Paris Show Highlights: Concept Cars Show 'Fascination' With Fuel Economy

 

By the Editors of, ForbesAutos.com
Photo Credit: Greg Brown

Paris is a place for oxymorons. After all, it is a city full of indulgently rich food, but mostly thin people. So it seems only fitting that the 2008 Paris Motor Show is debuting some of the most inherently contradictory concept cars in recent memory.

In Pictures: Paris Show Highlights: Concept Cars Take Center Stage

Consider this: a Mercedes-Benz that is half station wagon and half sports car, a crossover utility vehicle from the always diminutive and button-cute Mini, and a four-door Lamborghini.

In a city renowned for its fashion and art, automakers showcasing their designs of the future are under extra pressure. Against such a backdrop, the biannual Paris event is generally one where the industry infuses its concept cars with a flair for the dramatic, unveiling some of its splashiest, yet realistic, ideas.

Maybe that helps explain the mindbenders — they're daring, yet not so outrageous they would never make it from the Paris runway to your driveway.

The same could be said of design elements in other attention-getting concepts on display at the show this year. Think gullwing doors, steering wheels in the shape of a figure eight, and transparent body panels.

Hybrid and electric vehicles emerged as another theme — with several concepts promising surprisingly improved power and speed. Audi's A1 Sportback hybrid, pairing a 1.4-liter engine with a battery-powered electric motor, and BMW's Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid, with its "mild hybrid" system, advanced the case for alternative fuels by combining fuel economy with highway-ready clout.

Along with the imperative on saving gas comes a general downsizing. The bubble-bound Nissan Nuvu hatchback, water-themed Mazda Kiyora and jet-like Saab 9-X Air BioDiesel hybrid lead the way on that front with trend-setting designs packed into diminutive packages.

Amid all the reduction (of weight, drag and emissions, to name a few), luxury brands like Mercedes-Benz still shone. True to its reputation for refinement, Paris showcased decadent interior details, like the Mercedes-Benz Fascination's wood-trimmed cargo area, refrigerator and cigar humidor.

More than 500 manufacturers from 30 countries are attending the show, with many debuting concept cars that offer an alluring preview of what the industry has in the works over the next few years.

The event, held at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, is open to the public Oct. 4-19.

Read on to learn more details about the concept cars on display and get a glimpse of the features that could be making their way to showrooms sooner than you think.

Audi A1 Sportback

Small is in all over the world these days, and Audi is using the A1 to push down-market and battle Mini and the BMW 1 Series in this emerging niche of petite premium cars. Audi's future vision for the category is the plug-in hybrid A1 Sportback concept, which the company says could travel up to 100 miles at speeds "considerably more than" 60 mph on electric power alone.

If Audi turns this concept into reality, it would blow away the 2011 Chevrolet Volt's 40-mile electric only range.

The A1 Sportback is a four-door hatchback. A three-door hatchback A1 concept debuted at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show.

The Sportback concept uses a 1.4-liter engine in conjunction with a battery-powered electric motor to drive 177 horsepower and 288 pounds-feet of torque through the front wheels. When not being pushed hard, the A1 Sportback could average 60 miles per gallon on premium gasoline. The lithium-ion batteries that store electric power can be recharged by plugging into a power outlet.

The production A1 is expected to go on sale next year, but there’s no word yet on when or if this hybrid version will find its way to market.

Audi A4 TDI Concept e

Fuel economy was also a major theme for the launch of the A4 TDI Concept e — that's a small "e" because the vehicle has a small thirst for diesel fuel. The Concept e looks nearly identical to the finalized 2009 A4 — it’s what Audi calls a "near-production concept" — but tweaks to the front grille and a lower ride height reduce wind resistance, also called aerodynamic drag, compared to the standard A4. This, in turn, increases fuel economy.

The car's 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine is a modified version of the one offered on the all-new A4 2.0 TDI in Europe. It adds stop/start functionality — the engine shuts off when the car is stopped temporarily — and an electricity-recovery system so the car can power some of its own comfort and convenience features without using more diesel. Fuel economy is projected at a miserly 59 mpg.

