Paris Motor Show: 2004

By Feann Torr

As one of Europe's premier motor shows, held in the French capital, the Paris event is known for its style and sophistication.

While there are always very exotic and very fast cars offered at the annual French auto show - the Ferrari F430 and Aston Martin Vanquish S two very apt examples in 2004 - the general theme was more avant garde, if you will.

Local heroes such as the mid-sized Citroën C5 and the compact Peugeot 1007 epitomised the forward-looking theme of style and practicality that pervaded the the Paris auto show, while vehicles from foreign marques, such as the Mercedes Compact Sports Tourer "Vision B" and the Toyota D-4D 180 Clean Power concept also continued this idea.

Ford Focus Vignale Concept

Even though we have already covered a lot of what's on show in Paris (scroll down for the full list), one of the first real surprises was from Ford - a new concept that promises to evolve into the American marque's Euro-chic coupe convertible in the next few years, very much in the vein of the Peugeot 307 CC.

Called the Ford Focus Vignale Concept, it takes the new-for-2005 Ford Focus and basically adds a metal folding roof.

The biggest reason for creating the concept, however, was to gauge the public's reaction to the new design, as Derrick Kuzak, Ford's European VP for product development explained: "We believe the dynamic design of the new Ford Focus offers tremendous promise from which we can develop additional models that truly inspire desire in our customers.

"The Ford Focus Vignale Concept clearly demonstrates the intriguing possibilities to expand the all-new Focus family into specific niches," said Kuzak.

In this instance, what powers the concept is far less important that how it looks, and the European Ford designers have done an impressive job from in my humble opinion.

At the push of a button, the coupé transforms into an open-top convertible, and as it assumes its open-top role the light-coloured interior contrasts well with the show car's metallic blue paint job, or Amalfi as Ford calls the colour.

While the car looks quite contemporary overall, Ford insists that many of the design cues were inspired by the "heyday of the Italian sports car" in the 1960s, and gives the door handle as a prime example. Unlike cars from the 60s though, a simple, intuitive finger push now activates the doorcatch electronically, allowing the door to be pulled open with minimal effort.

The exterior is characterised by the extensive use of polished aluminium, while the concept car's glass panels are uniquely coloured in Acqua, where the blue-green tint adds a touch of personality to the car. "The surfacing is fluid and appealing, punctuated by neat details. Your fingers want to caress its surfaces," said an obviously proud Ehab Kaoud, the concept car's chief designer.

A new look grille - finished in chrome, of course - evokes a feeling that the Focus Vignale Concept could be from an expensive premium brand, and Ford is quick to point out that the grille's horizontal bars "clearly differentiate the concept vehicle from the new Focus range", which may be indicative of possible changes to the Focus car's appearance in future.

"Some are ready to accept compromises in cars of this kind, but we weren't," Kaoud added. "Our approach was that this car should be beautiful as a sporty coupé first, because here in many areas of Europe customers drive these cars with the top up more than with the top down. Having a great-to-drive coupé which can then transform into a stylish convertible gives the Focus Vignale Concept its unique dual personality."

New-look brake lights give the rear end a sophisticated and distinctly European look, while integrated exhaust pipes and oversized 20-inch wheels provide an eye-pleasing combination that all good concept's should have.

Inside the Ford Focus Vignale Concept, the emphasis is on luxury so it's surprise that cow-hide abounds. The seat inserts feature horizontal ribbing as well, which is another tip of the hat to vehicles from the 1960s. The concept car's chief interior designer, Narendra Karadia, said "It's a design execution that we hope will resonate with Paris visitors to generate a unique, inspirational appeal.

"Leather and suede surfaces in Amalfi Light bring an airy feel that complements the spacious interior, which itself offers more generous rear-seat room than many C-segment cabrios on the market today," stated Karadia.

Interestingly, Ford of Europe's Design Group created a special team at its Dunton, England, design studio to create the Ford Focus Vignale Concept, where it took advantage of powerful computer resources to design the concept vehicle entirely within the digital environment, and in record time.

"Its four-season character was created in record time to demonstrate the potential we have in the new Ford Focus range to design future niche derivatives," said Chris Bird, director of design for Ford of Europe. "We are looking forward to hearing the reaction to the car - we believe the Ford Focus Vignale Concept builds on all the strengths of the mainstream Focus, but has extra appeal in an emotive and visceral way. This, we believe, will be an especially appealing trait of future Fords."

What are your thoughts on the new Ford Focus concept car? Would you like to be seen driving it? Let us know: Letters to the Editor.

Aston Martin Vanquish S

British marque Aston Martin launched its new Vanquish S at the '04 Paris Motor Show, which becomes the automaker's fastest production model ever to be built.

With a maximum speed in excess of 321km/h (200mph), the new Aston Martin will be looking at punishing exotica from the likes of Ferrari, Porsche and Lamborghini, but time will tell whether it can cut the mustard with the quickest Europeans.

Aston Martin's 6.0 litre V12 engine develops 388 kilowatts of power, or 520 horsepower, and the new Vanquish S was designed to deliver even greater performance than its predecessors.

