It looks like Lotus might have a surprise in store for people attending next month’s Paris Motor Show. Word is spreading that in addition to the pair of Evoras we already know about, Lotus will also be unveiling two front-engine hybrid vehicles. Lotus has promised to offer more gasoline/electric sports cars, so we think this rumor is entirely believable. Edmunds’ Green Car Advisor thinks that one of the front-engine hybrids will be a four-door hatchback and the other will be a two-door coupe.

Lotus debuted its Evora 414E Hybrid (pictured) concept earlier this year, but unlike that mid-engine concept, the two front-engine models will only have engines on board as generators for the electric motors. Word has it they will use a 47-horsepower, 1.2-liter, three-cylinder engine specifically designed to provide power to electric-drive hybrids. More details to follow during the Paris show later this month.

The hotly-anticipated Ferrari 599 Hybrid, which the Italian automaker has confirmed for the Geneva Motor Show next week, just got its virtual debut a bit early thanks to the interwebs. The legendary maker of sports and racing cars, so closely associated with Italian racing red, decided to show how green their latest project is by painting it…green.

No new information on the car has been released yet, but we already know that the Ferrari 599 Hybrid will employ a version of the Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS) that originally debuted during the 2009 Formula 1 season. The system captures the energy that is normally lost to the flywheel under braking, transferring it to the wheels when the driver activates a button on the steering wheel. Don’t expect Prius-like mileage from this hybrid, just an extra dose of performance on demand.

The Toyota badge has slipped just that little further askew today, with more allegations of sub-standard engineering, and questionable methods of solving said issues.

This week, the Japanese automaker was forced to recall the much-hyped fourth-gen 2010 model Prius and the Lexus HS250h for problems with their stoppers, after a resounding number of customers complained about a wooden pedal under certain braking applications. About 437,000 cars must return to dealerships around the world.

This isn’t the first time the Hybrid’s regenerative braking systems have been called into question. About 300,000 third-gen vehicles from 2009 are accused of losing brake boost for up to one full second at a time, and similar complaints such as an unpredictable stability control system date back to 2005.

Yesterday, a global recall was announced, estimated to involve 400,000 vehicles - but it took Toyota a full week to admit the issue.

Another recall was hidden in the release - about 7,300 new Camry sedans will also be recalled for a possible issue with its power steering hose, which sits adjacent to a brake line and may cause it to wear and split.

And today, it appears the company’s staple breadwinner, the Corolla, is under fire for a similar power steering failure. Its owners are joining the disgruntled Hybrid crowd, complaining to the NHTSA that the current crop of Corolla can suddenly dart to the left or right above speeds of 40mph.

As if things couldn’t get any worse, it would appear that some members of the U.S. congressional committee investigating the recalls have current or previous ties to the automaker; be it manufacturing plants within their borders, or big chunks of Toyota shares totalling six-figures.

According to The Associated Press, California Representative Jane Harman allegedly covets $115,000 in Toyota stock. Her husband’s company, Harman International Industries, has a multi-million dollar deal selling stereos to Toyota.

It may be some time before the full truth comes out - but as Toyota are learning, it eventually will…

Ferrari patent for awd hybrid system

We’ve been hearing rumbling, make that whirring, of a hybrid Ferrari for some time now. While some say it is merely speculation, others point to development mules and patents that have been filed that clearly indicate a hybrid and/or all-wheel-drive system in the works. Well, speculate no more. Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezemolo says we can expect to see it during the first week of March at the Geneva Motor Show.

The announcement came at the unveiling of the new 2010 Ferrari F10 Formula One car, whose predecessor happened to use a hybrid system of its own. During the 2009 F1 season Ferrari used its Kinetic Energy Recovery System with mixed results, but the hybrid technology was effective in capturing energy normally lost during braking.

No specifics about what kind of hybrid setup Ferrari will show off, but it will be mounted in the company’s 599 GTB Fiorano, or some version of it. It’s likely going to be similar to KERS and not a Ferrari Prius. While the show car is said to be only a concept, Ferrari promises they will build a production hybrid vehicle in the near future.