In Europe, there are already "e" versions of most of Audi’s cars, from the A3 to the full-size A8. Bringing them to the United States could be one way for the automaker to meet more stringent fuel-economy regulations in coming years.

BMW Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid

BMW will be busy in Paris, unveiling a new crossover utility vehicle called the X1, as well as the all-new BMW 7 Series Sedan in both production and concept form. The Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid previews a fuel-saving "mild hybrid" system that will likely be offered on the production 7 Series, BMW's largest, most luxurious sedan. The set-up isn't like the hybrid system previewed in the BMW X6 ActiveHybrid concept, which debuted at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. The differences are complicated, but basically the system in the Concept 7 Series ActiveHybrid doesn't offer electric-only propulsion, while the one in the X6 ActiveHybrid does.

The 7 Series ActiveHybrid uses a lithium-ion battery under the trunk floor. There is a regenerative braking system like on existing hybrids that captures energy dissipated while braking and coasting and then converts this to electricity that gets stored in the battery. An stop/start system, which shuts the engine down when the car isn't moving, also improves efficiency. BMW promises a 15 percent reduction in fuel consumption and emissions compared to the V8-powered 7 Series Sedan.

BMW Concept X1

Company execs at the debut of the Concept X1, BMWs smallest crossover utility vehicle to date, made a big effort to resolve any mixed messages by touting the X1 effort as a bid to deliver the flexibility of a compact car, the functionality of an SUV and the driving dynamics of a BMW.

Production of the X1 at BMW's Leipzig plant is slated to begin next summer.

Auto analysts say the premium compact crossover segment is one of the few still growing in a shrinking auto industry battered by hard global economics. "Luxury and efficiency is no contradiction for BMW," chief executive Norbert Reithofer says.

Despite being smaller than the existing X3, X5 and X6, the X1 still features four doors and a hatch. Powertrain details are scanty, but the six-cylinder engine from the 128i coupe is a likely candidate for powering the X1 in the United States. The company has also said it will re-introduce four-cylinder engines in the United States, so that could be another option.

Clearer, obviously, is the picture for the X1 design, the next evolution in BMWs mix of square and round themes.

The X1 is built for "spontaneous" urbanites, BMW says. We're not sure what this means in terms of leg room and trunk space, but we'll find out once the production-ready version hits the auto-show circuit.

Chevrolet Orlando

Compact minivans such as the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo have been few and far between in North America in 2008, but they are big business in Europe.

The Chevy Orlando concept foreshadows the brand’s first foray into the European market for small minivans, or “multi-purpose vehicles” (MPVs), as manufacturers like to call them. (Europeans will do anything to avoid driving a minivan.) GM insists the Orlando is a design study, but admits that it intends to produce just such a vehicle soon, debuting perhaps as early as next year.

The Orlando is built on the compact-car platform that underpins the Chevy Cruze — a production four-door car also unveiled in Paris (read about it here). This would make it a possibility for sale in North America, logistics-wise. But GM hasn't confirmed that either.

Citroën Hypnos

Some concepts go the supercar route, looking like hyperactive carbon-fiber-clad gladiators, all power and adolescence. Then there is the Citroën Hypnos.

With a shiny silver exoskeleton, the Hypnos has a crossover-like appearance, and its aggressively creased dual beltline underscores the arched roof and angular mirrors. Large 22-inch wheels and appropriately mammoth wheel wells make the Hypnos look like it is leaping. And the interior is downright insectoid.

Shimmering lines flow around four vibrantly colored bucket seats. The seats and dashboard have an unusual texture — it looks like they were coated with paper that was crumpled and then smoothed out.

The 12-foot-long, 6-foot-wide vehicle is powered by a diesel-electric hybrid powertrain, called Hymotion4, with a rear-axle-mounted electric motor. All told, this car is more about providing an engaging experience than pure efficiency, although it allegedly is more fuel efficient than the production Mercedes S400 BlueHybrid.

