Top three cars from Paris Motor Show 2016
Sadly, in Canada, we won’t be seeing any of the Peugeots or Renaults making their debut at the Paris Motor Show on local roads anytime soon. But there were many brands, recognizable to any North American, also unveiling some really cool vehicles and concepts at the event, some which may even eventually make it to our shores. The following are three of our favourites.
Volkswagen I.D. electric concept
VW is showcasing its new MEB compact electric vehicle design language with the I.D. concept. Expected to become a reality by 2020, the highly automated, zero-emissions four-door is powered by a 168-horsepower electric motor boasting a range of up to 600 kilometres on a single battery charge.
Some interesting features include rear-swivelling backdoors, a trunklid that extends across the full-length of the car and LED headlights made to resemble a human eye, capable of responding to the environment. The interior is completely digitized, anchored by a retractable steering wheel. The wheel disappears when the driver touches the centre Volkswagen logo activating autonomous driving mode.
Audi RS 3 sedan
For the first time in the brand’s history, the Audi RS emblem is attached to a compact sedan. Immediately recognizable by its signature 3-D honeycomb mesh grille bearing a Quattro logo on the bottom half, the RS 3 has a 20 millimetre-wider front track and rear wheels spaced 14 mm further apart than the standard A3.
A new 2.5-litre TFSI (Turbocharged Fuel Stratified Injection) engine drives the car, and at 400 hp it makes 33 more than the outgoing model. Mated to a S tronic seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, the dash from 0 to 100 km/h takes only 4.1 seconds.
Honda Civic Type-R prototype
Fans of Honda, Japanese sports cars or just automobiles in general have been waiting for the ultra-high-performance Type-R version of the latest Civic with bated breath.
Many details on the car that hint at its racy heritage, like bulging body panels, winged splitter mounted underneath the front bumper, red accents and badging, smoked headlamp housings, piano-black 20-inch wheels and a towering rear trunk spoiler. More information should be available when the CTR makes its North American debut at the SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) show in Las Vegas next month.