"The Vanquish is our flagship model and the standard 460bhp will continue to be built," said Aston Martin CEO, Dr Ulrich Bez. "However, this derivative makes the car even more exceptional. The latest Vanquish S is not only the fastest Aston Martin ever, but it is the best handling too. It is the ultimate high-performance Aston Martin."

To get the extra herbs from the engine, further development was needed, and so the all alloy, quad-overhead camshaft, 48-valve, 6.0-litre V12 engine had new cylinder heads created, with fully machined inlet ports and combustion chambers to improve airflow, revised engine mapping and new fuel injectors.

New 'hot forged' connecting rods have been designed to handle the increased cylinder pressures and all told these changes combine to increase power from 460hp to 520hp (388kW) @ 7000rpm, where torque is boosted to 577Nm @ 5800rpm.

The Vanquish S has received subtle but effective changes to complement its elegant body. The famous Aston Martin grille has a new rounded and more open appearance for better cooling, and an aerodynamic splitter improves high-speed stability.

At the rear, a redesigned boot lid featuring a new high mounted stop lamp reduces lift and improves balance and stability, helping to achieve an impressive drag co-efficient figure of 0.32.

All the exterior body panels are constructed from aluminium with each individual panel hand tailored to the central structure to ensure a perfect panel fit. Every carefully detailed feature provides graphic evidence of the painstaking craftsmanship and quality, which is invested in its construction at Aston Martin's Newport Pagnell site in Buckinghamshire.

Revised steering geometry provides a 20% quicker response, allowing the driver to apply a reduced input for required steering response. This enables the driver to be more precise with inputs - especially on winding roads - and more accurate feedback from the chassis. Stiffer springs and dampers and shorter steering arms are also included.

The brakes have been upgraded to incorporate larger six pot calipers and larger grooved and ventilated front discs are bigger too, measuring 378mm (up from 355mm). The rear disc brakes haven't changed in diametre, but are 2mm thicker giving a claimed 21% increase in thermal capacity, or heat dissipation, providing better resistance to fade.

Besides all the work that Aston Martin has put into the engine and chassis, the overall interior design has also been improved to enhance the overall appeal of the Vanquish S for those lucky enough to afford one.

Either a purposeful two seat or optional 2+2 cabin now features supportive leather trimmed sports seats with many additional detail touches that make this hand crafted sports car so special. "The Vanquish S V12 is a combination of state-of-the-art aerospace technology and hand craftsmanship," said Dr Bez. "It is the flagship model of a confident and growing company that is proud to display its heritage but is also determined to make the most technologically modern and inspirational sports cars in the world."

Kia Sport Concept Car

Kia Motors Corporation unveiled its new Kia Sport concept car, which is based on the South Korean marque's upcoming 5-door small hatch, only known as project 'JB' at this stage, and due for launch in Q2, 2005.

Power for the bright yellow projectile comes from a special 2.0-litre, 147kW (200hp) turbocharged gasoline engine driving the front wheels through a 5-speed automatic transmission.

Again, as with most concept cars, the engine is of little importance - it's the look that will seal the deal for most punters - and Kia designers have created a dynamic, sporty-looking concept car that highlights the marque's small car design philosophy.

The wide air intake and front air dam, sleek profile and flared wheel arches will appeal to young car enthusiasts who love hot 4-cylinder cars, and invariably tuning them and adding wild bodykits and so forth.

Wide 18-inch alloy wheels further hint at which demographic the car is aimed at, while dual exhausts, sweeping brake light clusters and a striking roof-top aerodynamic wing all combine to give the Kia Sport a fantastic road presence.

"The Kia Sport really is a stunning concept car," said Yong-Hwan Kim, senior executive vice president of Kia Motors.

"The design team in Korea has created a car that is young-at-heart, a bold but subtly detailed embodiment of automotive styling. It will undoubtedly appeal to our target customers, 20 to 30 year-olds with an exciting personality and an active lifestyle," enthused Mr. Kim.

Inside, the styling is 'driver-oriented' with a mix of leather and metal materials used to create a sporty and practical interior. Light gleams from the metal finish of the center fascia, with its satellite-navigation, DVD player and climate control.

"The bold, bright Kia Sport concept car is another milestone in Kia’s journey to become a top global car maker. It has been created with young consumers very much in mind. Depending on public reaction to this sensational show car, a full production version may be introduced during 2006," concluded Mr. Kim.

More 2004 Paris Motor Show Cars

Alfa Romeo 147 (2005)

Audi A4 (2005)

Citroën C5 (2005)

Chevrolet S3X (concept)

Ferrari F430 (2005)

Ford Focus (2005)

Hyundai Sonata (2005)

Mazda5 Space Wagon (2005)

Mercedes-Benz B-Class & R-Class (2005)

Opel Astra GTC (2005)

Opel Astra High Performance Concept (2005)

Peugeot 1007 (2005)

Peugeot 907 Supercar (Concept)

Peugeot 407 (2004)

Porsche Boxster and Boxster S (2005)

Suzuki Swift (2005)

Toyota D-4D Concept Car (concept)

VW Golf GTI (2005)