The Hypnos even references circadian rhythms: Its interior clock, designed by artist Michel Serviteur, changes color depending on the light and the time of day while the "dreamlike timepiece emits a succession of rhythmic color pulses, like the breathing of a living being."

GTbyCitroën

The GTbyCitroën is a real-world concept that springs from virtual design — call it a "networked" car, grown organically in a digital environment. It comes from "Gran Turismo," the popular video game series that lets players race exotic sports cars.

"To see the car take shape in game, and then for real, has been a truly unique experience," says Kazanori Yamauchi, president of Polyphony Digital and the creator of Gran Turismo. The group designed a car to be used in the game, and then Citroën put some mechanical-engineering know-how behind it to build the life-size mock-up.

The result is a fuel-cell-powered car that's reportedly durable and fast enough to race, with a design aerodynamically optimized for slipping through the bit stream. Outrageously muscular fenders curve over the hood, almost into the gullwing doors, and air intakes grin wickedly near the rear wheel wells.

"The layout of the low driving position was dictated by driving pleasure," says the GTbyCitroën's promotional material. "The aim is for the driver to be able to concentrate on the road, assisted by a head-up display clearly displaying driving information." The car features a wraparound windscreen, a figure-eight shaped steering wheel and an exaggerated posterior complemented by 21-inch aluminium wheels.

Honda Insight

Like the Chevrolet Volt, the 2009 Honda Insight promises to make a major impact when it arrives in North America, Europe and Japan for 2009. Although a concept in name, it is a near-finished precursor to what Honda promises will be the least expensive gas-electric hybrid on the market when it reaches dealers in the spring.

Honda says the new Insight, which revives the name of its super-efficient but slow-selling two-seat hybrid hatchback that was discontinued after 2006, will even undercut the price of its own Civic Hybrid (MSRP: $22,60). The company is betting that the Insight's low price will help it achieve an aggressive 100,000 units-per-year sales goal in North America — about half the projected 2008 sales of the market-leading Toyota Prius.

Hyundai Sante Fe Hybrid

Hyundai is late to the hybrid party, but the Korean automaker now has some technology to show off. With a hybrid version of its Elantra sedan already in the works, Hyundai used its midsize Santa Fe SUV to show off a new hybrid system under development. Hyundai Motor Europe vice president Allan Rushforth is excited about the system's 207-volt lithium-polymer battery powering the vehicle’s 30-kilowatt electric motor. Rushforth says the lithium-polymer technology that Hyundai developed with Korean electronics firm LG has advantages over lithium-ion batteries in terms of energy density, cost, longevity and ability to stand up to driving punishment.

The electric motor in the Santa Fe Hybrid is hooked directly to a six-speed automatic transmission with the top three gear ratios tuned for better mileage. It works in tandem with a 2.4-liter, four cylinder engine, which generates 175 hp. All told, Hyundai says, the Santa Fe Hybrid gets 38 mpg and accelerates from 0-60 mph in 10.6 seconds.

Kia Soul Hybrid

Part of Kia's Paris display was a "Green Zone," at which the company showed off various eco-friendly vehicles, including the Soul Hybrid concept. With its transparent hood and floor panels displaying the car's 15-kw electric motor, along with the 1.6-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine that powers the regular Soul, Kia used this car to highlight the fuel-saving features that will be incorporated on some of its vehicles starting in 2009.

It all begins with Kia's stop/start system, which will be offered in Europe in early 2009 on the gasoline-powered Cee'd models. A regenerative braking function as found on existing hybrids from other manufacturers is also part of Kia's new hybrid repertoire, as is a continuously variable transmission (CVT) that replaces fixed gears with a system of belts or chains and pulleys that vary in diameter based on throttle input to approximate gear ratios.

Kia Sportage FCEV

The Kia Sportage FCEV's presence at the Paris show wasn't exactly electric, with more futuristic-looking concepts competing for attention. But this test vehicle showcases some amazing technology: a large fuel cell capable of generating 100 kw of electricity — the equivalent of 136 hp — and a huge lithium-ion battery pack that Kia says enables a range of 186 miles on one tank of pressurized hydrogen gas.

