The future is here and ladies, it sort of looks like a Hyundai.

At least that’s the initial impression delivered with the unveiling of the Chevrolet Volt, GM’s equivalent of a hail-Mary pass. The folks that brought us the environment-crushing Hummer have now revealed the prototype of the Volt, their all-electric auto that’s slated to hit showroom floors in late 2010. As their first electric vehicle since the  ill-fated EV-1 was introduced in 1996, the Volt has a lot of ground to cover to make up for the automaker’s slumping sales.

Although early prototypes of the car showed a sexier profile, it appears that Chevrolet has gone for a Hyundai-meets-Ford look with the five-door Volt, giving it more of a family car feeling than hinted at with the prototype shown last year at the Detroit Auto Show. Still, it has a lot of interior touches that could win us over – things like a liquid crystal instrument display, multiple touch screen interfaces and Bluetooth capabilities.

Of course, until it actually rolls out in the flesh -er, metal – it’s hard to pass judgement. So until that happens, here’s what we do know:

- The Volt is expected to appear late in 2010 and will be priced at between $35,000 and $40,000.

- Top speed is 100 mph, and it has the equivalent of a 150-horsepower engine.

- It is designed to go 40 miles without a charge, and can be plugged into a standard 120v household plug for recharging.

- After exhausting its initial charge, the Volt switches over to an onboard gas-burning generator that can go for several hundred miles.

Stay tuned. Speculation over whether Americans are willing to pay $40K for this model is already beginning, especially considering that a 2009 Toyota Prius runs just over$20,000.

Another unknown? What cars from newcomers like Fisker and Tesla, as well as from established GM competitors, will be hitting the market about the same time to steal the Volt’s thunder.

Obviously, it’s going to be awhile before we know enough about this car to see how it’s going to fit into the changing automotive landscape.

In just over two weeks, car lovers will flock to the 2008 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance, where they’ll ooooh and aaaaah over some of the finest creations ever to roll across the ground. And this year, it’s possible that no other car will have quite the allure as the reconstructed 1955 Chevrolet Biscayne.

The Biscayne was a concept car built by GM back in 1955 as part of the General Motors Motorama tour. This engine-revving caravan of concept cars traveled the U.S., inviting the public to get a glimpse of their automotive future. The problem was, most of these cars were never road-tested, and when the Motorama tour ended, GM ordered most of the cars destroyed to avoid legal problems.

Three years later, Chevrolet produced a different Biscayne, loosely modeled after the sleek dream car – but worlds away. The Biscayne that hit the road from 1958 until 1972 was designed specifically for low-cost, no-frills transportation, and was the least expensive car in Chevy’s lineup of full-size cars.

The original Biscayne might have been completely forgotten, were it not for Joe Bortz, who was a young boy when he spied the GM dream cars at the 1955 Chicago Auto Show. Unable to shake their memory, Bortz tracked down the remains of the Biscayne and the LaSalle Roadster at a Detroit-area junkyard, and has worked tirelessly to restore these concepts to their original greatness.

On August 17, the Biscayne makes its first public appearance since 1955 as part of the showings at Pebble Beach. Bortz, a self-proclaimed automotive archeologist, will have a few other pieces of history that he’s pieced together as well. Those cars join an exhibit of about a dozen dream cars that GM saved, and they’ll be part of a display celebrating GM’s centennial.

It seems fitting that the Biscayne, which was unceremoniously put out to pasture in the late ’50s, resurfaces now: In the Motorama tour, it was nicknamed the ‘Miracle Car’ because it drew the largest crowds of any of the concept cars. And with soaring gas prices, slowed sales and concerns over fuel efficiency, I can’t think of a time when the auto industry has needed a miracle any more than it does today.

It’s almost impossible to remember the last time I watched a newscast that didn’t include a report on the rising price of gas. As the numbers break the $4 a gallon mark, even those who can afford the $100 tank of gas are rethinking their choices.

The one-two punch of environmental awareness and soaring gas prices has led GM to shun its behemouth Hummer and has made the used SUV market a bargain for anyone who doesn’t mind making up for it at the gas pump.

So now, some good news: GM has turned its attention to the Volt, its plug-in hybrid, with production set for 2010. For those who don’t want to wait, CarandDriver.com has released its list of the 10 most fuel-efficient vehicles in the U.S.

It’s no surprise to find the Toyota Prius at the top of that list. The highly praised Prius has become a celebrity in its own right and the symbol for all things green. With 48 mpg/highway and 45 mpg in the city, no other car can touch this one. Yet.

Following on its heels are the 2008 Honda Civic Hybrid (45/highway, 40/city); the tiny Smart Fortwo (41/highway, 33/city); the 2008 Nissan Altima Hybrid (35/highway, 33/city); and the 2008 Toyota Camry Hybrid (34/highway, 33/city).

Rounding out the top 10 list are the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid, the ’08 Toyota Yaris, the ’08 Mini Cooper and the 2008 Honda Fit. See the whole story here.