The Paris Motor Show opened its exhibition halls at the Porte de Versailles with more than 60 exhibiting brands, marking an increase from the 48 brands present in 2024. Major automakers including BMW, Mini, Tesla, Porsche, and Ferrari skipped the event, while Toyota restricted its presence to an innovation-focused booth. Despite these prominent absences, the floor space filled rapidly, led by a sharp surge in Chinese manufacturers.
Chinese brands more than doubled their footprint at the exhibition, growing from roughly ten participants two years prior to over twenty distinct marques in 2026. This influx defined the overall character of the event, showcasing everything from ultra-compact urban runabouts to high-performance luxury plug-in hybrids. European heritage brands responded with a mixture of revived nostalgic nameplates and aggressive electric vehicle concepts aimed at lowering entry barriers for consumers.
Citroen Revives Iconic 2CV Design for Electric City Car
Citroen leaned heavily into nostalgia by unveiling an electric concept car that reimagines its classic 2CV as a compact city vehicle measuring 3.76 meters in length. The minimalist concept features no traditional dashboard and points toward a production model expected in 2028, aimed at the emerging European vehicle category priced under 15,000 euros. While technical data remains scarce, the vehicle targets a driving range of up to 200 kilometers on a single charge.
The microcar segment also saw the return of the Fortwo under the Smart banner. The new smart #2 measures less than 2,80 meters long and retains its strict two-seater configuration while offering luggage space comparable to that of a Volkswagen Polo. Equipped with a 35.8 kWh LFP battery, the vehicle delivers a WLTP-certified driving range of 290 kilometers—a substantial upgrade over the 133-kilometer range of its predecessor. Recharging from 10 to 80 percent takes 20 minutes, with a starting price fixed at 19,990 euros and customer deliveries scheduled to begin in 2027.
Xpeng and BYD Expand Luxury SUV Lineups in Europe
BYD pursued similar high-end volume following its milestone of surpassing a two percent market share in Belgium in June. The brand introduced the Atto 8, a 5.04-meter seven-seater SUV boasting a massive 115 kWh battery. Buyers can select a rear-wheel-drive variant offering 462 horsepower and 653 kilometers of WLTP range, or an all-wheel-drive version generating 775 horsepower that completes a zero-to-100 kilometers per hour sprint in 4.6 seconds with a 602-kilometer range. The Atto 8 will integrate ultra-fast charging capabilities designed to replenish the battery from 10 to 97 percent in just nine minutes, supported by 3,000 planned Flash-charging points across Europe by the end of 2027. Official market launch is slated for the first quarter of 2027, though pricing has not yet been announced.
Zeekr and Denza Push Performance Boundaries
Zeekr opted for a plug-in hybrid architecture for its flagship model rather than a purely electric setup. The 9X is a luxury vehicle measuring 5.24 meters with six seats and an output of 897 horsepower. Its 55.1 kWh battery delivers an all-electric driving range of 179 kilometers alongside a total combined range of 737 kilometers.
Denza showcased its Z9 GT, a luxury electric shooting brake boasting extreme performance figures including 1,156 horsepower and 1,220 Nm of torque. The vehicle accelerates from zero to 100 kilometers per hour in 2.7 seconds, drawing power from a 122 kWh battery to achieve approximately 600 kilometers of WLTP range. Available for order at 115,000 euros, the shooting brake represents an exercise in high-end electric exclusivity.
Lancia Fights European Sales Slump With New Gamma
Lancia utilized the exhibition to unveil the Gamma, a fastback SUV built in Melfi on the STLA Medium platform shared with the DS N°7. The launch arrives at a critical juncture for the brand, following a 64 percent collapse in European sales last year down to 12,000 units. The Gamma will be offered in a 145-horsepower hybrid variant starting at 39,900 euros, and a 245-horsepower electric variant delivering a 740-kilometer WLTP range starting at 45,900 euros. Deliveries are scheduled to begin in late November 2026.
Aito confirmed its formal entry into the European market for the autumn of 2027. Its flagship SUV measures 5.29 meters and delivers 676 horsepower, completing the zero-to-100 kilometers per hour sprint in 4.6 seconds. The vehicle features active suspension, rear-wheel steering, and a 32-inch rear projection screen, though the European specification will omit Huawei’s HarmonyOS interface and associated driver assistance software.
Renault and Peugeot Revisit Historic Concepts
Renault explored the revival of the traditional multi-purpose vehicle format with the E-Space, an electric concept car measuring 4.7 meters long featuring six independent seats across three rows and a completely flat floor. The two middle seats can rotate 180 degrees to face the rear compartment. Renault confirmed that series production is not currently planned, using the concept primarily to gauge public interest.
Peugeot turned heads by channeling its motorsport heritage into the electric E-T16 concept, paying homage to the historic 205 Turbo 16. Equipped with three electric motors generating 816 horsepower, the track-focused vehicle reaches 100 kilometers per hour in 2.5 seconds using an 85 kWh battery pack for a 400-kilometer range.
French and Italian Design Experiments Fill Exhibition Halls
Alpine displayed the A310 Vision, a 4.55-meter sports coupe built on the Alpine Performance Platform. Meanwhile, Opel showcased the STX, a station wagon concept hinting at the future design direction of the Astra Sports Tourer.
Worth a look