Paris Motor Show auto news

Rumormill: BMW 1 Series GT tipped for Parisian debut

We know what you're thinking: Another day, another BMW bodystyle. Except this one's different.

The Bavarian automaker, much like its fellow German marques Audi and Mercedes-Benz, has exploded its product offerings with spinoffs of its established models. So the two-door 6 Series has bred a four-door GranCoupe version. The 5 Series, in addition to the sedan and wagon, has given us the oddly proportioned 5 Series Gran Turismo. But the upcoming 1 Series Gran Turismo is another kettle of fish in that it is not expected to share the small rear-drive platform with its recently revised namesake, but rather pack a new front-drive platform.

According to BMW Blog, the long-rumored 1 Series GT will finally make its debut next fall at the Paris Motor Show. When it does, the tall hatchback will be targeted directly at the Mercedes-Benz B-Class, slotting (in form at least) in between the existing 1 Series hatchback (pictured above) and X1 crossover. But if front-wheel drive isn't how you picture your BMW channeling its power, an all-wheel xDrive version is also tipped to be in the cards, as well as a hybrid model.

Rumormill: Renault planning 50th anniversary Alpine tribute concept for Paris

Love it or hate it, the automotive industry of today is not lacking for its exercises in reviving old nameplates. The trend ranges from Mini to Maybach, from Dodge Dart to Dodge Challenger. And the French are certainly not immune. Citroën revived its fabled DS moniker for a range of premium hatchbacks, and Renault - most of all - has been mulling bringing back the Alpine for years now.

Arguably just as central to Renault's performance heritage as the recently revived Gordini line, Alpine made mid-engined sportscars with Renault mechanicals starting in the 1950s and discontinued four decades later. Its most famous model, however, was the A110 (pictured above), which is now celebrating its 50th anniversary. And if a new report from Autocar is accurate, Renault has no intention of letting the occasion slip by unnoticed.

In fact, the French automaker is reportedly planning an Alpine concept car to unveil at the Paris Motor Show next fall. But the question remains whether there's any production potential with such a concept. The French are known for producing some rather intriguing show cars - sportscars in particular - that never seem to get very far from the show stand, from the GTbyCitroën to the Renault DeZir.

Whether Renault can make the business case - without the North American market, at that - to take on the sports car establishment remains to be seen, but having the Nissan product bin to raid certainly couldn't hurt.

Peugeot EX1 sets fastest electric car lap at the 'Ring

The Peugeot EX1 has whirred its way into the record books by lapping the 12-mile Nürburgring Nordschleife with a 9:01.338-minute run. According to Peugeot, that shatters the previous electric vehicle record at the track by an impressive 50 seconds.

The fully-electric Pug, which debuted at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, averaged 85 mph on its record-setting run. Peugeot has promised to release photos and video of the EX1 at the Nordschleife, but for now we'll have to wait.

The lightweight, four-wheel drive EX1 was created to celebrate Peugeot's 200th birthday, and packs a pair of electric motors (one on each axle) totaling 340 horsepower. As for production, don't hold your breath, though the technologies on display in the EX1 and lessons learned during its development will likely influence future models.

Gallery: Peugeot EX1 concept

Report: Lotus city car confirmed for 2013

Lotus unveiled a flurry of new concept models earlier this year at the 2010 Paris Motor Show. Five brand-new concepts took center stage, but there was a sixth vehicle unveiled that got far less press - the Lotus City Car. According to CAR Magazine, Lotus head Dany Bahar says that the City Car will arrive in production form for an October 2013 launch date.

The City Car rides on a platform developed for a range-extended hybrid powertrain. A 1.2-liter three-cylinder engine powers electric drive motors, which are mated to a single-speed transmission. This means that around town, the Lotus City Car will be able to run solely on battery power, while the gasoline engine can kick on for needed assistance if necessary.

Lotus is planning to build three versions of the City Car; one for Asia, a European version and eventually a sportier model.

Report: Esprit only new Lotus under development

We were a bit surprised when Lotus rolled out a total of five new concepts at this year's Paris Motor Show. Lotus unloaded its lightweight guns in an effort to showcase the automaker's future direction, but the question on our minds concerns which of these concepts will actually see the light of day. According to Autocar, only one of the five concepts is actually undergoing engineering work: the Esprit.

Autocar quotes Lotus insiders who say that the future range-topping Esprit is the only vehicle being fully developed at the moment. The Esprit would be the first of the next-generation Lotuses to grace our presence, sometime around 2013. The Esprit will reportedly adhere to the Lotus mantra of lightness and simplicity, with a curb weight of around 3,300 pounds motivated by a 550-horsepower supercharged V8. No, 3,300 pounds isn't exactly lightweight by any means, but with 550 supercharged horses on deck, the power-to-weight ratio will still be what we've come to expect from Lotus.

