Paris Motor Show: 10 cars you don't want to miss
The 2012 Paris Motor Show isn't nearly as exciting as the previous editions. Part of the reason is the depressed market in Europe and a general pall of gloom in the air. Secondly, with manufacturers going all out for Europe, emerging markets like India stand a bit ignored at Paris this year. But, the biennial show still has a few standouts. The show-stoppers once again come from Tata-owned JLR.
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The 2012 Paris Motor Show isn't nearly as exciting as the previous editions. Part of the reason is the depressed market in Europe and a general pall of gloom in the air. Secondly, with manufacturers going all out for Europe, emerging markets like India stand a bit ignored at Paris this year.
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Rank #1: Jaguar F-Type
The biennial show still has a few standouts. The show-stoppers once again come from Tata-owned JLR. The star was Jaguar's new F-Type sports car. Ratan Tata's dream project, the car aims to get Jaguar back in contention versus past rivals like Porsche. -
Rank #2: BMW'S Active Tourer Concept
BMW's Active Tourer Concept, a 3-series-based hatchback, is another big one from the Bavarian carmaker. The auto maker hopes to get into the large hatch-MPV space with the Active Tourer to take on the likes of the Mercedes-Benz B Class. -
Rank #6: Citröen DS Número 9 Concept
The DS range of edgier cars from Citroën have been very popular off late and so it wasn't surprising to see the attention being bestowed on the Número 9 concept. With stunning lines and sharp lights at the rear, the DS has a new organic form. The purple colour helps add an aura of sorts. -
Rank #8: Range Rover
The world also wanted to see the new five-door off-roader from Tata Motor's JLR stable.
The Range Rover, which was launched in London in mid-September, uses an all-aluminium monocoque body, making the vehicle lighter by as much as 120 kg compared to its predecessor. It will be available in three engine variants-V8 petrol, V8 diesel and V6 diesel. -
Rank #9: Peugeot Onyx Concept
Another concept that catches the eye is the Onyx range of future mobility products. A different concept from Peugeot, this range includes a supercar, a 3-wheeled motor-scooter and a bicycle, all using copper in their styling. However, the highlight is the supercar, designed by an Indian, Sandeep Bhambra, who works in Peugeot's design department. -
Rank #10: Volkswagen Golf
Also known as the Volkswagen Golf Mk7, this hatchback features a number of new safety systems, including a multi-collision braking system to automatically brake the car after an accident in order to avoid a second collision, adaptive cruise control, including an emergency braking function, a lane-keeping assistant, driver fatigue detection, traffic sign recognition and an automatic parking system.
