Hybrids take centre stage at the Paris motor show

publication date: Oct 3, 2008

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author/source: Robin Roberts

The Paris motor show gives the world the clearest view yet of the future of the car.

Scores of new models are appearing and many will be hybrids, either with petrol or diesel engines working alongside an electric motor and batteries, or they will be pure battery power. A few will be hydrogen powered by the second half of this decade.

At its home show, Renault was bullish about battery power with executive vice president and leader in Europe, Patrick Pelata, saying they expected 30pc of their core sales to be pure electric cars by 2015.

Fellow French car maker PSA was showing four hybrids including a three-wheeler behind the Peugeot badge as well as the Citroen Hypnos SUV/ Coupe crossover for a new luxury model.

Sporting Citroen leads the World Rally Championship and used Paris to show its C4 WRC HYmotion4 competition car which switches from petrol power to hybrid electric motor between stages.

Chevrolet Volt made its world debut in France and it will use electric power with a back up petrol engine feeding only the electric motor and not the wheels so its useful range is extended.

The expertise of Honda in hybrid power was showcased by the Insight Concept (above), its next generation mid-sized car after the former Civic and the original Insight. Toyota chose not to put a new Prius on the stand but instead used the premium Lexus brand to promote its LF-Xh crossover.

Britain’s MINI brand is building on its niche and success with a Crossover Concept which is really a beefed up and extended version of the car equipped with hybrid powertrain and conventional internal combustion engine.

Looking further ahead, Mazda showed its design for a hydrogen car while traditional but low emission petrol and diesels were displayed by many manufacturers.

The new Audi A1, Ford Ka, Nissan Pixo, Hyundai i20 and Kia Soul family were joined by the latest Renault Megane, Laguna Coupe, Mitsubishi’s Lancer series, SEAT Ibiza Cupra as well as the new generation Toyota Avensis along with their iQ city car and Urban Cruiser. The new Vauxhall Insignia Estate joins the saloon and hatch and the new super environmentally friendly Volvo DRIVe models were shown.

Anyone who thought this year’s Paris show will be the last of the traditional motor feasts will have to factor in that it will be the last of the shows featuring high performance petrol and diesel models but will be the first of a new generation of salons which show how hybrid or pure electric cars will be taking centre stage in showrooms and motoring lives in future.

The credit crunch, which has led to a decline of 35pc in UK registrations in the usually busy September plate-change until the last two days of the month when forced registrations pushed the drop back to a more respectable 20pc, has focused dealers’ minds.

Ford of Britain chairman Roleant De Ward said the situation was creating new opportunities and the best dealers who were more proactive were reaping benefits along with their customers who moved into the most modern, greener, more economical cars with lower service bills.

Nissan has introduced zero per cent finance deals on Qashqai and that’s created a spike in demand in an otherwise slowing UK market. It is building on customer demand and created Nissan Note with standard in-built navigation, Bluetooth and CD player at a fraction of the price if bought separately.

It will be a challenge next year when the Infiniti luxury five-model brand in launched in the UK through 14 dealership partners. Infiniti has been very successful in Russia and earned strongest residuals and European PR director Wayne Bruce said he was confident the business case for the brand in Britain would be very strong.

Infiniti is supporting the dealers with their setup and running costs as it builds the brand in the UK and insists it will not compromise performance or quality, equipment or service jut to make money.

“We are bringing a new customer experience to the UK,” said Mr Bruce. “From the time they log onto the site to look at the brand they will become very involved in the product.

“Before the car is delivered they will be able to track its build process and be sent information on the features and get the opportunity of two handover sessions. Even when it’s serviced we will collect and return it.”

What happens at the higher levels of the market usually finds its way down and how dealers cope with the sales recession and still survive while serving their customers as they expect is one business model which was not generally on show in Paris.

What is clear is the fact there is no clarity, no one-way in a multi-highway world.