The Mondial De L'Automobile
Paris or more simply the Paris Motor Show is being held in the beautiful capital
city of France from October 1 to 16, 2016. Car manufacturers across the globe
have unveiled vehicles, some of them concepts, some more realistic. Here are a
few we felt are significant.
MERCEDES: With "Generation EQ", Mercedes-Benz is showing
how electric cars can soon move into the fast lane: the concept vehicle, with
the appearance of a sporty SUV coupé, gives a preview of a new generation of
vehicles with battery-electric drives. Celebrating its world premiere at the
Paris Motor Show, "Generation EQ" is the forerunner of
Mercedes-Benz's new product brand for electric mobility, EQ. The name EQ stands
for "Electric Intelligence" and is derived from the Mercedes-Benz
brand values of "Emotion and Intelligence". Meanwhile, Mercedes-AMG
is blowing even more fresh air into the AMG GT family. Shortly after the world
premiere of the AMG GT R, the sports car and performance brand from
Affalterbach is presenting two exciting roadster variants of the two-seater
sports car. Alongside the AMG GT Roadster, the AMG GT C Roadster enhances the
portfolio with a completely new model variant.
MITSUBISHI: This Japanese company announced the world premiere of
the Mitsubishi GT-PHEV Concept next-generation SUV at the 2016 Paris Motor
Show. The concept model is powered by MMC’s own advanced plug-in hybrid EV
(PHEV) system using triple motors. Joining the Mitsubishi GT-PHEV Concept at
the MMC booth is the Mitsubishi eX Concept, a compact SUV powered by a
next-generation EV system, and 2017 model year European market versions of the
Outlander and Outlander PHEV – all being shown for the first time.
NISSAN: Nissan unveiled the Micra Gen5. Targeted for Europe, the
world’s largest hatchback market, the Micra Gen5 is styled to turn heads, with
a dramatic body length-defining character line. It is lower, wider and longer
than its predecessors and has more interior space. It also has advanced new
downsized turbo drivetrains, an agile chassis and a full complement of
innovative safety features.
This Micra Gen5 is the first
in Nissan’s B-segment line-up to offer such an extensive set of advanced safety
features, available across all grades, bringing Nissan Intelligent Driving to
life. The new Nissan Micra will be built in Europe at the Renault plant in
Flins, France, as part of the Renault Nissan Aliance.
RENAULT: Originally unveiled in Beijing, the all-new Renault Koleos
made its European debut at Paris show. The All-New Koleos boasts a powerful
stance that sets it apart from its rivals, while also providing a comfortable,
well-appointed interior that offers class-leading space for passengers,
including 289mm of rear knee room. Standard equipment is shared with other
high-end Renault models, such as the R-LINK 2 multimedia tablet. The vitality
of Renault’s product plan is underlined by the introductions of the new Koleos,
the new Grand Scénic, the new Mégane Grand Coupe, the facelifted Clio and the
Alaskan.
SKODA: Skoda showcased its latest Skoda Kodiaq, the brand’s first
large SUV. The Skoda Kodiaq is 4,697 mm long, 1,882 mm wide and 1,676 mm tall
(including roof rails); its wheelbase measures 2,791 mm. The Kodiaq is based on
Volkswagen Group’s modular transverse matrix (MQB) in which strict lightweight
construction plays an important role. For the body, a combination of
hot-stamped metal sheets forms the ultra-strong backbone. With the entry-level
TSI engine and front-wheel drive, the large SUV weighs just 1,452 kg (without
driver), or 1,540 kg with the 1.4 TSI engine and all-wheel drive.
SSANGYONG: SsangYong Motor Company, now 73 pc owned by Mahindra
& Mahindra, unveiled the company’s next all new model at this year’s Paris
Motor Show - the LIV-2 large premium SUV concept. The SsangYong LIV-2 -
Limitless Interface Vehicle - is a large premium SUV concept, and is the next
iteration from the LIV-1 concept exhibited at the Seoul Motor Show in
2013. It advances the car’s design
language and helps communicate the concept of ‘Dignified Motion.’ LIV-2 is
powered by either SsangYong’s own 2.2 litre Euro 6 diesel engine to achieve a
powerful yet efficient performance, or its newly developed petrol 2.0 litre GDi
turbo.
SUZUKI: The Suzuki Ignis made its European debut. Suzuki Motor
Corporation unveiled the Ignis at the Paris Motor Show as its new global
compact crossover. The new Ignis wraps convenience and comfort in a stylish new
exterior. It exudes Suzuki DNA from every pore, while at the same time
introducing an entirely new design with unique character. In addition to its simple
and iconic styling, this compact SUV offers the functionality and performance
to provide confident driving in a wide variety of conditions. Sales are
scheduled to begin in Europe in January 2017, after which the model will also
be introduced in other markets.
VOLKSWAGEN: Volkswagen announced the world premiere of the
visionary I.D.: I.D. is a highly automated electric car that will cover a
distance of 400 to 600 kilometres on a single battery charge. The production
version of the I.D. is due to be launched in 2020 at a price on a par with
comparably powerful and well-equipped Golf, but Volkswagen is looking even
further ahead with this concept car: in "I.D. Pilot" mode, the
electric car is capable of fully automated driving - this technology should be
ready for series production in 2025. Volkswagen has also set itself the goal of
selling a million electric cars a year by 2025; the production version of the
I.D. will make a decisive contribution towards this in the ramp-up of
e-mobility.