Over the next 48 hours globe-trotting CAR reader Mark Hamilton (car4mh) will be blogging live from the 2010 Paris motor show, filing his thoughts on all the new cars unveiled in the French capital. All his live updates will be posted on this page, so keep coming back for more of his blog. Top tip: the latest updates are posted at the top, so start from the bottom and read up.
‘One Chevrolet’ still feels like two
It’s an exercise in futility trying to explain to the discerning readers of CAR Online why I bother stopping at the Chevrolet stand, where a chap spins American records from a DJ station above an overturned Spark. But as mentioned previously I have a soft-spot for the Corvette and as an added bonus see a Camaro on display too. Across from the Camaro is an Aveo though, and it is very hard reconciling the Chevrolaewoo branch of the family with the more traditional Chevy fare. Is it just me or does Ford seem to have less of an issue globalising its fleet than its once-great rival does?
Hall 2.1 Electric Lala-land
As always with motorshows these days there is a ghetto- sorry, a ‘special pavillion’ specifically for electric and alternative-fuel vehicles. This is where the backyard boffin, engineering school or golf cart manufacturer would have you believe that you have no use for a cosseting interior, mature exterior styling or indeed doors in the quest for eco-friendliness. There is even some form of EV petting zoo, with a pleasant picket fence and pretend roads where visitors to the show can ride a tame i-MIEV, Leaf or one of the aforementioned toy vehicles. I then notice the Ligier booth, and am immediately reminded of the perennial F1 backmarkers from the ’70s to ’90s. But this is in fact the microcar division, and amongst them is an easy winner for oddest car of the show, the VIPA. Strictly speaking it isn’t a car, rather a self-piloting 6-person box designed to be used as a shuttle for parking lots, airports and other facilities where walking is not felt to be appropriate. However, I feel it looks more like a form of punishment to be inflicted by an anti-car government on enthusiasts, and make a hasty retreat upstairs.
Hall 2.2 is the Media, Services and Infant Area (there is probably a joke in that, but then I’m reminded of the guy pushing a pram through the Press Portakabin and figure it is the way things work here). It features booths for the major car magazines, newspapers, TV and radio stations. One of the radio stations has placed a Lancia Stratos on display, and as an anti-VIPA treatment it works wonders. There is no sign of the new Pininfarina-penned Stratos at the show, but never mind, the original will do just fine.
Hall 3 – The In-betweeners
Mark Walton’s cross-Europe transport provider of choice is here, with everything from the Jazz Hybrid to ASIMO the robot. I asked ASIMO when we can expect to see a new Type-R Civic or other hot Honda and he offered a robotic variation on the local shrug. With Honda’s existing IMA hybrid system failing to offer a full EV mode I wonder how successful the Jazz will be at test-drive time, without the silent-running party trick enjoyed by other hybrid cars.
Hyundai is in Hall 3 also, with a range of vehicles that have eschewed names for ‘i-‘ and ‘ix-‘ prefixes. As mentioned earlier I prefer the styling of sister brand Kia, but on the far side of the Hyundai booth (behind the BlueDrive eco tech display) are the Genesis Coupe and Sedan, and the Equus flagship. All 3 vehicles have received positive reviews in the US as Hyundai marches upmarket. While I think the Equus is probably still a bit too ‘Seoul corporate limo’ for European tastes, the Genesis coupe in particular is one worth looking at.
Mitsubishi is here, with a range of vehicles all sporting variations on the Lancer Evolution’s gape-mouthed grimace (except for the i-car, which sits sheepishly trying to figure out how to get some attention after its French cousins over at Peugeot-Citroen rewrite the car’s lineage with a French accent and chase local customers for a top-dollar EV. The ASX crossover hatch is here too, but in a crowded market for tall hatchbacks with dreams of off-road adventure it’s hard to find a compelling reason to consider it.
Then it’s over to Suzuki, who have their ‘more-of-the-same, thanks’ New Swift on display.
Who? Oh, the French…
It would be remiss of me (albeit daring) to offer a Paris Motorshow report without mentioning Renault, Peugeot and Citroen. As we know from other reports here, Renault’s march towards offering a range of EVs is continuing at pace. Of the vehicles on display the Zoe seems to strike the best balance between EV futurism and conventional styling. Much as the Twizy looks like a fun little runabout for those of us averse to two-wheelers, I can’t help thinking that many of the exhibitors in Hall 2.1 are muttering bitterly to themselves, “but for a Renault badge, there go I”.
