Straightline
Paris Auto Show
September 4, 2008
As promised, Honda lifted the curtain today on their all-new Prius-fighter hybrid. In doing so Honda resurected the name Insight, which was first applied to their 70 mpg 2-seat hybrid of a few years back.
This concept, like all recent Honda concepts is almost showroom-ready. Also like all Hondas, it is far more attractive (in my eyes) than the corresponding Toyota model that it would compete with.
The Insight will go on sale next spring, and is expected to undercut the Prius by $2K or so, starting at just under $20,000.
Here's Inside Line's take: 2008 Paris Auto Show Preview: Toyota Prius-Fighting Honda Insight Concept
Mazda will debut their Kiyora concept at the upcoming Paris Auto Show. The styling follows the flowing (think folded drapery) theme found on all recent Mazda concepts. Other than having a "next-generation" direct injection 4-cylinder engine, not much is known about what's under the skin.
Full story here.
Here's
Inside Line's take:
2008 Paris Auto Show Preview: Mazda Kiyora Concept
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- Posted by: Bob Holland September 4, 2008, 7:19 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, Mazda, Paris Auto Show
August 21, 2008
GM has released images and some info on the all-new Chevrolet Cruze. The car will officially debut in October at the Paris auto show.
The Cruze will be a world car, and as such, will be sold in Europe, North America and Asia. Here it will replace the Cobalt and will likely be badged as a 2011 model. The Cruze will be powered by 1.6 and 1.8L that produce 112hp and 140hp. Both engines feature variable valve timing on the inlet and exhaust sides which
improve fuel economy as well as boost low-end performance. The turbodiesel is a
2.0L unit and develops 150hp. A five-speed manual will be standard and a new six-automatic will also be offered.
Full story here.
Here's Inside Line's take: 2008 Paris Auto Show: Chevrolet Cruze Goes for Bold, Not Evolutionary
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- Posted by: Bob Holland August 21, 2008, 8:46 AM
- Categories: Chevrolet, Paris Auto Show, Sedans
July 3, 2008
Images and info of the upcoming 2009 BMW 7-Series are up on the Net, ahead of the official announcement that's supposed to happen later this month. The car is scheduled to debut at the Paris Motor Show in October.
The new car is expected to offer a twin-turbo gas V8 along with an 8-speed ZF automatic and a torque-splitting rear differential. Other items include upgraded radar cruise control systems, a camera-based lane departure and blind-spot warning systems, and a new night vision system with pedestrian and speed sign detection features.
Here's Inside Line's take: The Big, Bad BMW Is Back
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- Posted by: Bob Holland July 3, 2008, 5:50 AM
- Categories: All Auto Shows, BMW, Luxury Cars, Paris Auto Show
June 12, 2008
The production version of the Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback will debut at the Paris auto show this September. The pixs above show both the base Lancer and the Ralliart version. The Ralliart will go head-to-head with the WRX, as it will be turbocharged and have AWD.
No word as to whether the EVO will get the Sportback model...
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June 2, 2008
Ford's next US-spec Fiesta (a model name not used here since 1981) is going to be built in Mexico. The Fiesta will be built in a plant that used to build F-Series trucks. It will be available as both a sedan and hatchback, and will arrive as a 2010 model.
Here's Inside Line's take: Ford Fiesta Sedan and Hatchback To Be Built in Mexico
Here's AutoObserver's take: Ford Builds Fiesta Sedan, Hatchback in Mexico
It looks like the next Ford Fusion will be getting a smiley face, sort of...
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November 6, 2007
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...
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October 3, 2006
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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- Posted by: Erin Riches October 3, 2006, 4:23 PM
- Categories: Hatchbacks, Paris Auto Show, Suzuki
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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- Posted by: Erin Riches October 3, 2006, 2:50 PM
- Categories: Kia, Minivans, Paris Auto Show
September 30, 2006
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...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches September 30, 2006, 3:44 PM
- Categories: Aston Martin, Coupes, Paris Auto Show
September 29, 2006
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...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches September 29, 2006, 4:50 PM
- Categories: Hatchbacks, Paris Auto Show, Renault
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...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches September 29, 2006, 3:55 PM
- Categories: Diesels, Paris Auto Show, Peugeot, Sedans
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...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches September 29, 2006, 3:23 PM
- Categories: Citroen, Coupes, Diesels, Hybrids, Paris Auto Show
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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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds September 29, 2006, 8:42 AM
- Categories: Kia, Paris Auto Show, Sedans
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...
