2016 Paris Motor Show update

As we edge closer to the opening of the Paris motor show, we’ve collated the latest from the newswire about what we should expect to see at the year’s biggest showcase of new motoring metal.

Wheels will have coverage from the press days in Paris when the curtain drops on September 29 and 30. Until then, we have even more news about the debutants at our earlier Paris motor show preview.

Land Rover Discovery 5

Land Rover has gone full-frontal, leaking a couple of images of the all-new Discovery 5 before its Paris debut.

As we suspected from last month’s Land Rover Discovery 5 spy pics, the shots of the new Disco 5’s nose show the English brand is farewelling the SUVs boxy signature look, opting for a trendier curvaceous look, channelling styling from its siblings the Discovery Sport and Range Rover Evoque.

By the looks of things, Land Rover has picked up the Discovery Vision concept shown at the 2014 New York Motor Show, made slight changes to features like the mirrors. It’ll also be underpinned by Land Rovers aluminium platform also found in the Range Rover Sport, which should mean it weighs in less than the 2500kg Discovery 4.

At this stage, there aren’t many details surrounding what it’ll look like inside or what technology Land Rover will use, but we can assume the Disco 5 will feature more technology, well-appointed finishing’s and a higher price-tag.

According to Land Rover, the 5 has been “created with absolute versatility, capability and technology like no other,” and combines “British desirability with an unstoppable spirit of adventure.”

“New Discovery redefines the large SUV. Land Rover’s design and engineering teams have revolutionised the Discovery DNA to create a highly desirable, extremely versatile and hugely capable premium SUV,” said Land Rover’s Chief Design Officer, Gerry McGovern.

KIA RIO

Kia’s most popular model worldwide is the Kia Rio small hatch, and there’s a new one on the way to Paris. We don’t know too much about the fourth-gen Rio yet, other than what we can glean from official sketches released today.

The illustrations show a new take on Kia’s ‘tiger’ grille up front, a refined and thoroughly European rear three quarter view, and a smart interior incorporating a modern touchscreen as opposed to the outdated single colour LED screen in the current Rio.

MERCEDES-AMG GT C CABRIOLET

The Mercedes stand at this year’s Paris show may well overshadow all others. The German brand has a fleet of new gear to wheel out including its Tesla-fighting electric car(s) and this – the topless version of AMG’s flagship road car, the GT.

The new drop-top is expected to carry the GT C moniker and will bear distinct differences to the GT, GT S and GT R models already shown.

A handful of new spy photos seem to show a revised front grille and a folding roof very similar to that of the defunct SLS Roadster. AMG’s determination to continually outdo itself all but guarantees the GT C Cab will be faster than the old SLS.

HYUNDAI i30

One of Australia’s most popular cars, the Hyundai i30, is getting an overhaul and the world will see it for the first time inside the halls of the Paris show. Actually, that’s not entirely true. A Hyundai media event in early September will offer our first proper peek, but full details including more scope on Hyundai’s new N Performance division will have to wait until Paris.

Shadowy teaser pics and video already released by Hyundai shed a little light on the third-gen i30’s looks. Refined detail, particularly where headlights and taillights are concerned, lifts the i30’s image into more premium territory. Expect i30 to keep hanging around the top of the local sales ladder when it lands.

INFINITI VCT

Bored of EVs? Here’s some cutting-edge tech with nary a battery pack in sight. Infiniti recently shared detailed information about its revolutionary variable compression engine, a world first as far as volume production goes. The luxury indent of Nissan will bring its brand new petrol powerplant to Paris, and it just might be nestled in the engine bay of an as-yet unseen vehicle.

Wheels believes the forthcoming Infiniti QX50 mid-size SUV will be the first car to utilise the new 2.0-litre, turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which the Japanese brand claims outputs of 200kW and 390Nm. Could that car make an early debut in Paris? We’ll know soon enough.

Other notable vehicles for Paris already mentioned on wheelsmag.com.au include the first overseas-built Holden Commodore, aka the Opel Insignia, which will be shown in full alongside Opel’s first all-electric vehicle, the Opel Ampera-e hatchback, which is based on the US-market Chevrolet Bolt.

Ferrari will field its open-top LaFerrari Spider to please hypercar fiends. Audi is bringing the long-awaited Q5 SUV, which will make for an easy direct comparison with the new Alfa Stelvio SUV also on its way to Paris.

Suzuki will add its new S-Cross to the legion of SUVs – Citroen C3, Skoda Kodiaq, Mitsubishi Outlander, etc. – being unveiled, though it has already been shown in full online after images were leaked.

The list will inevitably keep growing in the coming weeks. Stay tuned.