Paris Motor Show 2018 preview: the key cars making their world debut

The world’s biggest carmakers are gearing up to unveil their latest and greatest production cars at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. 

The event, which runs from 4 to 14 October, is one of the most significant dates in the automotive world’s calendar, featuring a winning combination of hi-tech concept cars and mass production models that sell in the thousands.

As fans book their tickets to the Paris showcase, held on alternative years to the Frankfurt Motor Show, experts are predicting which models will make their world debuts in France. 

Here are the top cars tipped to be unveiled the 2018 Paris Motor Show:  

Audi A1

Audi’s new A1 hatchback may not make its public debut until the Paris show but the carmaker has already released official images of its latest and smallest model. 

The Volkswagen Polo-based city car looks very different from the outgoing A1 model, adopting the same aggressive grille and LED headlights as the company’s newer models. The front bumper also gets a trio of small air inlets, a feature that Evo says was inspired by Audi’s UR Quattro that dominated rallying in the 1980s. 

The new A1 will hit showrooms in December, with prices starting at around £16,500, WhatCar? reports. 

BMW Z4

BMW will probably unveil its new Z4 sports car at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California next week, but the German car firm is tipped to reveal the car’s pricing and release date at the Paris show. 

The sports car first appeared in concept form [pictured above] last year, but spy shots posted by an Instagram user known as liucunyi have given fans their best look yet at the production-ready Z4. Much of its styling appears to have been taken from the BMW 8 Series coupe, including the thin tail lights and aggressive styling of the front bumper. 

The range-topping M40i model with a 350bhp straight-six turbo engine is expected to debut in California on 26 August, while a 2.0-litre entry-spec Z4 badged sDrive30i may make be unveiled in Paris. 

BMW 3 Series

BMW’s product offensive doesn’t stop at the new Z4 - a next-generation version of the 3-Series saloon is also tipped to appear at the Paris show. 

Described by CarBuyer as “one of the most important debuts of any motor show this year”, the new 3 Series uses a lightweight production platform that has been designed to improve fuel consumption. 

There will also be a choice of low-emissions engines, including a potential plug-in hybrid, which should help meet the EU’s stricter emissions standards that come into effect on 1 September, the car reviews site says. 

Porsche 911 (992)

The arrival of a new Porsche 911 is always a special moment in the motoring world, so expect all eyes to be focused on the German car’s stand when the motor show’s doors open on 4 October. 

Given that the 911’s silhouette has barely changed since the first example arrived in 1963, Porsche isn’t expected to dramatically overhaul the historic sports car with this year’s 992-generation model. 

The marque hasn’t shared details of the car’s engine specs yet, but Autocar says the company may offer a hybrid system on the sports car for the first time. This system may be a tweaked version of the hybrid unit found in Porsche’s Cayenne SUV and Panamera saloon.

Toyota Supra

After years of concept cars, and leaked images of the production version covered in camouflage, Toyota may finally take the wraps off its new Supra in Paris. 

Based on the new Z4, the Supra is inspired by Toyota’s FT-1 concept that first debuted in New York four years ago and may resemble the company’s Supra Racing prototype [pictured above] that appeared in Geneva in March, says Car magazine.

The Supra will be powered by a turbocharged straight-six engine producing around 350bhp, the magazine adds. The new sports car won’t be cheap, with an expected price tag of around £50,000 when it goes on sale in early 2019.