Peugeot is promising great things for its new 208 GTi, which has now been signed off for production. We hope that it can live up to those promises and reignite the flame lit by the 205 GTi, which has been sadly extinguished over the years. There’s not a lot to show you in video form from Paris, but we’ve had a bit of a poke around and found the best of a mediocre bunch.
Even though it was announced in early September, the new Volkswagen Golf VII made its public debut at the Paris Motor Show. Let’s take a look at what some of the journos in attendance think about Volkswagen’s most important and highest selling model.
Mercedes-Benz has rocked up to Paris with the spectacular looking SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive. They reckon it is the most powerful and fastest production electric sports car ever made. With 552kW and 1000Nm of torque you can see why Mercedes is so confident.
All that power comes courtesy of four electric motors, one at each wheel, which can spin at 13,000rpm. Each motor weights 45kg and can be controlled individually by the AMG Torque Dynamics system. Accordingly, with all that grip and power, the SLS Electric Drive can reach 100km/h in 3.9 seconds.
You can cover some reasonable distances, too, up to 250km Mercedes claims. With a special quick-charge wall box in your garage you can recharge in 3 hours. Alas, without that optional extra fitted at your home you’ll need to allow 20 hours of charging time with a regular wall socket.
The liquid-cooled lithium-ion high-voltage battery weighs 548kg and benefits from Formula 1-inspired KERS technology. Interestingly we haven’t been given an overall weight for the vehicle. But with 728kg in electric motors and battery alone this might be setting benchmarks for electrically-powered vehicles but it’s not going to be lightweight in real terms.
Ola Källenius, Chairman of the Board of Management of Mercedes-AMG GmbH said: “The SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive is setting new standards for cars with electric drives. As the most powerful gullwing model ever, it is also representative of the enduring innovational strength of Mercedes-AMG.
“Our vision of the most dynamic electric vehicle has become a reality. With the help of our colleagues at Mercedes AMG High Performance Powertrains in Brixworth, we are bringing exciting advanced technology from the world of Formula 1 to the road.”
The SLS AMG Coupé Electric Drive goes on sale in Europe next year and is priced from €416,500 (AU$520,000).
With this Paris Motor Show video update we bring you closer to the very cool Porsche Panamera Sport Turismo. Will they build this car? Let’s hope so!
From the floor of the Paris Motor Show we bring you a selection of videos featuring the new Volkswagen Golf GTI concept.
The highlight of Bentley’s stand at the Pairs Motor Show is their Continental GT3 concept. It’s based on the Continental GT Speed and is set to hit racetracks late next year.
It’ll be great seeing the big Bentley mixing it with the best on offer from the likes of Audi, Ferrari, McLaren, Porsche and others.
There’s been no confirmation of the Continental GT3’s drivetrain, but it will be rear-wheel drive the main discussion point is the engine: will it be the 6.0 W12 or a 4.0 litre V8? One thing is clear—in GT3 trim—Bentley’s Continental looks as good as it ever has.
Here we bring you some videos of the epic McLaren P1 from the floor of the Paris Motor Show. We expect McLaren will nail the objectives they have for this car, which is to pretty much redefine the hypercar market. Sure, it probably match the outright performance of the Bugatti Veyron, but as a useable road/track tool, this car will have few peers, if any.
McLaren Automotive promised us they would reveal the P1 at the Paris Motor Show. And they have, look at it. It’s spectacular, it looks bloody fast and it has presence. We love it!
You: I agree it looks awesome, but we already saw pics the other day. How much power does it have? How fast is it?
Us: Dunno. They haven’t said.
That’s right, all the build up, all the hype and all we can give you about the world’s latest and greatest hypercar is more hype! And motherhood statements. We’ve got heaps of motherhood statements:
“Of course, the McLaren P1 will have an immensely powerful engine, superb brakes and state of the art suspension controls.”
Paul Mackenzie, Programme Director
“It celebrates aerodynamics, great packaging and light weight. It is all about innovative technology. At the very beginning, we sought to develop a car that you could drive to a racing circuit, then press a button and race it.
“Maximum speed was never a priority. It’s much more technically challenging, and more meaningful, to develop a car that seeks to be the fastest-ever series production car on a racing circuit.”
