid, and it uses a similar system to that of Toyota's hybrids, which means it can travel under electric power only at low speeds. Its EPA rating is 40mpg city and 36mpg on the highway.

BMW is bringing its Hydrogen7 to the Los Angeles Auto Show. This car uses the same luxury appointments as the standard 7 series but includes an alternate hydrogen fuel system. Hydrogen is pumped into the cylinders and burned much the same way as gasoline. BMW plans on making this car available very soon, showing the practicality of a hydrogen-powered car.

The Lexus LS 600h L brings an unheard of level of luxury to a hybrid car. The stretched sedan has every comfort imaginable, including a massage chair for the right-side rear passenger (the assumption being that your chauffeur sits in the driver's seat). The big engine in this sedan is augmented by electric motors that will give it better fuel economy than anything else in its class.

The Los Angeles Auto Show should be the venue for the unveiling of the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, a significant upgrade to a car that's needed it. This picture is of the interior of the Escape's sibling, the 2008 Mercury Mariner. We expect a similar makeup job on the Escape, as these cars are practically twins.

A true concept car, the Mazda Nagare intends to show off the future of Mazda's design direction. From this image that Mazda made available, the future look will be very aerodynamic, at least in appearance.