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JOEL SAGET
mclaren-p1
There's a bipolar vibe at the biennial Paris Motor Show. Automakers are putting on a strong face as they roll out a combination of ambitious concepts and tepid compacts while the European car market erodes beneath their feet.
The mood in Europe is much like it was in Detroit a few years ago, when the Big Three were threatening to become the Medium Two and automakers went hat in hand to Washington looking for help. Nearly every automaker at the show is feeling the pain. Overall, European sales dropped 8.5 percent last month, the 11th consecutive monthly decline with no end in sight.
The combination of labor unrest, plant closures, deep discounts, and massive operating losses are all conspiring against an industry that was plagued with plunging demand to begin with. Ford is projecting a $1 billion loss in Europe this year alone, but that pales in comparison to the $16.8 billion in losses General Motors has racked up with its Opel and Vauxhall brands since 1999. There's even talk of bailouts for some of the smaller companies.
Still, the industry tried to put on a happy face for the show, and there are some cool things to see. Electrics and hybrids are still en vogue, and everyone's pushing fuel economy. There are fewer outrageous concepts and -- gasp! -- only one 800-plus horsepower supercar, underscoring the tough times across the pond.
Here are the most important, intriguing and outrageous cars, straight from the Paris Auto Show floor.
McLaren P1
Let's start on a high note with the McLaren P1. Twenty years after all 100 examples of the legendary, center-seated F1 were sold, McLaren is back with another range-topping supercar that has enough presence and visual drama to make even the wildest of Paganis pale in comparison.
With a name that's a not-so-subtle nod to its nearly 200 Formula One victories in almost five decades of racing, the P1 will reportedly have at least 600 horsepower per ton, which could have it knocking on the door of 1,000-hp mark when it lands on roads next year. The Bugatti Veyron finally has something to look out for in its rearview mirror.
While McLaren is remaining mum on exact engine details, there's talk of everything from a twin-turbo V8 (a modified version of the MP4-12C's mill) to a F1-derived V12. But the smart money is on some kind of hybrid drivetrain, with two electric motors putting out around 150 hp a piece to the front wheels, similar to what Porsche is doing with the 918 Spyder.
But for now, the real story is the shape. With ducts, inlets, fins and even a snorkel for the engine, the P1 will suck down more air than an asthmatic Orca, producing over 1,300 pounds of downforce before it even comes close to its 200+ mph top speed.
Lacking an engine and interior, McLaren says it's only a design study for now, but the automaker reassures us that almost all of the exterior elements will make it to production when it begins selling a limited batch of 500 P1s in 2013. But don't expect a center-seat arrangement like its '90s predecessor.
