Curtain call

Who's unveiling what at the Paris Motor Show.

Please C
As you guessed, this is another of those wild French concepts. That's exactly what the Paris Show is for. Anyway, Citroen's C-Metisse is a dramatic four-door coupe that has gullwing doors. Front AND rear.

The C-Metisse, in keeping with the eco-friendly posse, is powered by a 208 bhp V6 turbodiesel that's paired to two electric motors that drive the rear wheels.

Each of these motors can produce 40 kgm of torque and 20 bhp "" so while you can move about town in zero emission mode, a boost function combines the power of the diesel unit well as the electric motors, allowing the C-Metisse to attain 100 kph in just 6.2 seconds. And zero to reality in just...

Hydro-generation
Here's another first. The world's first series production car that's a luxury performance saloon and, hold your breath, runs on hydrogen.

The Hydrogen 7, as this Seven series is called, is built at BMW's Dingolfing plant along with the regular 5,6 and 7 series cars, and is equipped with a 256 bhp 6000cc V12 that develops over 39 kgm of torque at 4300 revs.

This allows the car to accelerate to 100 kph in nine and a half seconds and reach a top speed of 230 kph. The Hydrogen 7 cannot be bought outright and will only be given on lease by BMW initially, and the Total Group will help you gas 'er up.

Epure for Esure
Peugeot's hitting two birds with one stone. You see, the Peugeot 207 Epure, as it's called, is yet another variant of the 207, and it also showcases Peugeot's fuel cell technology. When it gets into production, expect it to be badged the 207 CC, but the powerplant will be conventional.

Meanwhile, the concept's electric motor/lithium-ion battery is combined with the PSA Group's Genepac 20 "" a 20 kW experimental fuel cell that has been designed in partnership with the French Atomic Energy Commission (France is a big exporter of nuclear power, BTW). And this Genpac will see the Epure through 350 km before a recharge.

On Q
Would you believe that the world's most powerful diesel passenger car is an SUV? You should, because it's the Audi Q7 V12 TDI.

Powered by a 6000cc V12 that develops an astonishing 500 bhp and grinds out 100 kgm of torque, the bi-turbo SUV hits the ton in barely 5.5 seconds and is big enough for you to be a bully on the streets. The Q7's V8 FSI was launched in India earlier this month, and if you've been good this year Santa might just get you what you asked for.

Pandamonium
Hey, the Fiat Panda can get sporty too, as this version which is debuting in Paris shows. It's called the Panda 100 HP, which obviously means that its brand new 1400cc inline-four develops 100 bhp at 6000 rpm and 13.5 kgm at 4250 rpm. It's capable of a top speed of 185 kph and a 0 to 100 kph timing of just 9.5 seconds. It's got the looks to go with the er, go.

Special alloys, grille, chrome trim, new bumpers, sporty steering wheel, the works...

Nepta lean
No, it's got nothing to do with mothballs, it's the Renault Nepta. This is another of those exquisitely detailed, beautifully crafted, delicately designed but absolutely wild French concepts. This four-seater luxury cabriolet of course makes its debut at the Paris Show (we told you its raison d'être before, didn't we?).

According to Renault, the Nepta's low-slung lines express elegance and movement, while its spacious, comfortable interior has all the hallmarks of a top-end model. A 420 bhp 3500cc V6 petrol powerplant does duty in the Nepta, allowing it a zero to 100 kph timing of just 4.9 seconds.

Don't C
This is the Arnejs. Pronounced 'Arnez'. Or if you want, even 'Harness' will do. It's a concept from Hyundai which is going to be showcased at Paris. We hope the production version of the whatchamacallit is serious to look at, because the European C-segment it is competing in has players like the Volkswagen Golf, Ford Focus and the Toyota Corolla. Get serious, Hyundai.

It rocs!
In the 1970s, a Giugiaro-styled Volkswagen set the sales charts on fire. It was called the Scirocco, a sporty coupe with enough space inside for four adults and luggage.

For Paris, and the future, VW has readied the Iroc concept "" a modern interpretation of the Scirocco, in a hue of green that was closely associated with the classic back then.

The dramatically styled Iroc is powered by a TSI engine, better known as a Twincharger because it uses both a supercharger and a turbocharger in a four-cylinder petrol engine.

In the Iroc concept, the motor develops 210 horses and is mated to the DSG direct shift gearbox. Will it make it to production? Kind of obvious, isn't it?

Delta Forced
Uh uh. Nothing to do with the Seventies Delta. This Lancia Delta HPE concept car is a world apart... even if they add the word Integrale, it will be just a badge.

Anyway, this sporty yet practical car has plenty of space inside and looks borrowed from previous Lancias. No, we're joking actually. It will get a wide range of petrol and diesel engines "" all of them turbocharged "" with outputs ranging from 120 bhp to 200 bhp.

Tail waggin'
The all-new Ford Mondeo is slated for an early 2007 launch, but will have its first outing in Paris. The car is in keeping with Ford's so called kinetic design theme, which is basically a nice way to say that they lifted the front end straight off their concept, the Iosis.

The new Mondeo will be built at Ford's Genk plant in Belgium and will share the same underpinnings as the new Galaxy and S-Max. The Mondeo will have on offer a wide range of engines that includes the 2000cc Duratorq TDCi and the 2500cc Duratec petrol engines that have been derived from their 1600cc and 1800cc counterparts.

Jump for Joyster
After the Roomster, it's this, Skoda's brand new youth concept car called the Joyster. The car's a three-door front wheel driven compact hatch that showcases just how creative the designers at Skoda can get.

Designed by Jens Manske and his team, the Joyster has spacious interiors, thanks to its efficient use of, er, space. Speculation is that the car might be based on the Volkswagen Golf platform and will er, never be launched. If it is, it'll only be around 2009.