The Paris Motor Show has the distinction of being the first in the world to showcase the automobile. Albert de Dion, head of the world’s largest auto manufacturer at the time, kicked things off in 1898. Since then it has remained one of the biggest new car shows — Frankfurt and Paris alternate as host to the largest of the Euro shows. The 2018 edition of the Mondial de l’Automobile was alive and kicking with a host of reveals. The new Audi A1 Sportback and the funky Mercedes-AMG A 35 bracketed a pair of stratospherically-priced Ferraris, the latest Mercedes-Benz GLE sports-ute and BMW’s all-new 3 Series. Here’s a look at the major releases.<doc-sep>The 2018 Paris motor show is underway in Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. It's one of the largest events of its kind in Europe, offering car manufacturers the chance to showcase their latest wares in the world's capital of style. Obviously Paris is home turf for the French brands, and traditionally the event is favoured over Geneva by certain manufacturers from farther afield, but there are a few surprises dotted around from places you might not expect. Tuesday October 2 was the 'press day', a preview event for the world's automotive media. It's during this preview that most significant model launches and brand announcements take place, and we were reporting live. Here's what we learned. Audi One of the show’s most hotly anticipated models was the E-Tron all-electric SUV. This is Audi’s first proper EV, and with a range of around 250 miles in WLTP testing, it comes close to the standard set by the Jaguar I-Pace and Hyundai Kona. Whether it will enter the UK market at the right time and price point remains to be seen, as these first few truly practical electric cars are filling a fast-growing segment.<doc-sep>BMW has officially pulled the wraps off the new generation 3 Series sedan at the 2018 Paris Motor Show. The car was teased by BMW in a video of the 3 Series being produced at the company’s plant. First let’s talk about the aesthetics. The new 3 Series, or G20 in BMW speak, echoes the design of the 5 Series but yet sets itself apart. The front looks muscular and butch thanks to the contoured bonnet and slightly flared wheel arches. The front apron, too, is rather deep and the familiar twin laser headlamps now flank a much larger kidney grille. Looked at from the side, the 3 Series looks even sportier than before thanks to the redesigned ‘Hoffmeister Kink’ and a GT-esque side profile with a slightly pushed back cabin and a rather stubby tail. The rear looks refreshing and features the new L-shaped brake lights that spill over to the boot. The reversing lamps are mounted above the L-shaped strip that gives the rear a sleek look. Compared to the model it replaces, the new 3 Series is 76mm longer, 37mm wider but sits slightly lower. The wheelbase has increased by 41mm and the front and rear track is wider by 43mm and 21mm wider, respectively. The G20 is also 55kg lighter than the current car and boasts of a drag coefficient of just 0.23. The cabin, despite its traditional 3 Series aura, has received a considerable update. The dashboard looks much more elegant and appealing as a lot of the clutter has been done away with. The aircon console has been redesigned and now looks sleeker. Infotainment screen too is now a part of the centre console, which has helped clean up the dash. A 5.7-inch digital instrument cluster paired with an 8.8-inch infotainment screen is offered as standard. Customers can upgrade to a 12.3-inch instrument cluster and a 10.2-inch infotainment screen as well. In India, however, BMW is likely to offer the 3 Series with a single screen size across all variants. The G20 also boasts of a larger HUD unit and a new Intelligent Personal Assistant with voice and gesture control. The new 3 Series go on sale in various international markets on March 9 next year, where it will be available with five engine options - two petrols and two diesels. The 320i and 330i will come with the same petrol engine in two different states of tune. The engine on the 320i produces 184PS of max power, while the 330i makes 258PS of max power along with 400Nm of torque. Similarly, the 318d and 320d will employ the same diesel engine making 150PS and 190PS, respectively. The 330d, on the other hand, will come with a 3.0-litre straight six pushes out 265 horses. The 3 Series will be offered with the choice of a 6-speed manual or an 8-speed ZF automatic gearbox. In India, however, we will likely get the 320d and 320i variants only, initially at least, and both will be paired with the 8-speed AT gearbox. As for the suspension, the 3 Series now gets lift-related dampers that are available with both standard and the optional M Sport suspension package. The M Sport package lowers the car by 10mm and features adaptive suspension. The package will also include the variable sport steering and the 4-piston M Sport brakes as well. The 3 Series will have a certain level of autonomy as well. Standard equipment includes Lane Departure Warning, plus Collision and Pedestrian Warning with City Braking function, the latest version of which also alerts the driver when a cyclist is detected. Options include Active Cruise Control with Stop & Go function and the Driving Assistant with Lane Change Warning, Rear Collision Prevention and Cross- Traffic Alert. Also offered is the Driving Assistant Professional, which is essentially the steering and lane control assist that helps the driver keep the car in its designated lane along with Active Parking assist. The new 3 Series is likely to be launched in India by end of 2019 and wirh a price tag ranging from Rs 39.8 lakh to Rs 50 lakh (ex-showroom), depending on the variant. When launched, it will go up against the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the refreshed Audi A4 and possibly a refreshed Jaguar XE as well.