Paris Motor Show report: updated

Report from the Mondiale de l'Automobile

By PH Staff / Tuesday, 3 October 2006 / Loading comments

Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione

Audi R8

Porsche GT3 RS

Mercedes CL63 AMG

Mini

Lamborghini Murcielago

Paris isn’t the biggest show in terms of launches, but there was more than enough to keep the average Pistonheader drooling nonetheless. And the best in show? Without a doubt, it’s the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione (pictures to come).

Released as a prototype in 2003, nobody truly expected this 450bhp, V8-powered rear driver to see the light of day, but here it is in the flesh and the result is pure automotive sex-appeal. Only 500 will ever be built and half of them are heading stateside, so get your order in right now if you fancy one. And you will…

Powered by a 4.7-litre Maserati-sourced engine, the 8C will come with a six-speed paddle shifter. The bodywork is pure carbon-fibre, too, draped around a steel chassis, so the traditional Alfa sporting values are back after a string of front-drive saloons and increasingly heavy hatchbacks with four-wheel drive to keep them on the road.

Alfa once ruled the world with its spectacular sportscars, even Enzo Ferrari used them to go racing, and at last there is another car worthy of the badge. Alfa Romeo’s decision to divert funds from advertising to build this car was inspired as they have produced an instant hit.

Had we not seen the mule car quite so many times over the past few years, the Audi R8 would have been the star. And even though it was overshadowed by the almighty Alfa, this mid-engined, 420bhp road racer, is a demon, plain and simple.

It could have been lighter than the 1600kg final kerb weight, but not much -- and when you see this car comes kitted out with satnav, a rear-view camera, proper seats and just about every other creature comfort you’ll find on Ingolstadt’s big saloons, it’s a mighty impressive achievement.

As for the 0-60mph time of 4.6 seconds, it sounds like an overtly conservative lie, if the R8 isn’t quicker than that then, like Clarkson was forced to do not so very long ago, I will eat my own hair.

The 188mph top end speed sounds more than decent and sensibly lower than that of its stablemate – the Lamborghini Gallardo – and with two fewer cylinders, it is clearly below the Raging Bull in the pecking order. But it looks so damned good, inside and out, that this might be a real option for those that have tired of seeing the Raging Bull in every car park in London.

Porsche GT3 RS

Then there was the first public showing of the latest generation Porsche 997 GT3 RS, in the same conservative shade of orange on the initial press pics. As well as more conservative shades the new car will be offered in the classic RS colours of orange and green.

With 415bhp at 7,600rpm, it is no more powerful than the GT3, and it’s only 20kg lighter, but we all know it’s going to be faster. A close-ratio six-speed transmission with a low-mass flywheel will help the car rev more freely and it will hit 62mph in 4.2s, a slender tenth faster than the standard GT3, and 125mph in 13.3s.

Then there’s the rollcage, wider rear track, carbon-fibre body components and revised suspension built with racing in mind. So it will be scary fast in corners and the model absolutely everybody on this site is liable to want.

Mercedes SLR 722 / CL63 AMG

Mercedes turned out in force with the SLR 722 and CL63 AMG models, too. The 722, a homage to Stirling Moss’s 1955 Mille Miglia win, comes with 650bhp, a 0-62mph time of 3.6 seconds and a top end speed of 209mph, which should do the job nicely. The interior, too, a sporting collection of leather and Alcantara, looks a major improvement on the previous model. The price tag is still likely to dissuade most of us from ringing in an order, though.

The CL63 AMG will attract more real interest, with its normally aspirated 6.2 litre engine kicking out 518bhp and 465lb-ft of torque. Now dedicated experts will note the torque figure is less than the last big CL63 to undergo the AMG treatment, which has allowed them to stick the new seven-speed box into the equation. This is as much torque as they could handle without reverting to the archaic five-speed and the car will feel quicker throughout the range.

With a 0-62mph figure of 4.6 seconds it will be plenty fast enough, although it will top out at 155mph as per the German gentleman’s agreement. With the limiter removed, it’s certainly a 200mph car though, which would give it the speed to back up the brutal looks.

Ferrari P4/5

And while the manufacturers were having a ball unleashing rockets on the world, one of the show stars was a private entry – Jim Glickenhaus’s Ferrari P4/5. Pininfarina charged $4 million for this insane creation that's based on the Ferrari Enzo yet somehow makes it look like Grotbags with a hangover. And the Wall Street mogul actually drives it on the road, safe in the knowledge that he can afford a repair bill that could send smaller insurance companies to the wall.

This homage to the 1967 330 P3/4, which Glickenhaus also owns, weighs 300kg less than Ferrari’s fastest ever car and so should leave the Enzo for dead. I suspect it would, but Pinifarina has released conservative figures of 3.6 seconds to 62mph and a top end speed of 225mph that is unlikely to anger Ferrari, which puts a lot of work its way. As this was about the closest I’ll come to driving this beautiful car, it’s pretty much irrelevant in any case

This car is more about styling, from the canopy roof to those curvaceous flanks and the vented rear window is simply stunning. And apart from a couple of rough edges, including the kit car-style air intakes on the front end, it is better than the Enzo in pretty much every way. Should he ever tire of his Ferrari then Glickenhaus will be able to jump into his Competizione 8C, which he has already ordered, or any one of his classic racing cars. Hard life he’s got there...

Holywell TS 07

Tucked away in a corner of the show was another supercar in the making, the Holywell TS 07. Weighing in at just 900kg, complete with the powerplant, this car is designed to take anything from a four-cylinder diesel right through to a 400bhp Ferrari V8. The prototype had a few rough edges and the owners daren’t put it on the road for fear of spyshots leaking, but the intensive development work will start now.

If they can improve the interior finish and genuinely keep the weight down then this will be a monster in the Noble and TVR vein. Just 12 of them will see the light of day, according to the owners, and they will start from €80,000 + taxes, but that’s the price of exclusivity.

Honda Civic Type R

In this company the Honda Civic Type R wasn’t ever going to take the headlines, even though it’s far more relevant to our daily lives. The most significant change to the concept car is the standard black grille on the front, rather than the flash glass number we hoped for and a mildly reduced bodykit.

And the performance figures offer no improvement on the previous model too, as this car is good for 198bhp, no more. There is talk of a hotter version down the line, but for now the 0-62mph time of 6.6s and 146mph top end will have to suffice. It should be significantly better in the corners, though, and it’s a Type R so it just is going to be lots of fun.

BMW 335d

BMW brought its 335d Coupe to the show, too, all 286bhp and 427lb-ft of torque of it. If this car came with a manual box it would undoubtedly be the sports saloon of the millennium, sadly only the automatic transmission can handle the torque right now. Still, with the traction control off this car will still provide more entertainment than a diesel ever should. And although it’s no Alfa 8C, at least mere mortals will be able to buy one.

^{Report by Nick Hall}