Paris motor show 2008 preview and review: guide to all the new cars

Updated: 26 January 2015

Click here for our A-Z reviews from the Paris motor show 2008. We’re reporting live around the clock from the Mondial de l’Automobile, the world’s biggest motor show by visitor attendance. Live show reports are printed in bold beneath; the other links take you to our preview of each car. Use our A-Z guide to keep abreast of the most important launches and click here for our live stand-by-stand blogs to join CAR on a guided tour of the Paris show.

Alfa Romeo Paris stand review
Beautiful models, but little new

 Aston Martin Paris stand review 
Aston Martin DBS auto and One-77
James Bond’s current squeeze gains an auto ‘box

Audi Paris stand review
Audi A1 Sportback concept and new S4 and A6 facelift previews
Audi’s 2010 Mini rival; hot A4; nip ‘n’ tuck for A6

Bentley Paris stand review
Bentley Arnage Final Series
Shock! Crewe readies special edition for Arnage

BMW Paris stand review
BMW Concept X1 and 7-series and 3-series facelift previews
They’ve shrunk the X3. Or do they just need a shrink?

Cadillac Paris stand review
New CTS wagon rolls into town

Chevrolet Paris stand review
Chevrolet Volt and Orlando and Cruze previews
Groundbreaking plug-in hybrid, plus family cars

Citroen Paris stand review
Citroen Hypnos concept car and C3 Picasso and C4 facelift previews
French brands tussle to dominate home show

Ferrari Paris stand review
Ferrari California preview
Paris is the first show sight of new V8 CC

Fiat Paris stand review
Eco announcements for latest Fiat models

Ford Paris stand review
Ford Ka preview
Italian heart, German clothes. New Ka city car borrows Fiat 500 genes

Honda Paris stand review
Honda Jazz and Insight hybrid concept car previews
New-gen supermini and the world’s cheapest petrol-electric hybrid unveiled

Hyundai i20
The rein of the Getz is over. All hail the new i20 supermini from Korea

Infiniti Paris stand review
A quiet show for Infiniti, but our first taste of its upmarket boutique dealers

Jaguar Paris stand review
Sixtieth anniversary of the XK sports car

Kia Paris stand review
Kia Soul preview
Bored of Minis? Kia launches its supermini meets SUV, the crossover Soul

Lamborghini Paris stand review
Lamborghini Estoque preview
Sant’Agata reveals shock new saloon: Bull turns limo

Lancia Paris stand review
New Delta… err, that’s it

Land Rover Paris stand review
Finally! New eco tech for stop-start Freelander

Lexus Paris stand review
Lexus IS facelift and CC convertible
Freshen-up for Lexus’s 3-series rival – and an origami metal roof cabrio

Maserati Paris stand review
Little new, but fettled Granturismo S and Quattroporte S

Mazda Kiyora concept
Yet another ‘flow’ concept. But this one previews Mazda’s next city car

Mercedes Paris stand review
Mercedes Fascination concept car and S400 BlueHybrid and SL65 Black Series previews
Shooting brake previews 2009 E-class coupe; S-class goes hybrid; mental SL

Mini Paris stand review
Mini Crossover concept car preview
First glimpse of shock new Mini 4×4. The production Mini SUV lands in 2010

Mitsubishi Paris stand review
Mitsubishi world premiere
New Colt hatch gets a dose of Evo style

Nissan Paris stand review
Nissan Nuvu concept and Pixo preview
Flash new urban ideas from Nissan promise more big ideas in small cars

Peugeot Paris stand review
Peugeot RC… Hybrid concept car and Prologue… concept and 308 CC
First look at new 408 repmobile, 3008 MPV-previewing Prologue and tin-top 308

Pininfarina Paris stand review
Astonishing B0 electric city car one of the Paris highlights

Renault Paris stand review
Renault Megane and Ondelios concept previews
New Megane hatchback family finally out, plus striking new concept

Rolls-Royce Paris stand review
Plenty of gigantic Rollers, but little new

Saab Paris stand review
Saab 9-X Air concept car preview
New chop-top reveals how the 2011 9-1 cabrio could look

Seat Paris stand review
Seat Exeo and Ibiza Cupra and Ecomotive previews
Spanish photocopy the Audi A4 and launch red-hot and green superminis

Skoda Paris stand review
Octavia facelift world debut

Ssangyong Paris stand review
New crossover from upstart Koreans

Subaru Impreza diesel
It’s the Scooby most of us in the real world have been waiting for: the derv Impreza

Suzuki Alto
New baby from Japan bows in at the Paris Mondial de l’Automobile

Toyota Paris stand review
Toyota Avensis preview
Honey, I shrunk the Lexus IS! Toyota gives the Avensis the exec treatment

Vauxhall Paris stand review
Vauxhall Insignia Sports Tourer preview
The (slightly) more acceptable face of Insignia ownership: the sleek estate

Volvo green DRIVe models
Quelle surprise! The Swedes go all eco friendly with green specials at Paris

VW Paris stand review
VW Golf GTI concept and Golf Mk6 and Golf Bluemotion previews
Hot Golfs, boring Golfs, green Golfs. Everything you need to know

Click here for up to the minute Paris motor show 2008 live reports

Paris motor show 2008

By Tim Pollard

Group digital editorial director, car news magnet, crafter of words

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