See all Motoring NewsSo the Paris Motor Show, Mondial de l’Automobile, has come and gone for another year. But that’s not the end of it; in fact for us the motoring public it’s only the beginning. From production models about to hit the showroom for the first time to the crazy concepts set to influence the future, the cars of Paris will be part of our automotive landscape for many years yet. Here's the round-up.
Concept models
There’s no further reaching legacy than that posed by the many concept cars on display in the French capital, and Pairs really wasn’t short on glamour. Of course some, like the Volkswagen Golf GTI Concept, were in fact only thinly veiled production cars - expect the 2.0-litre turbocharged hot hatch to go on sale within the next 12 months.
But there were some, like Peugeot’s Onyx, that will never see the light of day. Which is a shame, as the French manufacturer’s supercar was one of the stars of the show. Underneath a body of carbon and naturally aging copper panels the Onyx features a 600hp 3.7-litre V8 diesel-electric hybrid system left over from the firm’s now defunct Le Mans program - and an interior made from wool and recycled newspapers. The bad news is that it will never go on sale.
Unlike the Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo. Said to only be an exploration into future technology and design directions, it will surely morph into the next generation of Panamera and take the fight directly to the Mercedes-Benz CLS Shooting Brake within the next 24 months.
Hot hatches
Paris was the show of hot hatches too, and along with the Volkswagen Golf GTI Concept there was a series of production models on hand as well. By far the biggest news was the Renaultsport Clio, a car that has, for the past decade, defined the very sector. Disappointment arose at the confirmation that this next generation model will have five doors, a dual-clutch automatic gearbox and a turbocharged 1.6-litre engine. However, if there’s one thing we’d bet on it’s that Renaultsport’s engineers know how to make this car outstanding.
Not to be outdone by its rival Peugeot was on hand with its 208 GTi, a car that it hopes can recapture the enthusiasm hot hatch fans had for the original 205 GTi. And Audi took us upscale with its new S3, sticking to its tried and tested formula of quattro four-wheel drive and a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine. The resulting 300hp and 380Nm means the 0-100km/h sprint is over in just 5.1 seconds - if you opt for the dual-clutch S-Tronic gearbox. Tick that option and you’ll also enjoy CO2 emissions that are less than 160g/km and fuel consumption of around 6.9 litres/100km.
Equally efficient and possibly more eagerly anticipated is Ford’s Fiesta ST, which uses the 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine with 182hp and boasts a distinctive new face. MINI joined the party with its limited edition John Cooper Works GP and Honda announced that a Type-R version of its Civic is on the way - though this too will use a turbocharged engine for the first time.
The real world
Back to the showroom floor, there’s plenty of choice - Renault debuting its new Clio, Volkswagen its Golf Mk7 and Ford its facelifted Fiesta. SEAT unveiled its new Leon as well, and revealed that this time the family hatch will be available with three or five doors for the first time. It doesn’t look quite as bold as the old car, but with the same MQB platform as the Golf it promises to drive better instead - especially with the new range-topping 180hp diesel engine.
Opel named its new small car after its founder, and the Adam looks to mix the best bits of Audi’s A1, the MINI and Citroen’s DS3. It certainly stands out and is by far and away the most exciting car in the firm’s current range, but we can’t help wonder if it will convince those image conscious enough to pay top-dollar for a premium supermini.
Ford showed off its new Mondeo and told us that behind the Aston Martin-esque grille there will be the option of a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine. Sounds weedy, but from our experience of this unit you can expect to be pleasantly surprised.
Less shocking was the arrival of the 2013 Mazda6, and specifically the sleek new estate version. Joining Mazda with a new wagon (and with the rest of the family) was Toyota and its new Auris range.
The other stuff
Some things are rather more difficult to pigeonhole - such as the new Bentley GT3 race car, based on the Continental GT Speed. It’s not likely to hit the showrooms as such, but you can expect to see it in full race livery on the track sometime next year.
Equally as shocking was BMW’s Concept Active Tourer (CAT), a hybrid electric MPV with the option of front-wheel drive and striking looks - perfect for the premium school run. Talking of which you’ll probably see plenty of examples of the new Range Rover outside of the gates of any private schools still in business too. Lighter and more efficient than before, it also looks like it’ll redefine the standards for both luxury cars and off-roaders combined.
Another model set to change the benchmark is the McLaren P1. Mooted as a design concept only, the truth is that this downforce-laden hypercar is as near production ready as your dreams would have you believe. The real one will be seen at Geneva’s show next year.
And finally, no show round-up would be complete without this year’s talking point - the Jaguar F-Type. Designed as a spiritual successor to the legendary E-Type this entry-level sportscar looks like it’ll be able to walk the walk as well as talk the talk. Expect it to fly out of the showrooms, despite a rather lofty price tag.
There are months to wait until the next major European show, but with products like this just waiting in the wings, it already looks like 2013 will be a very good year indeed.