Over at Peugeot, the 508 is on hand to offer a touch of sobriety after the slack-jawed 407 It’s a car that isn’t bad looking, but equally isn’t especially inspired. They have hidden the SR1 concept from Geneva under a Bicentennial Arch, where it can offer no visual relief from the Frankfurt oddball BB1, or the Juke with an attitude bypass HR-1. There is apparently an excellent carbonfibre electric roadster concept, the EX-1, but this is being kept at the Peugeot showroom on the Champs Elysee, presumably so it doesn’t give the press corps something more immediately-likeable to write about.
Citroen have got the new C4, which sadly seems to have been given a good talking-to by its parents, gotten a haircut and is now working at an insurance company, abandoning their previously-eccentric style for a sober suit. The new DS4 is no doubt supposed to allow Citroen to chase the more adventurous Citroen buyer, but it looks far too busy in its styling. I go look at the DS3 instead, where I am struck by how much of the car’s customisation comes through stickers which look a little too easy to peel off.
Out the back of the Citroen stand can be found a lone C6, no doubt drowning its sorrows as yet another media type walks past oblivious, clutching an Audi A7 Sportback set of posters.
Hall 7 Bonjour Jean, gotta new voiture?
I am supposed to be on the lookout for the weird and wacky, so I leave the rather un-quirky French brands behind and head for Hall 7. i imagine that “voitures d’occasion” refers to wedding cars, limousines, perhaps hearses and other such vehicles. Imagine my disappointment when it turns out to be a hall full of used cars for sale. Still, American Car City is right by the door, and has not only the Camaro/Challenger/Mustang trio, but also the Ford F150 SVT Raptor off-road racing pickup truck. Perhaps the least-French vehicle here and it’s for sale!
8 is Enough
At a major international motorshow that has featured some stunning concept vehicles and notable production debuts, it would be a harsh commentator indeed who ranked their Paris highlight as Hall 8. So I won’t, but it certainly was a novel idea, well-executed. With the assistance of various manufacturer museums and heritage collections, the ‘incredible collection’ of Hall 8 tells 10 stories by manufacturer and features 44 historic vehicles. Nissan has sent a lineup of sports cars from original Fairlady roadster to 350Z; Citroen has a selection of cars which previously carried the ‘C4’ monicker; Mercedes-Benz has the original Gullwing, C111 and C112 prototypes. It’s interesting to see how they positioned the last Alfa Giulietta far enough apart from the classic versions that it need not clutter-up a visitor’s photograph. Although it’s also a reminder that the new Giulietta has a lot to live up to, and doesn’t quite hit the mark (or the marque, for that matter) compared to the ’60s cars.
I had feared Paris would be another motorshow full of eco-mantras and austerity measures, and there certainly were enough refrigerator-white cars with CO2 stickers attached to give that impression. But what I hadn’t expected was for the show to be stolen by supercar concepts. Lamborghini with its McLaren-bothering new forged carbonfibre technology; Jaguar with the elegance of their C-X75’s gas turbine range extender powertrain; Lotus with their audacious gambit of springing a half-dozen concepts on the Paris stage, from Cygnet-killer to Panamera-slayer.
With that trio of exciting developments it was hard to focus on the more prosaic vehicles you or I might actually purchase. The new Ford Focus will most likely be the UK’s best-selling car, but its fang-nosed, melted-tailight appearance had been known since January, and the ST in Chavtacular Gold with a trace of front bumper surrounding its massive gob was not my idea of a good time.
Volkswagen bought a new Passat, although as is the way these days at Wolfsburg, the new Passat resembled the old one, just with less ostentatious jewellery and a face which emphasises width, not depth. The Sharan, now no longer twinned with the Galaxy, bought that sense of maturity and upmarket static quality that VW group has been known for, offering a counterpoint to the kinetic Ford for the pragmatic family person or maxi-cab driver. It did not, however, come with an ashtray (sorry, Bertandnairobi). There was also no sign of the new Jetta which Sam the Eagle is waiting for.
From the remaining Germans we had either conservative redesigns (the 6-Series concept, which I liked; the CLS not so much), duelling eco-concepts (the Smart vs Mini electric scooter launches) or nice-looking vehicles destined to be largely ignored (ah, there you are Opel).