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds September 29, 2006, 4:55 AM
- Categories: BMW, Paris Auto Show, SUVs
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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- Posted by: Erin Riches September 29, 2006, 1:10 AM
- Categories: Paris Auto Show, Renault
September 28, 2006
In Paris today, the bandages came off Hyundai's Tiburon - referred to simply as the Hyundai Coupe here in Europe - revealing the results of its second face-lift. The first occurred 3 years ago, and was meant to clean up a few sagging lines in the initial design and to present a more chiseled, aggressive face. And it worked too, as the first Tiburon face-lift resulted in the best one yet. So what happened here?
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds September 28, 2006, 8:01 PM
- Categories: Hatchbacks, Hyundai, Paris Auto Show
During the taxi ride from Charles De Gaulle airport to our hotel, we concluded that the best-looking cars on French highways that we never see at home are made by Italy's Alfa Romeo - by a country kilometer. A lot has apparently changed in the 10-plus years the brand has been absent from our shores, and it's all good.
A fine example is the new Alfa Romeo flagship unveiled here in Paris today, the much-anticipated 8C Competizione. After finally seeing this two-seat sports car in the flesh, we can confirm that the production model is an Italian knockout dressed in red - red-painted carbon fiber, that is. And with a 90 degree 4.7-liter V8 engine cramming 450 horsepower and 347 lb-ft of torque through a paddle shifter-controlled six-speed transaxle to the rear wheels, Alfa's claim of a 0-100 kph (0 to 62 mph) acceleration time "under 4.2 seconds" is utterly believable.
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds September 28, 2006, 7:10 PM
- Categories: Alfa Romeo, Paris Auto Show, Sports Cars
There was quite a commotion among enthusiasts in the U.S. when Audi first released information on the S3 hatch some time ago and we're not exactly sure why. For one, it's not destined for the U.S., so no matter how much you really, really want it, the dealers aren't going to have one to sell you. The other, more difficult point that's hard to miss is the fact that you can already get an A3 3.2 with nearly the same horsepower (250 vs 265). Granted, in the S3 you can couple that with a manual transmission, but given how good the A3's DSG system is to begin with, there isn't much to be gained by going for the six-speed do-it-yourself system. Please enlighten us on what makes the S3 so special and we'll gladly add a few more pictures for you to salivate over.
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- Posted by: Ed Hellwig September 28, 2006, 6:14 PM
- Categories: Audi, Hatchbacks, Paris Auto Show
BMW group finally took the wraps off the redesigned Mini Cooper in Paris today. Die-hard fans of the old “new” Mini need not worry, however, as the newly redesigned car is hard to tell from the current edition. Yes, every panel is new, and the car is a 2.4 inches longer overall, but we’re having a hard time picking differences out - even with an old “new” Mini convertible sitting a dozen feet away.
Mini went to great pains to keep the styling deviations intentionally minute because, as BMW/Mini Director of Sales and Marketing Dr.Michael Ganal said in the reveal ceremony, "A Mini is supposed to look the way it looks." Who can argue with that?
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- Posted by: Dan Edmunds September 28, 2006, 5:59 PM
- Categories: Hatchbacks, MINI, Paris Auto Show
Yes, IROC. As in Camaro. The VW "IROC" concept is supposed to remind us of the old Scirocco. For some reason VW didn't want to just rehash the same old models, so instead they unwittingly evoked a moniker popularized by Chevrolet's most famous pushrod-havin', peelout-doin', horseplay-rompin' '80s pony car...
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- Posted by: Jay Kavanagh September 28, 2006, 3:01 PM
- Categories: Paris Auto Show, Volkswagen
Think way back to the early '70s. Remember the 911 2.7 RS? The new Porsche 911 GT3 RS, given its public introduction earlier today here in Paris, lifts its style and bloodline from that iconic model. If we were unaware of their storied history, we would say that the zoomy side graphics on the 997-based GT3 RS on display on the Porsche stand looked, well, pretty tacky...
