This isn’t the actual 2009 Volkswagen Scirocco, but it pretty close. Based on the same prototypes shown in our latest Scirocco spy video, this illustration reveals just how close the production Scirocco will come to the Iroc concept. It looks pretty good, but don’t expect to see it in the U.S. anytime soon. Executives at Volkswagen initially balked at the idea of trying to sell another performance coupe in the U.S., but there’s a new CEO in charge now so this situation could change. It would probably have to cost around $35,000 to position it above the R32. Would you pay that much for this Scirocco?

Taking centerstage at the Suzuki stand in Paris was the Project Splash, a concept car built on the subcompact Swift/SX4 platform. Other than the bright blue color scheme, there's nothing terribly remarkable about the Splash -- it merely represents another direction Suzuki might take with this platform, something more along the lines of a subcompact people mover/MPV. It also looks quite similar to Renault's Twingo concept.

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Kia had the Carnival minivan, a.k.a. the Sedona, on display at its stand in Paris. If it looks small to you that's because in Europe only a short, 114-inch-wheelbase version is offered, compared to our 119-inch WB Sedona. However, Kia has told us a short-wheelbase Sedona will be coming to the U.S. late this year to provide a lower-cost alternative for smaller families. A diesel engine is available on the Carnival, but a V6 is all but assured on the U.S. version, though probably something smaller than the 3.8L in the larger van.

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For those who want to drive a V8 Vantage but don't want to do their own clutchwork, Aston Martin introduced a Sportshift Vantage coupe at the Paris show. It's not a fancy dual-clutch setup like Audi's DSG. Rather, Aston Martin has taken the existing six-speed manual gearbox and fitted it with electro-hydraulic control and column-mounted magnesium paddle shifters. Eighteen months of development work went into this modification, and shifts come three time faster than with the regular manual, says the company. Additionally,  there's a low-speed crawl feature to minimize the jerkiness at low speeds when you're just trying to park the car without scraping the pretty wheels -- always a good thing.

The Twingo is the smallest car Renault makes, and after several days spent driving around France, I feel confident in calling it the frumpiest of the French cars. But it's certainly economical in a country where fueling up a normal-size compact car (say, a Ford Focus rental car) costs 50-60 bucks a pop. Help could be on the way in the next redesign, though, because this concept car looks much sharper and more youthful than the current production Twingo. And with a turbocharged, 1.2-liter four-cylinder engine good for 100 hp, this Twingo would likely scoot around nicely for a car in the featherweight class.

Inside, of course, all the features that 20somethings supposedly want are in attendance -- in addition to a USB port, specific-branded ports for iPods and Nokia phones are included. And it goes without saying that there's internet access and an on-command interior light show.

Electronic gimmicks aside, this would definitely be a good styling direction for Renault to take with the Twingo. It would be also be a good direction for good buddy Nissan to take with its U.S.-bound subcompacts.

The other car that was creating a stir in Hall 1 on Friday was the Peugeot 908 RC. On the outside, it's a really sinister yet somehow really beautiful ultra luxury sedan concept; it was evidently styled to resemble a big cat. Peugeot refers to it as a limousine and indeed it's over 16 feet long. On the inside, it's a rear-drive, rear-engine performance car.

That engine is a 5.5-liter turbodiesel V12 capable of 700 hp and 885 lb-ft of torque -- the company developed it to use in the Le Mans series and, as on a racecar, the V12 is supported by a tubular subframe. The six-speed sequential manual transmission that delivers all this torque the rear wheels resides underneath the engine, leaving room for a proper trunk behind the rear axle.

As massive as it appears, the 908 RC probably isn't too heavy for its size, as Peugeot built it using a combination of carbon composite and aluminum honeycomb. However, the wheels, which you can't help but stare at, certainly don't save any weight -- 20s in front, 21s in back. In the cabin, there's seating for only four, but Peugeot insists there's ample room and visibility to go around, as the rear-mounted engine allowed designers to move the seating position farther forward.

Of all the cars on display in Hall 1 today, few got more attention from show goers than Citroen's luscious C-Metisse. It would be an interesting car if were no more than a study for future design directions, but the C-Metisse is actually an exhibit for Citroen's efforts in the area of diesel hybrid technology.

The car has a 208-hp turbodiesel V6 engine (equipped with particulate filters) that powers the front wheels with the help of a six-speed automatic transmission. It also has an electric motor mounted in each rear wheel, and on its own each motor is capable of 20 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque. In low-demand power situations, the diesel engine shuts down and the electric motors can drive the rear wheels for a distance of up to 3 km at speeds of up to 19 mph. The electric motors can also assist the diesel V6 during hard acceleration, aiding traction. Citroen says the C-Metisse would reach 60 mph in a little over 6 seconds.

We've previously noted that mounting electric motors within a vehicle's wheels seems like a not-so-good idea because of the unsprung weight issue it creates. However, Citroen claims that because these motors are in the rear, they help distribute the C-Metisse's weight. Additionally, with its carbon construction, the car only weighs about 3,100 lbs despite the fact that it's about 15 feet long.

Sitting in a corner all by itself was the refreshed 2007 Kia Opirus, which you might recognize as a Kia Amanti. Despite the modest surroundings and lack of fanfare, a lot is going on with this car.

The easiest thing to notice is the grille. Gone is the ovoid fish mouth, which used to look really large until Audi came out with its new signature grille. In its place is a broader and lower shape that draws less attention to itself, allowing the eye to zoom out and see the front of the car as a whole.

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BMW's freshened X3 made its first public appearance in Paris Thursday. The exterior differences are subtle indeed, consisting largely of freshly styled front and rear bumper caps. The real news is under the hood, where a revised engine can be found.

According to BMW X3 Launch Manager, Dr. Gunther Grabbe,  the new 3.0-liter straight-six, now dubbed the 3.0si, puts out 200kW, or 268 SAE net horsepower, a 43 hp increase over the last 3.0i we tested. Based on BMW 0-100 kph claims, we expect 0-60 mph acceleration times to drop nearly a second from the 7.8 seconds we measured with the old engine, to just below 7.0 seconds with the new one. Among the engine refinements contributing to the gains, the most notable are two parasitic loss prevention strategies first seen on 3-series cars: a standby coolant pump that only runs in times of need, and an "intelligent alternator control" which disengages said alternator during periods of acceleration and high demand.

Dr. Grabbe was happy to give us a tour of the freshened interior, pointing out the improved graining on the upper dash and door surfaces, more fully padded seats with richer leather graining, and strategic use of brushed aluminum-look accents. This interior does look and feel more inviting than last year’s model, so it would seem that the efforts have paid off.

But we don’t yet know how much all of these improvements will cost, as Dr. Grabbe told me that prices aren’t set to be released “for a couple of days,” with U.S. sales beginning on October 20.

One of the lovelier cars on display in Hall 1 of the Paris Auto Show was the Renault Nepta, a four-seat cabriolet concept car. Its aluminum-finish gullwing doors run the length of its body, and when they're open, the Nepta really does look like a bird about to take flight. Plus, you can see the engine and passenger compartments in their entirety.

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