Italy, Japan and Korea didn’t have too much to say to the motoring media that hadn’t been telegraphed long before. If I wanted to surprise myself I would award the Kia Optima/Magentis a nod as my real-world car of the show, finding it to be a good-looking conventional sedan. But when there are recent releases like the Nissan Juke, Fiat’s Multiair Twin engined-500, the Alfa Giulietta and the Honda CRZ sitting on the show floor that would be a challenge. The Swedes were there with the V-60 (for those who always wanted a Volvo estate without that annoying practicality getting in the way) and the 9-5, and booths big and bright enough to put questions over their ownership and financial situation to rest. For now.
For a home-turf motorshow the French were a touch overshadowed by the flashy concept supercars. Renault perhaps came closest with its eye-catching Dezir concept, but it was a car which lacked either the plausibility or the innovation of the C-X75 or Sesto Elemento. However, Renault’s EV strategy continues to gain momentum; Citroen bracketed the fine-looking if fragile previous C4 with a blander replacement and a battier alternative DS4; and Peugeot offered the 508 as a palate cleanser after too many years of slack-jawed unattractive vehicles. We can only hope that the new design team finds some additional gallic flair to go along with their mock-teutonic sobriety as the remainder of the lion-badged range is renewed.
My car of the show remains the Jaguar C-X75. I know it may as well have a Flux Capacitor in the engine bay in terms of immediately-available powertrain technology, and will not be entering production anytime soon. But the elegance of the gas turbine range extender concept, combined with that rare sense of true surprise make it an easy choice.
1.00pm: Hall 5.2 – lest we forget
I’m upstairs at SAAB, who appear to be in rude health and have a large media refreshments area along with their assorted 9-5s and 9-3s on display. In LA last year they had to cancel their hosted media lunch amidst all the uncertainty over their future. Across the hall at Cadillac the edgy range of American prestige cars appear to be ignored by the day 2 media crowd, who are gathering instead at Kia.
The Kia POP concept car is a nice exercise in shapes if not a particularly plausible city car. But the new Magentis sedan is another matter entirely. I’ve been paying attention to Kia as their styling appears to become better-suited to my sense of aesthetics than parent company Hyundai. The Magentis is a handsome midsize saloon of the type many British saloon buyers used to buy before deciding the Munich Mondeo was the default choice. Although it has the required gimmicky details around its extremities I would be happy to be seen in one, and wonder how acceptable it is to drive versus the class benchmark Mondeo. Perhaps Robinstp, who has been considering Kia ownership, can corner his local dealer for a drive once the Magentis comes out, and tell us how it compares to the Mazda 6 he formerly owned?
Chevrolet and Opel are up here too, but not many people seem to notice. I will pay my usual courtesy call on the Corvette (a car I have a soft-spot for…many European friends believing this soft-spot to be somewhere in my cranium for liking a car with an interior by Walmart, an engine lacking overhead camshafts, and a suspension forever damned for including a leaf spring) but as mentioned it in the CAR Paris video, the Ampera’s four-cylinder engine seems wasteful in a range-extender concept after the latest generation of concepts on display so no time for love of the Ampera.
11:50am: Please keep your baggage with you at all times
Being a hobbyist photographer as well as a pretend motoring writer, I lug a faintly ridiculous amount of camera gear to the motorshows in comparison to the usual digicam-toting scribe. Rather than be weighed-down by this I left it at the SEAT media area when heading off for Tim’s exercise in backdoor action- err, there has to be a better way of phrasing that.
Unfortunately in the meantime the eagle-eyed security staff spotted a large backpack apparently unattended, and while SJ was otherwise engaged, had my bag removed. That this also had my laptop in it caused me a small amount of consternation when I returned to SEAT and was greeted with a mediterranean variation of the Gallic shrug by the first person we asked about the missing baggage.
Thankfully the security staff had merely moved it to an outer corner of the booth, so that if my suspiciously-unattended backpack had detonated it would merely take out a couple of Exeos rather than the IBZ and half the VIP area. Crisis averted I bid SJ farewell (it was time for her to return to the UK) and wandered sheepishly away from SEAT, comforted for once to be lugging too much heavy gadgetry. Although I have to admit, if they had taken the bag outside and detonated it as a precaution at least I may have made the news along with President Sarkozy’s visit around the same time.
10:45am: Mr Pollard, you’re requested on-set
It’s a brisk walk over to Hall 1, where Tim is to appear in a rather odd pose for an upcoming issue of the magazine. I’m not sure if my behind the scenes shot will be allowed under embargo rules. Suffice it to say his choice of vehicle reflects a welcome recognition of the vehicles many CAR readers actually aspire to or buy, and that it would indeed required less contortion if performed in the estate. But at least I managed to get the parcel shelf back in afterwards.
