Megane, Insight and Lambo limo star in Paris

The 2008 Mondial de L'Automobile in Paris this week was a single raised middle digit to the woes on Wall Street on behalf of the worldwide auto industry. For while the talk inevitably involved the potential melt down of world financial markets, carmakers showed that there was life in the old dog yet, with an exciting mix of sharp new models, production ready concepts, that combined good looks with environmental responsibility, and some good old fashioned auto-exotica.

Spread over eight halls and leg-wearying acreage, Paris is the joint number one European show. It alternates years with the even more mammoth Frankfurt motor show.

Though clearly on the French marques' home turf, none of the world's largest car companies are sidelined in Paris. The Germans, the Japanese, the Koreans and even the Yanks (or at least their Euro operations) fought hard for top billing again this time round.

Wandering the halls, the Carsales Network team rubbed shoulders (literally in some cases) with motoring's heavy hitters. We watched Renault and Nissan joint-CEO Ghosn hold court with dozens of news crews; heard Ford's Mullaly tell the world that Ford's future was in Euro small cars and caught VW's Winterkorn performing a hands-on examination of Honda's new Jazz redhanded.

For all that, though it's clichéd, the stars were still the cars. And even in an age when the internet, our site and others (see our Paris PREVIEW and other news coming up), unveiled most if not all the metal before the sheets came off at the Parc d'Exposition, there was as much excitement as ever.

So here are our stars of Paris, with their respective Carsales Network report cards... They're in no particular order, nor compiled to any complex 'rules' other than what took our fancy...

Though it hasn't lost its Gallic edge, the new Megane's styling is less divisive, which should translate into more sales in more markets. And though the latest Golf VI moves the mainstream hatch on in terms of interior fit and finish, the Megane has taken the styling high ground. (Look out for more on the new Renault Megane at the Carsales Network next week)

For the moment, it's better to concentrate on what the car really shows us -- the new E-Class. Tone down some of the fussy horizontal detailing at the pointy end and ConceptFASCINATION is pure E, intimates new Benz Head of Design, Gorden (with an 'e') Wagener. Inside, the wunder-wagon gives us a blueprint for the new large exec's twin-element dash et al.

Benz safety chief Ulrich Mellinghoff won't confirm ConceptFASCINATION has been engineered for real life crash safety, but is happy to go on the record that the new E-Class will be "the safest car in the world."

CoupeFASCINATION caught most by surprise -- even more surprising was that E-Class didn't make it to Paris... Look for it at Detroit, or more likely alongside the new CLK at Geneva in March.

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And in the flesh, the Honda is more its own car. The Big H's DNA can't help but ooze out of the vehicle -- now officially named Insight after Honda's world first production hybrid back in 1999. Look closely and you'll see flashes of Civic hatch, a fair lump of FCX Clarity and even some CR-Z in the market-ready hybrid.

We'll see the full production version at Detroit in January, says Honda, and it could be Down Under before the end of 2009. The real news is the price, however. According to Honda Oz boss, Yasuhide Mizuno, the company will be pulling out all stops to sell Insight at less than $30,000. (Look out for more on Honda's hybrid plans for Down Under at the Carsales Network soon).

You may have already seen the photos of the Audi-owned Italian marque's four-door GT concept, Estoque. That said, nothing prepares you for the scale of this front-mid-engined monster -- 5150mm long and riding on a wheelbase of 3000mm, the length of the car is exaggerated by its height, just 1.35m. To put these figures in perspective, Estoque is almost as long as a long-wheelbase S-Class Benz but is 100mm lower than a Mazda3!

Teaser pics hinted at a taste of Lamborghini's 70s-era four-door, the Espada, thanks to the front quarter vents, but the end result is more Gallardo meets Monaro -- forceably!

The car's chassis concept is "feasible" for production, says Lamborghini and could be powered by a range of engines, from the Gallardo LP 560-4's V10 petrol powerhouse to a more environmentally conscious (ha!) hybrid-equipped V8, or even an "extremely high-performance TDI."

All new and not derived from the 1 Series, the X1 looks production ready, but complies with the German marques' convention of calling anything more than three months away from release a "concept". BMW says it provides a "hint" at the production version that will go on sale within 12 months.

Other than that it is being particular tight-lipped. We like the nose -- very new 7.

(Look out for more on BMW's X1 and a first drive of the new 7 Series at the Carsales Network next week).

