Paris Auto Show Outtakes: Oddities, Micros and Pole-Dancing Acts of Desperation
Having survived my first immersion, it’s clearer than ever to me why TTAC doesn’t “do” auto shows in the usual manner. The relentless PR pressure and hype is tedious. And in some cases, it borders on the absurd or desperate, like the Isuzu pole dancers. True, without her rubbing her oversize derriere to the booming beat on the pole installed in the back of a pickup, it’s doubtful that Isuzu would have had any attention whatsoever. Like the Honda and Mitsubishi stands, for instance, which were deserted. But there were pockets of interest, genuine and contrived.
As previously pointed out, if you didn’t bring an EV to Paris, you were nobody. But an electric sno-cat?
Speaking of EVs, here are the rather fanciful “controls” for Toyota’s EV Concept. I think I recognize a cup holder, but the rest looks rather mysterious.
If you’ve had kids, you can imagine what this Bentley GT convertible kiddie seat will look like after five minutes with an occupant that’s been given a juice box and a cracker.
This interior doesn’t exactly invite trips to the drive-through either.
I like tall boxy vehicle more than the average person, but this “self-driving transporter of the future” takes it a bit too far.
I discovered a whole hall dedicated to “micro-cars”, which are quite popular in France and certain other EU countries where drastically reduced taxes, license requirements and operating costs are in effect. European kei-cars, in other words. Here’s a real mini, and cute as a button.
The Ligiers are quite common on the streets of Paris. Their two-cylinder diesel engines source from Yammar makes them a convincing modern update on the original Fiat 500, in size, speed and sound.
This little micro-sports car was so small, I just had to put myself next to it for perspective. No, I didn’t even try to get into it.
The Austin Healey Bug-eye Sprite was also emulated, this time with a mid-engined 600cc twin-cylinder mill. Probably just as fast as the original.
The Citroen Mehari has its clones as well.
Speaking of kei-cars, here’s an authentic one from the sixties, a coupe version of the Mazda 360.
Micros come as trucks too. Saw a number of these on the streets. Enough mini cars; how about another sort of mini?
If it wasn’t an EV, it was likely to be draped in green, like every Skoda (and booth babe) on its stand, boldly proclaiming its CO output on sides and hoods.Why wasn’t her CO output tattooed on her thighs?
Enough already! That’s what I said too, after my five hour dash through all the halls; some kind of record, possibly.
More by Paul Niedermeyer
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The Toyota EV Concept controls reminds me of something out of a James Bond movie in the 70s.
The Yanmar diesel in the Ligier is a step up, they used to use air-cooled Lister-Petter diesels, as found in Benford site dumpers. Really rugged, but seriously noisy.