Friday, October 1
9.30am: On-site and SEATed in Hall 4 (Consumer Whitegoods Department)
I meet up with Tim and SJ, who have abandoned Hotel Rwanda- sorry, the Press Portakabin and are working at the media space on the SEAT booth. It seems a good time to mention the giant VW zone in Hall 4, barely dented by either Toyota or Lexus, who seem to have had the sex put in Lexus by the locals if their spokesmodels’ little black dresses are any indication.
Anyway, the VW massmarket brands (Skoda, SEAT, VW itself) have gone for a whiter-than-white theme, with permanent-daytime lighting and many vehicles being displayed in immaculate white with their eco-credentials displayed on the side. Toyota too is in full white is right mode.
Please stop – I know you are not the only offenders, but Apple has not had a white iPod in their lineup for many a year now, and the only other product I can think of which keeps the interior cool, comes mainly in white and has an energy efficiency rating prominently displayed on the door is not one you wish your vehicles to be associated with. Or is it??
But the IBZ coupe concept looks delightful in rich metallic red, as does the Toyota FT-86 down the hall. I mention the Toyota and take photos of it only so that I can add to the pressure on Akio Toyoda to build it, quickly. There is precious little to excite the sportscar enthusiast on Toyota’s stand, and this is inappropriate from a brand that bought us the Celica, Supra, MR2 and Mr. Sainz dominating the rally circuit.
7.00pm: The Paris Show after-hours
The best time to stroll around the shows is paradoxically the worst – right on the cusp of closing time, when most of the media has whisked away to media events or hotels, or is frantically typing/uploading/editing in the press centre. It does mean that the spokesmodels are usually not present so it’s only the cars. But I can have a good walk around and ponder the range of vehicles on display and form some opinions. I make the hike from Hall 1 to 4, and finally get to see the Audis everyone on the CAR site appears to be cheering about.
Uh-oh. What’s this Chevy Camaro-esque glasshouse doing on an S5 that’s been involved in a rear-end shunt? And why does that heavy swage line along the flanks remind me of a soap-scum waterline on a bath-tub? One of the great things about car enthusiasm is that, as with music, there is a genre for everyone and I thought an evocative Audi coupe channelling ur-Quattro lineage was for me. But this one isn’t, and I draw consolation that Herr Kacher likes the e-Tron Spyder more also.
When Ron met Stephan
Then it’s across the aisle to the ‘dark side’ of VW Group’s whiter-than-white complex of brand booths- but wait, what’s this? Porsche has been plonked between traditional neighbours Bentley and Lanborghini, forming a 911-inspired gulf between the 2 VW boutique performance brands. I look at the 911 Blu Centennaire Gran Sport Pur Sang- sorry, Speedster, and am reminded that Bugatti aren’t here to wave the superfluous special edition flag.
Anyway, eventually I reached Lamborghini, and the Lamborghini spokesmodels had been allowed to leave and hopefully receive physiotherapy after a day tottering on stilletto heels. When I paid a late-show visit to Lamborghini at Geneva I had the honor of seeing Valentino Balboni, and this time I turned into a car industry paparazzi as a McLaren delegation led by Ron Dennis was being introduced to the Sesto Elemento concept by Stephan Winkelmann himself. While Herr Winkelmann and Mr. Dennis are both obsessed with materials and immaculate execution, it’s a fair bet that Ron was asking more questions about the new forged carbonfibre than the name of Stephan’s tailor. Which I again failed to get an opportunity to ask about, sorry Kubrick.
What of the Sesto Elemento? It has all the angular carbon militarist menace synonymous with Lamborghini these days, and the ascetic interior is an appealing renoounciation of the superfluous dashboard structures Gavin Green mentioned in a recent article. I still prefer the C-X75 and its whiff of vaguely-feasible futurism with its gas turbine electric drive (we shall agree to disagree, kkirkou). But this is a far better path for Lamborghini to follow than the Est-okay they displayed at the last Paris show.
Just keep the damn golf clubs away from it, would you? I have a severe aversion to the game (sorry, Sam the Eagle and any others) and bristle at the golf bag being used as the standard unit of GT car boot space when I’d much rather know how much non-golfing luggage can be accommodated.