Featuring a three-part folding aluminium hard-top that is claimed to be the world's fastest (20sec closed to open), the IS 250C seats four and, despite its derivative appearance shares only its bonnet, headlights, door handles and external mirrors with its sedan counterpart -- all other body panels are new.

Added luxury, added driver aids and a bitchin' audio system all point to a (IS-F aside) range-topping price, but we expect it still to undercut its prime target -- BMW's 3 Series CC.

According to Citroen, the GTbyCITROËN is the "first ever car to be specifically designed to bring the virtual and real worlds together". A joint venture between the French brand and the makers of the Playstation game Gran Turismo, Polyphony, the 480kW hydrogen-powered concept racecar was created to help launch the fifth generation of the game.

It's a non-runner but that doesn't take away from the fact it looks like it's from another planet. Part racecar, part Shinkansen, part Kreepy Krawly pool cleaner, the GTbyCITROËN only just pipped the eminently more sensible C3 Picasso to its place in our selection. The latter will be a hit with French families -- just like GT5, we're guessing...

Nuvu is the Japanese company's city car -- its vision of a vehicle that will take on the likes of the next generation smart fortwo and Toyota iQ (released in production form at Paris). Featuring 2+1 seating, a sub-3.0m overall length and "extensive use of natural, organic and recycled materials", Nuvu also previews Nissan soon-for-market electric vehicle drivetrain.

Nissan is at pains to point out that Nuvu is not the EV it will launch in Japan and the USA in 2010 (and sell worldwide in 2012) but does share technology. Probably not the leaf-shaped solar cells in the glass roof, that 'feed' a battery in the boot via a tree-shaped conduit, however.

Honourable mention to Pixo -- is this proof Nissan lifting its small car game all of a sudden?

Says Mullaly, the lion's share of Ford's sold globally in the next decades will be small and light cars -- many, if not most, designed by the teams that brought Fiesta, Focus and now Ka to the marketplace.

Ka won't be coming Down Under -- more's the pity. Sharply styled and displaying the same sort of verve that has its Fiat 500 twin-under-the-skin selling out all over the globe, Ka reprises the spirit of its first generation but with a new millennium freshness. And taking a leaf out of Fiat's (and MINI's) playbook, Ka offers three themed variants, and more accessories on the way, to allow owners to make it their own.

Alas still no sight of any hybrid or EV action in the Team Blue ranks, though Paris did see the launch of a 3.7L/100km diesel ECOnetic version of the new Fiesta.

Thanks to a makeover that includes an Evo nose-job (Is that Evoplasty?), the Colt's been given a new lease on life. Beset with mini-MPV looks to date, the update gives it more of a conventional hatch look and feel. And coupled with its good packaging and already on-the-pace running gear, the wee Mitsu could do very well for the brand when it comes Down Under.

The Ralliart version, shown in Paris in three-door guise and the VRX (pictured) was especially tasty. Honourable mention to the Ralliart version of the new Lancer Sportback. It won't break any new ground, but it could break a few hearts (mostly at Subaru dealers...)

Smart and well-styled, even if it isn't a fashion plate, the i20 unveiled in Paris shows Hyundai is about to bring i30 levels of fit and finish (and perhaps even CRDi engine options) to Getz buyers, thus providing better value and further headaches to the likes of Toyota (Yaris), Honda (Jazz) and Holden (Barina).

We had three execs of other car companies tell us how high the level of finish was in the GTI and how it has already moved the benchmark for the hot hatch class. The Focus RS (and XR5 for that matter) will have more power and the soon-to-be-launched range of nouveau Megane RS may have more progressive looks, but they will still struggle with the mantle VW has reclaimed.

Who needs Sirocco when this is on its way Down Under?

Chevrolet's MPV-not-SUV concept, the Orlando was designed at GM's global design centre in Bupyeong, Korea but was built at Holden's Technical Centre in Port Melbourne before being shipped to Paris. The concept "explores the potential of combining the versatility attributes of a sport utility, a family van and a wagon in a single execution" says GM's spin doctors.

Inside there's three rows of "theatre-style seating" that tumble to provide flat floor versatility and under the hood, the "latest generation" 2.0-litre turbodiesel.

We reckon it's spot-on to hit the road as a thoroughly modern Aussie-influenced update of the retro-styled Chev HHR family truckster.

For our full Paris motor show round up, click on the link here.

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