The Paris Motor Show has returned with a series of concept cars and production announcements that sketch out how several major brands intend to approach electrification, packaging and design over the coming years. Alfa Romeo, BYD, Citroën, Fiat, Peugeot and Renault each used the event to present distinct answers to questions about range, space, driving pleasure and the relationship between heritage and future product planning. The models on display ranged from a seven-seat electric SUV entering production in 2027 to design studies that carry no immediate showroom plans.
Alfa Romeo Cuorerosso
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Alfa Romeo used Paris to give the Cuorerosso concept car its world premiere. The Italian brand describes the study not as a preview of a specific production model but as a statement of intent for its future line-up. The direction outlined involves multi-energy architectures, a range of powertrain solutions and models up to 4,7 m long, with the company maintaining that the connection between car and driver remains central to its thinking.
The Cuorerosso is a 2+2 coupé measuring 4,7 m in length. Its exterior carries forward several recognisable Alfa Romeo elements. The wedge line runs along the side to the Coda Tronca, while the front adopts a new interpretation of the Scudetto and Trilobo with a light signature that pulses. The rear window takes the form of the Scudetto, and the rear doors open against the wind. Flush glass and forged wheels rework the classic telephone design.
Inside, the cabin is arranged around the driver. The Cannocchiale Vivente instrument display changes configuration between Immersivo and Concentrato modes, reducing information as driving engagement increases. The Con-tatto Volante principle maintains physical controls, while the Magma Display sits on the central tunnel as a combined physical and digital control centre. Cruise, Sport and Quadrifoglio modes follow the same approach, with technology remaining discreet until required.
Alfa Romeo says the concept anticipates full-electric, plug-in hybrid, mild hybrid and full hybrid solutions. A 2,9-litre V6 full hybrid with Q4 all-wheel drive is presented as the performance flagship, with electrification described as a means of amplifying rather than diluting the brand’s character. The Liquid Ink red paint combines a fine aluminium base with a transparent coloured layer, shifting in depth and intensity depending on the light. The interior uses hand-finished Poltrona Frau nubuck, regenerated leather and composite materials.
The current Alfa Romeo range was displayed alongside the concept in Edizione Luna Rossa specification on the Junior, Tonale, Giulia and Stelvio. The 33 Stradale appeared in a livery paying tribute to Paris, and the 1966 Duetto Spider from the Alfa Romeo Museum in Arese formed part of the display.
BYD ATTO 8
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BYD introduced the ATTO 8, a seven-seat SUV positioned at the top of its range. The model measures 5 040 mm long, 1 996 mm wide and 1 760 mm tall. It will be offered with a choice of power outputs and rear- or all-wheel drive when it reaches markets in the first quarter of 2027.
The ATTO 8 is the first BYD model in Europe to use the second-generation Blade Battery. The 115 kWh pack supports FLASH Charging, which BYD says can take the battery from 10% to 70% in five minutes and from 10% to 97% in nine minutes. At temperatures as low as -30°C, the company quotes 12 minutes for a 20% to 97% refill. BYD plans to install 3 000 FLASH Charging stations across Europe by the end of 2027.
Two all-electric versions will be available. The Design RWD edition uses a single rear motor producing 340 kW and 365 Nm, giving a 0-100 km/h time of eight seconds and a WLTP combined range of 652 km. The Excellence AWD adds a front motor for a combined 570 kW and 775 Nm, reducing the 0-100 km/h time to 4,6 seconds while retaining a WLTP combined range of 602 km.
The exterior features ultra-slim integrated daytime-running lights, matrix-LED headlights and a lower bumper with angular sections. A crease at the leading edge of the front doors leads into a shoulder line that runs towards the rear wheelarch. The darkened C-pillar and chrome-embellished D-pillar stretch the visual length. At the rear, infinity knot tail-lights sit either side of an illuminated BYD logo, with a roof spoiler and subtle rear quarter panel edges contributing to aerodynamic efficiency.
The cabin has a 2,39 m² panoramic glass roof, a 10,25-inch digital instrument panel, a 26-inch head-up display and a 15,6-inch central touchscreen with Google Built-in. BYD Executive Vice President Stella Li said the model demonstrates how the company’s research and development investment is being put into the hands of customers.
Citroën 2 CV Fourgonnette Concept
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Citroën presented the 2 CV Fourgonnette concept as a design study rather than a preview of a short-term production model. The company describes it as a passion project that revives the spirit of the original Fourgonnette, which served tradespeople, shopkeepers and delivery drivers.
The concept follows the principles of the 2 CV Concept, focusing on essentials, practical design and ease of use. It applies these to a light commercial vehicle intended for professional users. Citroën says the study opens new avenues for consideration and demonstrates that the spirit of the original remains relevant.
Xavier Chardon, CEO of Citroën and DS Automobiles, said the 2 CV Fourgonnette was more than a workhorse and formed part of everyday life. He said the concept aims to bring back that spirit without making usefulness ordinary.
The design study is described as an accessible, lighter and more essential electric light commercial vehicle. Citroën says it puts freedom and pleasure back at the centre of mobility while remaining focused on the uses and challenges of tomorrow.