6.00pm: Lots of Theatricality, Unusually Serious
I’m supposed to be offering essays on the quirkier side of the French show, but nobody mentioned that my inner 12 year-old boy would be directly assaulted by various intriguing supercars. The most intriguing of all was Lotus, who had staff prowling Hall 1 during the day offering matchbox-style toy Lotus cars to promote their 4:45 press conference. I ended up with a bright-yellow Esprit V8 GT, which as the satarists at Sniff Petrol pointed out is reminiscent of the Romano Artiolli days when Lotus last tried to climb upmarket (and failed). I’d been hoping for an Elise and this seems a bit Las Vegas Elvis of ’80s Roger Moore Bond in comparison, but never mind, a free car is a free car.
After filming the video I went over to Lotus with Gavin, Ben and Tim. As Gavin points out the Lotus stand has usually been a small and convivial place, recently enlivened by an Evora as something new to look at Now the Lotus stand has the size and swagger of the Ferrari booth, complete with security on the front gate, a boutique stocking questionable merchandise (union jack pillows, anyone?) but most surprisingly of all, no less than 6 concept cars. A good hour after the press event it is still overcrowded, and even CAR cannot secure immediate access. Once inside I ponder the audacity of this move into the big league. Lotus has plenty of heritage to draw upon (there is racing memorabilia from Hill, Rindt, Fittipaldi, Mansell, Senna and, err, Martin Donnelly on display) and they have confidently presented a range of plausible-looking concepts in all the relevant classes for hunting the Italian and German exotics. And yet…past experience with Lotus build quality and their somewhat under-done attempts at premium interiors has me concerned. I don’t have a problem with Lotus moving upmarket, or building bigger, heavier cars. After all, there is always Ariel or Caterham if trackday & b-road fundamentalism at an affordable price is your cup of Mobil 1. But can they overcome the Eau de Airfix and reputation for fragility that may deter the wallets of the wealthy potential Ferrari buyer? Not to mention what this undoubtedly successful media gambit will do to sales of the current cars. Between the wedgy new concepts and Brian May’s hair (what is it about Englishmen named May and an aversion to the barber?) I completely neglected to look at the current cars available for sale…
5.00pm: In the shadow of giants
By now you will have seen the meeting of the minds that is the CAR motorshow video. At Paris it was Gavin Green hosting Ben Oliver and Georg Kacher as they offered their views at the end of the press day. It was interesting being a part of this exercise in guerilla film-making as first we hunted for a car that was available (a forlorn BMW 1-series seemed like a good idea until it was realised that CAR’s giants of commentary are not small men and would not comfortably fit). A Volvo meeting room was considered. The VW Sharan was too far away to be considered (sorry, Bertandnairobi), and the Evoque too petite. Then a few words from Tim secured an RR Ghost inside the Rolls-Royce VIP area. This seemed to be suitably spacious, and the camera was duly affixed to the inside of the windscreen. However, even the Roller wasn’t accommodating enough for 4 and so Tim and I took up position outside the car to fend off people inadvertantly opening the doors. The interview was time-limited to about 10 minutes, both for web uploading and humanitarian reasons – you can imagine that a Ghost with its doors shut, no power to aircon and sitting under bright lights becomes rather warm rather quickly. So if you’re wondering why Ben Oliver is starting to fidget a bit, and the assembled commentators seem a bit red-faced it’s because the air is slowly running out.
(and before you ask, Batty – yes, I did meet Herr Kacher but no, I did not carry out that Geneva ’09 dare.)
4.00pm: Bibendum falls
It’s like a scene from an aid organisation charity campaign video upstairs in the press portakabin. As well as ensuring that the journalists crowded within are steamed to perfection by the lack of airconditioning, there are far too many people for the limited workspace. There is the old Groucho Marx adage about not wanting to be in a club that would allow me to be a member, but here in Paris it seems that having a pulse is the sole determinant for press accreditation, and consequently it’s looking like a refugee camp in here. Even the flirtatious Bibendum sign gracing one of the stairwells has given in, collapsing on a retreating scribe and being unceremoniously slapped-back onto the wall by a staffmember. Along with the impressive staple-gun work to re-affix the carpet earlier in the day it’s clear that anyone caring to gripe about pampered journalists hasn’t wandered through the press portakabin.
12.30pm: Clash of the Titans
After a solid hour or so of Mercedes and BMW proclaiming their eco credentials (Mercedes wishes to be the ‘efficiency world champion’ and BMW continues to trumpet its ED aids for the eco-flaccid prestige car buyer) I’m hitting the eco-buzzword wall. It’s a sustainable wall featuring highly-recycled materials, class-leading consumption and yet with all the solid wall-like values you’ve been looking for. You can now have your wall, and bash your head repeatedly against it too!