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- Posted by: Jay Kavanagh September 28, 2006, 1:46 PM
- Categories: Paris Auto Show, Porsche
Porsche is the only manufacturer that can get away with naming a model for its style of roof without coming off as cheesey.
Here in Paris, Porsche introduced the 997-based 911 Targa, announcing that for the first time, Targas will be available in AWD form only--no RWD Targas will be made.
With model designations Targa 4 and Targa 4S, these are essentially Carrera 4 and 4S models with a gigantic sliding moonroof and pop-up rear glass. This means that all Targa models also share those models' widebody sheetmetal, which is 44mm wider than a standard Carrera Coupe.
The 997-based Targa's retractable roof panel and hatch assembly are installed as a module...
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- Posted by: Jay Kavanagh September 28, 2006, 1:29 PM
- Categories: Paris Auto Show, Porsche
Subaru has put together a modest refresh for the Subaru Legacy and Outback sedans and wagons. European buyers will enjoy the benefits starting next month, while we'll see something like it starting with the 2008 model year. On the surface, it's all about brightwork. The Legacy has a new grille with a large ribbon of chrome and on wagons, a revised set of tailights are linked horizontally across the hatch by another strip of it. On the Legacy sedan we looked at, there was even chrome trim on the side skirts -- this was a European-market Legacy, we're guessing it will turn up on our 2.5 GT as well. The Outback also gets a new, multiple-slat grille, but it isn't quite as dramatic.
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- Posted by: Erin Riches September 28, 2006, 12:33 PM
- Categories: Paris Auto Show, Sedans, Subaru, Wagons
Even with 525 horsepower, the Mercedes-Benz S63 AMG got no love in Paris. Unlike the CL63 AMG which shares the same engine, the S63 didn't get a big intro from Dr. Z or even a spot on the main stage. Instead, it sat there in the corner like just another S-Class. It could have been the fact there's already the S65 AMG with a twin turbo V12 in the lineup, or maybe it's those turbine style wheels that leave it looking a little plain, but either way it was overlooked by most of the journalists in attendance. If you're looking for a real street sleeper in the six digit range, the S63 might be a good choice.
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- Posted by: Ed Hellwig September 28, 2006, 10:07 AM
- Categories: Mercedes-Benz, Paris Auto Show, Sedans
Honda's Civic Type R, shown as a concept in Geneva, made its world debut as a production model here in Paris today. "I am confident the Type R will deliver an emotional driving experience," said Takeo Fukui, President and CEO of Honda, in the understatement of the afternoon.
There are no plans to bring the Type R to the States. With that out of the way, let's jump right to the good stuff...
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- Posted by: Jay Kavanagh September 28, 2006, 9:32 AM
- Categories: Honda, Paris Auto Show
As it has with pretty much every auto show introduction this year, DaimlerChrysler turned to slightly stale dramatics when it came time for the Dodge Avenger concept, a little disguised version of the production Avenger sedan (successor to Stratus), to leave its protective tent. After a soundtrack of thunderclaps and torrential rains, a wind machine flattened photographers' hair as they attempted to record the heady moment.
Although mechanically identical to the '07 Chrysler Sebring, the Avenger shirks its twin's somewhat ungainly, tenative stance for a deliberate, haunchy squat. It may be front-wheel-drive, but it borrows many of its lines from the rear-drive Charger and, provided you like the idea of an over-the-top aggressive family sedan, manages to pull it off. However, the sharp rise of the beltline as it meets up with the C-pillar is jarring. Chief Designer Ryan Nagodi makes no apologies: "In a sea of other sedans, we really wanted some cues where you really get this strong gesture."
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- Posted by: Erin Riches September 28, 2006, 5:56 AM
- Categories: Dodge, Paris Auto Show, Sedans
Volvo unveiled the production version of the C30 three-door hatchback here in Paris, and confirmed that it will be sold in the U.S., possibly as a 2008 but late in the model year. The annual global sales target is 60,000, and 75% of those cars will go to European buyers. Although the company will offer a varied engine lineup in Europe, including a pair of diesels, in the U.S...
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- Posted by: Erin Riches September 28, 2006, 2:51 AM
- Categories: Coupes, Hatchbacks, Paris Auto Show, Volvo