Fuel cells use chemical reactions to convert hydrogen into electricity, which powers the electric motor that drives the wheels. Besides creating a triple-digit driving range, the large-capacity battery pack has another benefit: it improves cold-weather starting capabilities, one of the major challenges for electric vehicles in winter climates.

Kia first displayed the Sportage FCEV to the public in 2004, but with 80 kilowatts of power (approximately 107 hp). Its goal at the time was to make a fuel-cell vehicle commercially available by 2010. Kia did not announce a production timeline in Paris, which isn't surprising given that infrastructure for hydrogen fuel stations is still a long way off and the green movement appears to have swung in favor of plug-in electric vehicles.

Lamborghini Estoque

The Lamborghini Estoque is the Italian automaker's first four-door model. If produced, it would compete with the Maserati Quattorporte, the Porsche Panamera, which is expected to launch for the 2010 model year, and the Aston Martin Rapide, final production of which is unconfirmed.

"As a concept, the Lamborghini Estoque represents one of several possibilities for a third model series within the Lamborghini product lineup," the company says. "At this point in time, no decisions have been taken in respect of either a third model series of any kind or of the Estoque concept in particular."

The Estoque has a generous interior that seats four comfortably and a trunk large enough for a weekend's worth of luggage or several golf bags. The car is 16.89 feet long, 6.53 feet wide and 4.43 feet tall. Its wheelbase, the distance between the centerline of the front and rear wheels, is nearly 10 feet long, which is instrumental in creating the spacious interior.

On the one hand, Lamborghini insists the Estoque is only a "design exercise," but on the other, it says the car is technically feasible. The Estoque could be powered by the V10 engine from the Gallardo LP 560-4, a turbocharged eight-cylinder engine derived from this V10, a hybrid V8 or a high-performance diesel engine, the company says.

The engine would be positioned just behind the front axle for optimal weight distribution, and the car would have all-wheel drive, in keeping with the company's current models.

While most Lamborghinis are named after famous breeds of fighting bulls, the Estoque is named after a type of Spanish bull-fighting sword.

Mazda Kiyora

Mazda's nature-themed concepts continue with the Kiyora, a lightweight urban commuter the company says adheres to an environmentally friendly vision it calls "Sustainable Zoom Zoom." The Kiyora's design is inspired by water, as reinforced by its translucent door panels and rippling, wave-like body panels.

It uses a new direct-injection four-cylinder gasoline engine that employs start-stop technology — the engine shuts down when the car is stopped — similar to the feature that aids hybrid fuel economy in city driving. The Kiyora's light overall weight and aerodynamic shape further improve efficiency.

Mazda promises that the Kiyora, which means "clean and pure" in Japanese, will also pack some surprises on the inside that help support a "youthful lifestyle."

Mercedes-Benz Fascination

Mercedes calls the Fascination a modern twist on a body style known in Europe as the "shooting brake," which, according to tradition, is a luxury coupe with the rear end of a wagon. As such, the Fascination has two doors and not four. Mercedes has confirmed that this concept car presages the look of a new midsize coupe version of the E-Class Sedan. The front-end in particular is likely to be a close interpretation of the the new E-Class two-door.

The Fascination includes a number of, well, fascinating surprises, besides its odd shooting-brake moniker. It has decadent features such as a cargo area trimmed with wood, a fridge and even a cigar humidor — appointments more often seen in limousines than hatchbacks or wagons.

In an obvious nod to the current fixation on fuel efficiency, the Mercedes Fascination uses a 2.2-liter four-cylinder BlueTec diesel engine that boasts 204 hp.

Mini Crossover Concept

BMW's Mini brand takes a big step away from its small-car roots with the Mini Crossover concept, which adds all-wheel drive and a larger, taller body to the biggest Mini to date, the Clubman. This concept car is likely a preview of a future crossover utility vehicle that Mini has confirmed it will produce, expected to go on sale in 2010.

