Running from January 17th-27th, the Brussels Motorshow is probably the first European motorshow of the year. Comparisons with Detroit are perhaps unfair but almost inevitable. There was certainly plenty of glamour with Ferrari, Maserati, Porsche and Lamborghini amongst the exotic participants. Green transport was a major theme and most manufacturers had some offering to convince us that this is a major concern. The Volvo stand included the Recharge Concept. At BMW, the hydrogen-powered 7-series was accompanied by the X6 hybrid. Closer to everyday motoring, Ford showed the Focus Econetic. Crowds were also drawn to the new Renault Laguna and Citroen C5. On the Nissan stand, the Mixim showed off its wild doors and 1+2 seating. These proved to be more than window-dressing as the staff got in and drove it around a runway above the main stand