Author: Martin Groschwald | CEO at Konzepthaus
Connect with MartinWhen I set off for the Mondial de l’Auto, I wasn’t entirely sure whether the show was still worth it.
I knew there would be a truckload of concepts from Stellantis, and Renault always has a card up its sleeve to show what it can do. That was enough to make me curious, but beyond that, the picture was still a bit blurry.
What I didn’t expect was just how much fun it would be. There were plenty of colourful concepts, the atmosphere was cheerful, and especially on press day, it was great to see so many people from the Design community. All in all, it was thoroughly enjoyable!
However now, although the impression is still very positive, I had some time to reflect and there are a few question marks around Paris Motor Show that kept me busy on my flight back home to Munich.
Let’s start with the obvious. Stellantis came in full force with nine concepts throughout the brands. Two years ago, I said Renault saved the show. This year, it was Stellantis.
For most people I have spoken to, the highlight of the show was the new Citroën 2CV, while I’d say its brother, the “Fourgonnette”, or simply the van, was even cooler!
One thing became somewhat very apparent. Stellantis seems to look over to Renault a bit and adapt to their strategy, to what made them somewhat successful. And of course, part of the strategy was also to get some high-level executives back into the group, for example Gilles Vidal or Sandeep Bhambra, and one can clearly tell they learnt a thing or two at Renault.
If that is a long-term plan for success remains to be seen.
This strategy is, of course, focused a lot on heritage and can certainly be considered retro.
Now, the Peugeot T16 or the 2CV certainly have their charm and were the highlights of the “retro bunch”.
The RCZ concept, I didn’t quite understand why it was there.
Why DS needed to look back rather than just forward was a bit strange.
FIAT’s Multiplay was the only real let-down for me, but that was offset by the lovely Multiplina, which received way too little praise. A fantastic evolution of the AMI concept. And in general, the FIAT stand was the best at the show: playful, fun and colourful.
Opel’s concept reminded me massively of the “Breadvan” and was a pleasant surprise, certainly not in the retro feeling at all.
The secret love affair of the Mondial de l’Auto for most people was the Alfa Romeo Cuorerosso.
It was a wonderful overall experience that gave you a proper Italian carrozzeria feeling.
Just lovely, and they had very good coffee at the stand!
Renault once again had a superb experience. I did feel a slight bit let down by the cars. I would have loved to see a new Dacia concept, but the new Spring once again showed how far they have come.
The highlight for me at the Renault brand was the Espace concept. A clear move away from the retro styling of the 4, 5 and Twingo. They still seem to struggle to find a face for the next generation, but the overall direction was promising.
And while the French somewhat went back decades in time, Mercedes (or shall I say Smart) showed the production version of the Smart #2.
I always liked the Smart, and it’s great to see that the concept has now made it into the current time. There, of course, has already been an e-Smart, but this new one is just a great product for the city. Maybe a slight bit expensive, but still quite good.
I really have to say I struggle with Alpine.
The A310 concept was cool, but it felt so much like a child of the AI creation time. My first feeling when I saw it was that someone took a picture of the OG A310 and just prompted, “Make this into a modern 2026 version.” Which doesn’t mean it’s bad, as the execution on the model was excellent and the details, as always with them, were great. But it just felt expected and somewhat dull compared to other showcases at this year’s Paris Motor Show.
Mercedes was surrounded by Chinese brands in Hall 5. Zeekr, Aito, Denza, alongside Hyundai and Volvo.
China is pushing hard in the European market, and they are focusing purely on the product. The brand is still a massive problem for them, and Paris Motor Show once again showed how difficult it is to build that. Everything felt much more sterile, both in products and vibe, and there were just fewer people strolling around throughout the day. Y
et, Volvo’s stand didn’t get enough praise. It was a lovely arrangement and a step again in the right direction.
The probably best of the Chinese stands was Li Auto. This had a much more European feeling to it and was quite different, also, from the stands in Beijing or Shanghai in the recent past.
Audi, Škoda and VW were represented at the show, but as they were next to the buzz of Stellantis, they just didn’t seem to be noticed much. Audi missed a massive opportunity to show the Novulari and take some limelight away from the French. VW and Škoda were simply there. It wasn’t much of an experience to remember, unfortunately.
While I certainly enjoyed the day, I don’t know if the system of relying on either Stellantis or Renault every edition to make a big statement is really the future.
I think the show needs to collaborate with Munich so that they can push together, because Munich is strong and Paris needs the other European brands and supercars to come back to build on the excitement, just as we need the Japanese to come over and show their interest in the market like the Koreans.
So yes, there’s work to do. But all in all, the Mondial de l’Auto was fun, and definitely worth a visit.
And the good atmosphere didn’t stop at the show. Because on Monday evening, we teamed up with Li Auto for our first-ever Designers Night edition in Paris.
Around 200 Heads of Design and Designers came together outside their busy schedules for drinks, relaxed chats, and simply a bit of fun. And given how well the night went, a second Designers Night Paris in two years’ time during the Mondial de l’Auto 2028 is definitely on the table.
But lucky for you, you don’t have to wait that long. Because next year, we’ll be bringing Designers Night Munich back during IAA MOBILITY.
Photo credits: @_aroundthecircle
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