The Esprit is part of Lotus's plan to increase sales from less than 3,000 units per year to about 7,000 vehicles. That's a substantial jump for a company the size of Lotus, and one that becomes more difficult when you consider that the next round of sports cars will be a bit more expensive, too. The UK-based automaker plans to feature pricing in the £80,000 ($128,000 USD) to £120,000 ($192,000) range, up from about £40,000 ($64,000) on average.

Gallery: Paris 2010: Lotus Esprit Concept

Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL

How Audi created the e-tron Spyder

Audi has pulled back the covers on how it created the e-tron Spyder for the Paris Motor Show, and it's giving us a rare glimpse into what went on behind the scenes. It took five months to turn the sketches into the Paris runway beauty, and Audi tells the story from the viewpoint of the designers modeling and how they balance styling with feasibility. Much of it was, of course, hand made, but even then it went beyond Audi's show-car usual, such as building wheels each containing 66 individual parts.

Not surprisingly, the tale begins like a superhero fable - "It is a functional, rectangular building with a gray facade - a hall like thousands of others in the industrial parks dotting our cities..." - and you'll find the details after the jump.

Gallery: Making the Audi e-tron Spyder

Continue reading How Audi created the e-tron Spyder

Opel Insignia Sport Tourer lands at a Czech dealer. Do want.

2009 Opel Sports Tourer - Click above for a high-res image gallery

The Opel Insignia Sports Tourer landed at a dealer in the Czech Republic, and it is nothing but tasty: a six-speed diesel with seating for five that holds from 540 or 1,530 cubic liters with the seats down (from 19 to 54 cubic feet) and the handsome hauler gets and 50 mpg (US) from its 160 horsepower 2.0 CTDI. What's more, the rear cargo area has a beautifully flat entry, and a hidden compartment underneath the load floor.

It also has a host of convenience technology such as the Adaptive Forward Lighting with nine (count em!) different settings and the Opel Eye, which memorizes street signs and displays them in the dash. Sounds a bit like the Eye of Mordor, but it could come in handy when on unfamiliar turf. For the consortium looking for new Saturn models to import, please start here. Thanks for the tip, Evzen!

Gallery: Vauxhall/Opel Insignia Sports Tourer

Spy Shots: If this is it, the Mazda1 looks nothing like Kiyora concept

Evo makes a compelling case for the car actually being the Mazda1 - not merely a revised Mazda2. Save for the ascending shoulder line (now moved to shoulder height, way above the rocker panels as on the Kiyora) the prototype has almost nothing in common with the design of the swoopy Paris beastlet. At the very least, we hope this car comes with the concept car's tech, but we won't know for certain until the car's expected launch at September's Frankfurt Auto Show.

Seoul Preview: SsangYong to show C200 Eco crossover concept in Korea

SsangYong first unveiled its C200 concept crossover at the Paris Motor Show last autumn, and it will release a toned-down version that's nearly production-ready at next month's Seoul Motor Show. The financially battered Korean automaker says its less aggressively-styled C200 is similar in size to the Honda CRV and Toyota RAV4, a class of vehicle that's growing quickly in SsangYong's home market.

The ItalDesign-penned CUV concept is powered by a new 175-horsepower, 2.0-liter diesel engine (torque figures have not yet been released), and four-wheel drive is expected to be available when the C200 reaches showrooms later this year.

SsangYong also expects to show off a new diesel-hybrid version of its oddly styled Kyron, which it says will result in at least 30% better fuel efficiency and at least 50% fewer emissions. Details remain scarce on the powertrain, but SsangYong says the system will involve a direct-injection diesel engine along with a proprietary Torque Split Device that governs use of the electric motor, as well as the usual tricks like regenerative braking and start-stop technology. Official press release available after the jump, gallery of the original 2008 C200 concept below.

Gallery: Par?s 2008: SsangYong C200

Continue reading Seoul Preview: SsangYong to show C200 Eco crossover concept in Korea

Spy Shots: BMW X1 varies little from concept

BMW unveiled the X1 Concept at the 2008 Paris Motor Show to our bewildered eyes, and spy photographers have just surfaced with photos of the production version that do little to address our concerns for this littlest of soft roaders from Munich. As you can see, the production version will hardly differ at all from the concept, which means the swollen nose from the new 7 Series remains, along with all the surface pinching and odd details that we were so not fond of in Paris.

Styling aside, we question whether there's a market for another BMW sport or crossover utility vehicle, considering that the brand is already loaded with the X6, X5 and X3. The X1 also appears just plain redundant being so similar in size to the X3. That said, it will be built on the same platform as the 3 Series and offer a heaping helping of BMW gas and diesel engines, so it should be the Ultimate Driving Honda CR-V.