Dan Parry-Williams, Chief Design Engineer
“It would have a level of racetrack performance never before seen in a series production road car.”
Simon Lacey, Head of Vehicle Technology
“I wanted it to look like a Le Mans racer with that low body, long rear deck and open mesh rear styling to put the mechanicals on view and to help cooling.”
Frank Stephenson, Design Director
So, aside from a promise that the P1 will have a power-to-weight ratio of at least 600PS per tonne we can’t really give you any firm details. McLaren says all the tech data will be released when the P1 is launched early next year. Initial deliveries are scheduled for late 2013.
If you want to read a bunch of McLaren employees claiming their car will be the best thing since ever, then read the presser after the break. Oh, actually, read the stuff about the MonoCage body shell, that’s pretty good.
Audi has taken us into their future with the crosslane coupé concept. Key to its construction is its multimaterial space frame, a combination of aluminum, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), and glass fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP).
The new space frame tech will provide benefits for many Audi models in the future, while the exterior design of the crosslane gives us a preview of the next-generation of Q models.
Power for the concept is provided in the form of a dual-mode hybrid set up. A pair of electric motors are joined by a 1.5 litre three cylinder TFSI petrol engine. The electric motor 1 (EM1) is coupled to the TFSI engine and takes on the menial roles of starter motor and alternator.
From rest to 55km/h the EM2 is in control and as speed increases the conventional engine joins the party. If the speed goes above 130km/h petrol engine takes full responsibility.
It’s had more farewell tours than John Farnham but Lamborghini has dusted off the Gallardo one more time, given it a bit of a touch up and come to Paris with a new LP 560-4 model. It still looks fantastic.
As its name suggests the newest Gallardo produces 560PS (412kW) from its 5.2 litre V10. It weighs an even 1500kg and coupled to 6-speed e-gear transmission and all-wheel drive system it can reach 100km/h in a measly 3.2 seconds; 200km/h takes only 11.8 seconds. And you can keep on powering to a v-max of 325km/h. Nice work if you can get it.
Proving there’s more life in the Gallardo than even Lamborghini could have ever hoped for they’ve also created the LP 570-4 Edizione Tecnica, which has flash red detailing, carbon ceramic brakes and a model-specific rear wing.
You can learn more on both cars after the break.
After many flirtations we can now bring you pics and details on the new F-Type convertible, direct from Jaguar’s mouth.
If you fancy the stylish lines of the F-Type, and who could blame you, there’s a choice of three model designations in the range. First is the F-Type, powered by a 340PS (250kW) 3.0 litre supercharged V6. Next is the F-Type S which turns the wick on the V6 up to 380PS (279kW). Headlining the range is the F-Type V8 S which, unsurprisingly, uses a 5.0 litre supercharged V8, capable of pumping out 495PS (364kW).
All use a close ratio 8-speed auto and normally we’d frown upon that. Sure we’d prefer a manual, but Jaguar has shown in the past it can make a good auto and if you hop into the F-Type with your expectations in check—this is not a Porsche GT3 rival—then we reckon you’ll be rewarded with some great driving fun.
The S and V8 S models feature an active exhaust system for added aural thrills, thanks to valves that open as the tacho climbs above 3000rpm. And they do sound great!
Triple figures are knocked off in 5.3 seconds in the entry level F-Type and 4.9 seconds in the S. While 625Nm of torque helps the V8 S to 100km/h in and 4.3 seconds.
We like the F-Type, it’s a smart looking car. Its proportions are bang on and we hope it does well for Jaguar.
Officially, then, here is the new “near-production” seventh-generation Golf GTI. Rather that resummarise the info we brought you yesterday here’s all you need to know about the new Golf VII GTI in dot point form:
That pretty much sums everything up. Although, we’re a little unsure if we should read anything into the fact there’s been no mention or confirmation of the rumoured 100kg weight loss. Perhaps that level of detail will come when the GTI is launched next year.
UPDATE: A selection of pics from the floor of the Paris Motor Show have been added below, with thanks to GolfMk7.com. We recommend you follow this link and check out their full gallery.