Paris 2010: Renault Dezir concept is wild, twisted beauty

Don't let anyone tell you that Renault can't do a concept car. The French manufacturer pulled the sheets back on its all-electric Dezir at this year's Paris Motor Show, and the concept is as sexy as it is absurd. Designers took a stab in an all-new direction with a pair of reverse-hinged butterfly doors that are the epitome of awesome. Likewise, the ultra-wide stance and aluminum sideblades are our kind of flashy. As you might expect, this concept...

Read More

Paris 2010: 2011 Volkswagen Passat says hello in person

Volkswagen was so eager to unveil its new Passat that it revealed the car a day before the Paris Motor Show actually begins. It's received the Jetta treatment to some degree, but the softer looks may actually work better on the Passat than for its smaller brother.The all-new Passat is intended for an older demographic and the styling seems to reflect that. We look forward to seeing it on our shores. Speaking of which, the 2011 goes on sale in the...

Read More

Paris 2010: 2011 Bentley Continental GT, live and in the flesh

Here is your first glimpse at the redesigned 2011 Bentley Continental GT as it makes its world debut at the Paris Motor Show. Earlier, we mentioned that it will receive a nearly four percent price hike over the previous model, which is nothing compared to the overall improvements the new car has received.Like any car, it has good and bad angles (obviously, the exception to this rule is the Maserati GranTurisumo which looks beautiful from every angle...)...

Read More

Paris 2010: Porsche 911 Speedster is the Hunchback of Paris

You can tell pretty much everything you need to know about the Porsche 911 Speedster just by looking at it. It's a 911, which means it's got a flat-six engine in the ass-end and it's got... ahem, classical styling, for better or for worse. We'll just go ahead on record right now and say that it's not nearly as pretty as the original 356 Speedster it's meant to evoke, but what is?Moving on, there are 408 horsepower from the 3.8-liter engine driving...

Read More

Paris 2010: 2012 Ford Focus ST hatches early

To say that American enthusiasts have been anxiously awaiting a properly hotted up version of Ford's European hatchback would be a gross understatement. And while we're still waiting for a proper Focus RS to hit our shores, we're certainly happy to see its little brother, the Focus ST, hit the showroom floor with promises of coming Stateside in 2012 ringing in our ears.Here's why our interest is piqued: a turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder...

Read More

Paris 2010: Opel Astra Sports Tourer

Opel is keeping busy, and aside from moving into a handful of new markets and pulling the sheets off of a hot concept, the German manufacturer has been whittling away on its wagon interpretation of the company's Astra. The 2011 Astra Sports Tourer wears the brand's trademark nose and sculpted sheet metal, but throws in an arching roofline for good measure. Inside, buyers can look forward to a set of snappy folding seats in the rear Opel claims should...

Read More

Paris 2010: BMW X3 is new yet familiar

BMW has whisked the sheets off its 2011 X3, and the second-generation crossover looks suspiciously like its predecessor. Beyond a seemingly endless parade of spy shots over the last couple of years, that's predictable, as the X3 has been a considerable sales success for the German automaker.While the sheetmetal stays largely the same, the lineup receives new engines and an eight-speed automatic gearbox that's set to spread like kudzu throughout the...

Read More