Although it's bigger than any other Mini before it, the Crossover Concept is still small by other automakers' standards. It has four doors and four seats. The driver's-side rear door slides back and forth like a minivan's. The rear hatch swings out to the right. All four seats inside the Crossover Concept tilt and slide to increase cargo- and people-hauling flexibility. The rear seats can be folded into the floor.

The concept has a unique center rail that runs between the seats and can be fitted with cup holders, music players and storage bins. These add-ons can slide along the center rail, making it easier to, for example, pass a juice box to a child sitting in the rear.

Nissan Nuvu

Designed for the urban landscape of 2015 — one in which motorists accept that driving five-seat vehicles that rarely carry more than two passengers is wasteful — the Nuvu electric concept car is named for such a "new view" of what urban commuters may be looking for in a vehicle by the middle of the next decade.

The Smart-sized, bubble-shaped Nuvu two-door hatchback offers a unique seating arrangement, with the front passenger seat next to but slightly ahead of the driver to make room for a fold-down third seat in back. Its electric motor is a preview of the one that will be used in Nissan's upcoming plug-in electric cars, which are set to go on sale in California, Japan and a couple of European markets in 2010, with a broader rollout across the United States and around the globe in 2012.

Nissan is keeping most of the Nuvu's technical information to itself, but does reveal that the lithium-ion batteries power a motor that drives the rear wheels, and that the car has a range of 78 miles with a top speed of 75 mph.

Peugeot Prologue

The Peugeot Prologue is far from the most radical concept in Paris, even on Peugeot's own stand. It appears to be a thinly disguised production model meant to compete with stylish small crossovers like the Nissan Rogue.

"The Prologue is a laboratory of ideas," says Keith Ryder, Peugeot's director of design. "It has a crossover/SUV-type of visual security, as well as a big glass area for lots of room and luminosity in the car."

The Prologue is powered by the same diesel-electric hybrid powertrain that motivates the Citroën Hypnos concept. It produces 200 hp and achieves 68 mpg in the Prologue. The electric motor drives the rear wheels and is mounted between them, while the 2.0-liter four-cylinder diesel engine powers the front wheels, giving the vehicle all-wheel drive.

Peugeot RC Hymotion4

With its RC Hymotion4 concept, Peugeot has joined the race to see who can build the most alluring four-door coupe. The four-seat RC Hymotion4 has a long and low body, a steeply sloped glass front and rear, and a nose reminiscent of the Audi R8.

Its seductive exotic-car body cleverly hides small rear doors, which allow access, although limited, to the two rear seats.

"We're trying to be more sculptural, more dynamic; this is our latest language that we're trying to translate to future projects," says Boris Reinmoller, designer of the RC Hymotion4.

The RC Hymotion4 uses the most potent version of Peugeot's Hymotion4 hybrid powertrain, a 1.6-liter engine mounted near the rear axle and a compact electric motor mounted under the hood. The engine and electric motor join forces to send a maximum of 313 hp to all four wheels. This amount of thrust motivating a relatively trim 2,850-pound vehicle enables a 0-62 mph sprint in just 4.4 seconds, Peugeot says.

Estimated fuel economy is impressive, at around 52 mpg.

Pininfarina-Bolloré Bo

The buzz surrounding the Pininfarina-Bollore Bo in Paris is real, as the crowds surrounding the car attest.

"This is going to be a main pillar for Pininfarina. It will be fundamental," Chairman Paolo Pininfarina says. "This car is real. It is 90 percent to how it will be in production. It will be a 100-percent-real city electric car. This is the height, the length, the technology. This is the car."

Pininfarina, based in Cambiano, Italy, is among the most respected independent design firms in the auto industry. It has designed the majority of Ferrari's cars in recent decades.

A 30-kw electric motor shuttles the Bo along at a top speed of 80 mph and for a maximum range of 150 miles on one charge. The show car has solar panels to collect energy. A supercapacitor stores energy generated while the car brakes and feeds it back into the system — a process called regenerative braking, also found on current hybrids.