Fiat Multiplay
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Fiat unveiled the Multiplay concept on the eve of the show. At 4,45 m long, it combines elements of an MPV, an SUV and a pick-up. The central feature is the C-Pillar Metamorfosi architecture, a mobile rear module that allows the vehicle to switch from a 6+1 family configuration to a four-seat pick-up with an open bed.
The concept was presented by Olivier François, Company Strategic Advisor for Stellantis, and Arnaud Belloni, CEO of the Fiat, Abarth and Lancia brands and Chief Marketing Officer for Europe. Fiat says the study addresses how a single vehicle can meet the changing space and cargo requirements of families within the same day.
In family configuration, the cabin offers six seats plus a flexible element called the Petsenger seat. In pick-up configuration, four seats are combined with an open bed for bicycles, sports equipment and bulky items. The rear spoiler rotates to become an integrated bike rack capable of carrying up to two bicycles.
The Multiplay builds on the Fiat 600 Multipla of 1956, which seated six people in around 3,5 m, and the 1998 Multipla, which offered six seats across two rows in a vehicle under four metres long. The new concept continues that exploration of space through an architecture that adapts to different uses.
The Petsenger seat can serve as a mounting point for a child car seat, a pet space, a small table or a storage compartment. An outer section of its cushion can be detached and used as a leash, while a door compartment houses a folding bowl. The rear compartment can accommodate up to two children and an adult when needed. The front passenger seat transforms into the Sunseat, a lounge-style configuration that faces rearward and uses the dashboard as a backrest.
The colour design draws on the watermelon, with bright green bodywork and red and pink tones in the cabin. A soft pink floor and a pixelated gradient extending from the Petsenger seat to the Kids Area use shades of turquoise. Most soft components use monomaterial textile made with a no-stitch 3D knit process. A hidden display integrated into the dashboard disappears when the vehicle is switched off.
Peugeot E-T16 Concept
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Peugeot celebrated the 40th anniversary of the 205 T16’s double victory in the 1985 and 1986 World Rally Championships with the E-T16 concept. The study was developed with Peugeot Sport and introduces design codes that will appear on the next-generation E-208.
The E-T16 uses three electric motors, one at the front and two at the rear, producing a combined 816 hp. Peugeot says the power-to-weight ratio is less than 2 kg per horsepower. The 0-100 km/h time is 2,5 seconds, and the 0-300 km/h time is 16 seconds. A torque vectoring system distributes torque between the rear wheels and between the front and rear axles according to grip conditions.
Three driving modes adjust power delivery, torque distribution and suspension settings, with a fourth mode configurable by the driver. The car uses four 380 mm disc brakes, a vertically mounted hydraulic handbrake and Michelin tyres measuring 275 mm wide at the front and 315 mm at the rear. The Hypersquare steering control, inspired by the Peugeot 9X8 endurance racer, integrates a configurable central display and uses steer-by-wire technology.
The 800V architecture combines an 85 kWh battery for up to 399 km of WLTP combined range and a 10% to 80% charge in under 15 minutes. Peugeot says battery cooling has been optimised with Side Cooling technology derived from racing, allowing three laps of the Nürburgring Nordschleife in Performance mode without power limitation. Matthias Hossann, Peugeot Design Director, said the concept reinterprets the lines of the future E-208 and transforms power and sportiness into a design language.
Renault E-Space Concept
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Renault presented the E-Space Concept, an electric MPV that sets out the brand’s new values. The study breaks away from mainstream SUVs and gives a contemporary twist to the design cues Renault pioneered with the Espace 1 in 1984. The company says the interior was designed first as a living area, with the bodywork and extensive side and roof glazing added around it.
The E-Space Concept measures 4,70 m long, 2,02 m wide and 1,67 m tall. Its height and length-to-width ratio are similar to the first Espace, with short overhangs and 23-inch wheels at the four corners. The windscreen extends from the bonnet in a nod to the MPV DNA and the TGV train profile of the 1984 Espace. A mobile bumper splitter can be lowered closer to the road to optimise aerodynamics at high speeds. At the rear, vertical lines convey a sense of space and modularity, while the rear spoiler recalls a similar feature on the Espace 2 and 3.
A black skateboard section along the lower body suggests the technical systems, including the battery and aerodynamic features, in a manner similar to Formula 1 sidepods. This darker finish echoes the wide grey side protection on the first Espace. The front and rear feature a new light signature, with a large U-shaped line of light enclosing the grille and an illuminated logo at the centre that appears to float.
Fabrice Cambolive, Renault Brand CEO and Renault Group Chief Growth Officer, said the E-Space Concept shows how heritage can inspire the future. Alexandre Malval, Renault Brand Design Director, said the concept pays tribute to the 1984 Espace while taking it into the future with current technology and style. Romain Gauvin, Renault Brand Head of Advanced Design and Concept Cars, said the design is inspired by aeronautics, with smooth lines and a generous expanse of glass for all passengers.
By no means everything that was on display at the Paris Salon, these just serve to give readers some idea of how automakers are future thinking.
Colin Windell for Colin-on-Cars in association with
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