Both the south west German automotive titans brought two-wheelers to the show, in the form of the Smart E-Scooter, and the Mini Scooter E…hang on. No, that’s correct. Both feature iPhone integration, electric motors and trendy millenial kids riding them on and offstage. Times like these you remember it’s only a couple of hours’ drive between BMW HQ in Munich, and Mercedes-Benz in Stuttgart.
There is a new CLS, and a new 6-series. Both of them are not bad, although they reflect somewhat conservative evolutions of what were more daringly-styled predecessors. They could be really radical and call the new CLS a sports-saloon now, as it has eschewed much of the chopped-roof, banana-curve ‘coupe’ style of its predecessor for a more angular look. Meanwhile BMW reached right back to the original, beautiful E9 CS coupe of the late-60s to explain the graceful if less brutally-contemporary form of their new 6 series. They didn’t burden the introduction of the new big coupe with too much ED buzz either, no doubt believing that the hoffmeister kink and long-nose proportions will provide all the assistance a thrusting BMW driver needs to attain peak performance.
Maxi-Mini puts its WRC gear on
Mini was good value this time around, laying off the dancers from previous shows and providing a straightforward rock band to accompany the Countryman WRC launch. Out came Rauno Aaltonen to tell us about how great the original Mini was as a rally car, and that the new slammed-softroader Countryman will do well. Then it was Jean Todt, who congratulated Mini on rejoining the WRC. At least it’s one move Ferrari are unlikely to protest to the FIA about.
10.30am: Rosbif, well done
I’ve been handed a roving brief by online editor Tim Pollard this time around, allowing me to avoid following the rolling-wave of media following the press conference schedule (tune in for Tim and Richard Webber’s live blog content for the ‘live from the trenches’ vibe). This means more time to explore the show at a relaxed pace, and follow coverage in the intimate surroundings of the press portakabin- err, press centre.
However, I take a dip back into the shark pool for JLR since I am here representing a British publication. Motor show bookings being what they are the two TATA-owned firms are still operating in the shadow of slimmed-down Ford, who might have divested itself of its Premier Automotive Group and shares in Mazda, but can be comforted (or haunted) by the brands remaining parked nearby.
If you wannebe Range Rover, you gotta get with my friends
First up, the RR Evoque launch, and it’s Gerry McGovern doing the talking as the Baby (err, sorry, I mean Posh) Range Rover rolls on stage. It’s a car that has polarised opinion and offended many a Land-Rover or general car enthusiast with its Victoria Beckham marketing links and metrosexual front-drive layout. And yet I like the look of the thing – it must make Jeep execs weep to see the Evoque in comparison with their ill-starred attempts to take Jeep on-road (Compass and Patriot…shudder).
Dan Dare, Your supercar has arrived
Next door then to the launch of the Jaguar C-X75 concept. It’s all hands on deck with Ravi Kant and Carl-Peter Forster from parent company TATA looking on as Ralf Speth (JLR CEO), Mike O’Driscoll (Jaguar GM) and Ian Callum (Jaguar Design Director) launching the car through a clever retracting stage (literally – the car appears to stretch through the top of the retracting box before being revealed). Oddly, Advanced Design Director Julian Thomson stays offstage, although I think I may have ended up in a quick shot of the crowd he took with a handheld digicam.
The rundown of the future powertrain technology embodied in the car is both exciting and a little too far beyond immediate feasibility to take the C-X75 entirely seriously. But as a high-tech flight of fancy and a 75th anniversary present to Jaguar fans the C-X75 sure beats the special edition variants of the existing range shown to date. Leaving the swarms of camerafolk to jostle for shooting room, I depart with a handsomely-designed but rather last-century brochure and media CD. Will head back later for a more detailed view.
08.55am: Press Centre
In the meantime Jaguar has seen fit to offer a proper surprise, Lamborghini has ceased issuing teaser pics and got to the point already, and we now have power and running internet so I’m off to check out the show.
There’s nothing like a power outage to start the day, and make us realize that the assembled scribes, presenters and camerapeople are almost entirely dependent on the Internet to function. Cloud computing? You can keep it until we get seamless coverage and mobile data without crippling roaming charges.
I’ve taken the scenic route to Paris, with stopovers in Australia (drove a Ford Falcon to the Holden Museum, naughty) Singapore (caught F1 practice thanks to a flight delay) Hong Kong (saw the Peninsula Hotel’s fleet of bespoke RR Phantoms) and Tokyo (visited Nissan’s new HQ in Yokohama).
>> Ask Mark a question about any of the Paris show stars by clicking ‘Add your comment’ below