<doc-sep>It's day one of the biennial Paris Motor Show and automakers have deployed their flashiest new vehicles in bids to win the audience's attention. We're keeping a close eye on their respective showcases, picking out some of the most important or striking vehicles on display. Below are The Drive's top seven picks so far, in ascending order to Tuesday's most exciting debutante. BMW 3 Series (G20) BMW Lighter, tighter, and wider than its predecessor, the new BMW 3 Series sedan will be the bread and butter of the Bavarian brand's sedan sales like that it replaces. Faster, more efficient, and with a sharper design, the new 3 Series suffers in but one department: no more manual transmissions. Mercedes-AMG A35 Daimler AG This itty-bitty hatchback packs all the performance that AMG could cram into it. Its 306 horsepower goes downstream through a seven-speed, dual-clutch transmission, and into the road through all-wheel-drive. Zero-to-60 is disposed of in just 4.7 seconds, and if you option the paint color seen above, your retinas will burn out just as fast. Mercedes-Benz EQC Daimler AG Mercedes-Benz is transferring many eggs into the basket of its EQ electric car brand, the first vehicle of which will be sold to customers is the compact EQC crossover. It estimates a healthy 279-mile range for the EQC400, which should still be competitive when it launches in 2020. Smart Forease Concept Daimler AG There are many rude comparisons we could use to describe the face (hidden for your safety) of the polarizing Smart Forease concept, most of which would bother Smart's handful of loyal customers. We can't really fault Daimler for being adventurous with this vehicle, even if that descriptor is better paired with the prefix mis. But of course, if the Forease is your cuppa, we won't tell you not to drink it. Audi R8 LMS GT3 Evo Audi Audi has an updated R8 race car for customer teams. Called the R8 LMS GT3 Evo, its 5.2-liter, naturally aspirated V-10 slams down 580 horsepower and more than 400 pound-feet of torque. Updates to its bodywork stabilize its aerodynamics, which owners of previous-generation R8 race cars can pick up for $32,000 instead of buying a brand-new, $460,000 car if they so please. Mercedes-Benz EQ Silver Arrow Daimler AG Mercedes-Benz's most striking of its EQ-branded electric vehicles so far is the EQ Silver Arrow concept, which debuted at Pebble Beach, and is back in the spotlight in Paris. Its styling is a throwback to Mercedes' classic pre-war Grand Prix race cars, specifically 1937's aluminum-bodied W125, which set a land speed record of 268 miles per hour. Mercedes estimates that the EQ Silver Arrow can top 250 mph using its 768 horsepower...if it actually builds it. Renault EZ-Ultimo Renault<doc-sep>
The 2018 Paris Motor Show is one of the most important car shows of the year. Unfortunately, a large number of major brands are set to skip the show including Ford, Fiat-Chrysler, Volkswagen, Nissan, Mazda, and Volvo. However, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Citroen, and Peugeot all are expected to have a major presence at the show. The 2018 Paris Motor Show will be open to the public from October 4-14 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles. The Paris Motor Show is traditionally one of the most glamorous and important shows on the industry calendar. The biennial Paris Mondial de l'Automobile showcases the latest concepts and the hottest exotics from the world's leading automakers. Although concept cars are traditionally the stars of the show, plenty of headliners from this year's event could soon be on offer at a dealership near you. The Paris show will be headlined by French auto giants Renault Group and PSA (Peugeot, Citroen, and DS). Several international brands are also expected to make major news this year including BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Both are expected to launch new production models at the show. Unfortunately, though, the biggest news coming out of the show is the distinguished list of global auto brands that are set to skip Paris. These include Ford, Fiat, Chrysler, Aston Martin, Bentley, Alfa Romeo, Lamborghini, Jeep, Rolls-Royce, McLaren, Volkswagen, Opel/Vauxhall, Nissan, Mazda, Mitsubishi, and Volvo. With the growth of non-traditional auto shows like CES, Pebble Beach, and Goodwood, car makers have found new avenues to spend their advertising budgets. The 2018 Paris Motor Show will be open to the public from October 4-14 at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles.