An exciting selection of beautiful new cars will make their debut at the Paris Motor Show, one of the most exciting events in the motoring calendar. Baroque Ground finds out what to expect
One of the highlights of the motoring calendar, the 2016 Paris Motor Show, which takes place between 1 and 16 October, will showcase a selection of debuts and reveals, including the Mercedes E-Class All-Terrain.
The Paris Motor Show, known in French as the Mondial de l’Automobile, is an annual event, as popular, if not more so, than the prestigious Frankfurt and Geneva Motor Shows. Obviously, French manufacturers take center stage, so one can expect something to write home about from Peugeot, Citroen and Renault. But as it’s also a global motor show, so almost every major vehicle manufacturer in the world will make an appearance, showing off everything from little city cars to SUVs – and everything in between.
Talking about SUVs, the new Mercedes to be unveiled at the show is believed to be able to tackle routes that others in its class have given up on, thanks to better ground clearance as well as its 4MATIC all-wheel drive which is a standard feature. It’s a tough looking car, destined to make an impact, and be snapped up for delivery by early summer 2017. So far, prices and specs have not yet been released, but the motoring industry is abuzz about this groundbreaking vehicle.
The car is rumored to be the most versatile of its kind, with a striking design and lots of interior space. There are numerous innovative safety features, not to forget the E-Class interior, which has won numerous awards. The new iteration apparently boasts increased ground clearance thanks to a multi-chamber air suspension and is flexible on all surfaces, whether roads are paved or unpaved.
One of the most eye-catching features of this new vehicle is the SUV-style two-fin grille with a star integrated in its center. The front bumper and lower panels are all electroplated in silver chrome, whilst the top part of the front bumper is painted in the same color as the body and the lower part features grained black plastic.
Another distinctive feature is the black wheel arch covers, showing off the car’s all-terrain personality. Alloy wheels give the car a confident look, lots of ground clearance and more comfort on rough terrain. The launch model is an E 220 d 4MATIC with a newly developed four-cylinder diesel engine. A variant with a six-cylinder diesel engine will follow shortly. Both of these models boast 9G-TRONIC nine-speed automatic transmission.
Other vehicles to look out for in a similar category include the Audi Q5, the latest iteration of Audi’s premium SUV, a concept version of BMW’s coupe-cum-SUV, the BMW X2, a new guise for the Land Rover Discovery and the huge Skoda SUV, the Skoda Kodiaq.