The Bo isn't as immediately attractive as the Sintesi concept that Pininfarina showed earlier this year in Geneva. But it has a certain space-age quality outside, with minimal design accoutrements inside. "This is done on purpose," Paolo Pininfarina says. "You see the technology outside. But you live in the car. You just want to be comfortable."

Renault Ondelios

French automaker Renault says the Ondelios concept's aviation-inspired design is optimized for long-distance travel. But frankly, the first things to catch the eye are its amazing doors.

These are not just some slapdash gullwing knockoffs or other such trickery. This is "Star Wars" Tie Fighter territory: the big panels make a hissing noise as they unlatch and slide overhead. A long running board, or "sill," as Renault calls it, folds out from underneath the car. The overall effect is more spaceship than airplane.

At 15 feet long and 6 feet tall, the Ondelios echoes the Citroën Hypnos in size and purpose. "We think of it as made from a single material, where the body and glazed areas merge into one," says Renault design director Patrick Le Quémont. "It is inspired by motion rather than speed. It is a whole new response to the call of the open road." Renault thinks of it as a top-of-the-line car gliding over large distances in the medium-term future.

The Ondelios has many strong visual elements, including arrays of LEDs, with taillights curved into boomerang shapes. Gill-like intakes ring the lights to suck in air and cool its electric motors. The lozenge-shaped tail may seem fanciful, but it actually feels right considering the massive 23-inch wheels.

Renault equips the Ondelios with a 205-hp 2.0-liter hybrid engine that uses two 20-kw electric motors to power the front and rear wheels. The bodywork is anthracite-colored and looks tough — we've seen these kinds of designs before on concepts for the Mars Rover. The Rover didn't claim to get from 0-60 mph in 7 seconds, though.

Saab 9-X Air BioDiesel

A quarter-century after the first Saab convertible was introduced — and amid plummeting North American sales — Saab is releasing an aggressively styled open-top concept car called the 9-X Air. The daring vehicle suggests that parent company GM has not given up on the Swedish niche brand, even if the latest monthly sales figures indicate that Saab sold fewer vehicles than Hummer, a brand that’s officially on the auction block.

The 9-X Air uses Saab’s aeronautical design language with large wheels that resemble jet turbines and a wrap-around windshield that is meant to evoke a jet's glass canopy. The 9-X Air has a fabric top that can be folded flat between the rear pillars.

The four-seat droptop is powered by the same ultra-efficient 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that propelled the 9-X BioHybrid hatchback unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year. This hybrid system generates 200 hp and can run on E85, a mix of 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline.

SsangYong C200

SsangYong's C200 concept isn't notable for its design, although it's good-looking enough for a compact SUV. What's more interesting about the C200 is how it signifies the company's ambition. Suk-Ho Lim, SsangYong's Seoul-based executive managing director for overseas sales, pulls no punches here: "We will undoubtedly become a global company," he says. "And with the C200, we are showing that we will be a globally competent SUV specialist with this new concept."

Words and deeds are two different things, of course, but SsangYong has some heft behind it. It is a South Korean automaker, but it is majority-owned by SAIC Motor Corp — the Shanghai Automotive Industry Corp. — one of the top car manufacturers in the People's Republic of China. A model very close to the C200 will be released in European markets, Lim says. He wouldn't say when, and said it was too early to talk about North America.

There's an opening in the market for compact SUVs made to efficient standards, auto experts say, and that's what the C200 is about. "It's made to accommodate an urban lifestyle," Lim says. "And it's going to live up to European fuel-efficiency and environmental standards."

Jean-François Pardé, president of SsanYong's French operations, says the concept is the firm's first monocoque unibody design — all of one piece — as opposed to skin on a frame. This implies it will handle much better on the road than the company's existing vehicles. It has a 175-hp 2.0-liter engine and a six-speed manual transmission as part of its newly developed drivetrain.

It seems that SsangYong plans to put the C200 up against the likes of the Nissan Rogue and Honda CR-V.

• 2009 Audi Revealed