The Best Paris Motor Show Live Reveals: What You Might Have Missed

The Paris Motor Show press days have wrapped up, but if you missed some of last week's live coverage, here are some of the most trafficked posts from the show along with a couple more we added earlier today. Be sure to visit the full posts where you'll find more pictures, press releases and analysis. More »

2009 Mitsubishi Colt Finds Family Resemblance On Paris Show Floor

The 2009 Mitsubishi Colt is being brought in line with the rest of the Mitsubishi lineup, style-wise. You’ve probably already spotted the biggest new feature: the Lancer-style gaping front grille. While it makes the four-door somewhat confused-looking, that grille really sharpens up the three-door, especially in Ralliart guise. Three engines are offered: a 1.1-liter with 75 HP, a 1.3–liter with 95 HP and a 1.5 with 109 HP. The Ralliart adds a turbocharger to that 1.5 for 150 HP, making it a seriously interesting proposition for lovers of small, quick cars like us. The previous generation 1.1 was a hoot to drive, delivering extreme practicality from its flexible interior and huge character from its three-cylinder engine. Let’s hope this new model delivers more of the same. More »

Kia Soul Hybrid Rejects Parisian Subtelty During Live Show Reveal

Sometimes it can be hard to distinguish a clean, green Hybrid model from its dirty, polluting counterparts. Thankfully, Kia’s designers have seen fit to equip the Kia Soul Hybrid with subtle hybrid badges to alert consumers to the presence of its 1.6-liter gasoline engine mated to a 180 volt, 5.3Ah lithium polymer battery pack and the 48 MPG figure the combination is capable of. It looks like this is actually going to be a production model, just one that’s been gussied up for the show floor with a clear polycarbonate hood and underfloor, revealing both the powertrain and battery pack. The Hybrid also debuts the full-length retractable canvas roof that will be optional across the Soul range. We’ll let you digest the rest of the facts and figures, but we’re finding the Soul increasingly appealing, even with over-the-top badges. More »

Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept Drops Top Live In Paris

Squint just right and you’ll be able to see what the Saab 9-1 will look like. The Saab 9-X Air seeks to interpret traditional design cues into a more modern, smaller package that will be both fun to drive, uniquely luxurious and economical. The most successful par of the vehicle isn’t its proposed 1.4-liter turbocharged bioethanol hybrid powertrain, but its seriously nice interior, which does a great drop of adapting strikingly contemporary design themes into a friendly, welcoming package. It’s light years ahead of the plasticy, cheap interiors offered in the current models. Please Saab, find a way to bring something like this to market. Full details follow in the remarkably straight-forward press release, just ignore that whole fake “born from jets” thing. More »

Citroen Hypnos: Yet Another Hybrid Crossover Concept Live From Paris

We saw the Citroen Hypnos Hybrid in a sneak reveal a few weeks back and were frankly concerned about the mental health of the designers. In person, the Hypnos is a little less groundbreaking and a lot more crossover. The outside is like a Francofied Chrysler Pacifica, while the interior is...you know, different. It's still trippy as hell, but the flowing neon seating motifs of the concept renderings become a little less exotic when they're displayed in an actual vehicle. As for the 200 HP hybrid powertrain said to deliver 60+ MPG, that's still pretty damn impressive. More »

Audi A1 Sportback Concept Officially Powered By 1.4-Liter TSI Hybrid

Audi’s hypothetical Mini rival, the Audi A1 Sportback is equipped with a 1.4-liter, 150 HP TSI engine that uses not only a turbocharger and supercharger, but a 27 HP, 111 Lb-Ft electric motor for both added performance and green credentials. Look for a production version of the Sportback to hit for the 2010 model year equipped with the new 7-speed DSG, but not the dinky hybrid. Audi’s spin follows. More »

2009 IS250C Released in Paris

Nine months ago, an SC430 and a C70 knocked boots. The result? This, the 2009 Lexus IS250C hardtop convertible. Featuring the “world’s fastest” folding hard top (it takes just 20 seconds to reveal your baldspot). The biggest changes are the ugly taillights and the extended overhangs to make room for the spacious rear seats and large trunk — surely big enough for several sets of golf clubs. We’re going to hope the 205 HP 2.5-liter V6 makes it more fun to drive than the geriatric SC430, but we’re not holding our breath. The release follows. More »