#2010ParisAutoShow

After debuting the IPL ( Infiniti Performance Line) G Coupe at Pebble Beach, Nissan’s luxury arm has unveiled the IPL G Convertible at the Paris Auto Show. Those eager to get their hands on this more attractive G Coupe will have to wait, however, as it’s technically a concept car. But don’t let the name fool you, Infiniti will most certainly bring this car to market – likely with an announcement just before orders can be placed for the Spring.

Volvo is adding even more style and a touch more performance to its new S60 and V60 models thanks to an optional R-Design package. Officially unveiled at the Paris Auto Show, the R-Spec package is available with any engine choice (in Europe anyway).

Infiniti still doesn’t have much of a presence in Europe, but the brand it looking to continue to grow thanks to a strong lineup of sport-oriented luxury models on one side, and an expanding hybrid and EV initiative on the other. The latest addition to the Infiniti lineup, the M35h, has plenty of potential with a strong combination of luxury, performance and fuel economy.

Citroen’s Survolt electric car is pretty single-minded. While the Tesla Roadster is an electric sports car for the road, the Survolt is meant to be an outright race car.

Most of you are familiar with the Chevrolet Orlando, the minivan touted by Chevrolet as a game-changer that was canned at the last minute for the United States.

Looking nearly identical to the production model, Chevy has unveiled the hatchback version of the Cruze compact car at the Paris Auto Show. We say nearly identical because Chevy refers to this as a “show car”; more commonly called a concept.

After rotting on the vine of General Motors for a few too many seasons, the Chevy Aveo has just been replaced with a new generation model sporting the same subcompact’s badge. Unveiled at the Paris Auto Show, the new small car retains many of the features from the Aveo RS Concept car, including the large front grille, oversized headlights and rear door handles that are hidden into the C-pillar to give the 5-door a sporty 3-door look. And while the design is nice, the taller dimensions of the Aveo do make it look more functional than fun. That’s not always a bad thing, however, as the Aveo looks to have significantly more cargo room than the Ford Fiesta – although no official cargo numbers have been released.

News doesn’t necessarily have to be new. Sure, that goes against the age old rules of journalism… but it’s true. Case in point: the Porsche GT2 RS.

Announced just a few weeks ago, Bentley chose the Paris Auto Show to debut “the new” Continental GT. We say “new” because it’s got the same chassis and engine, along with most everything else. And for the most party the body looks identical.

Yesterday Lotus Cars began what the storied British automaker is calling a “New Era” launching an entire lineup of vehicles at one auto show. A total of five new models graced the Lotus stand, including the new Esprit, a second-generation Elise, the flagship Elite and even a 4-door model called Eterne. Details were scarce, but Kevin Smith, head of publications for Lotus Cars USA has shed some light on each of the five models.

Matching the Ferrari 599 in output, Lotus has just officially debuted its first supercar, the Elite, at the Paris Auto Show. With a total of 612-hp and 531 ft-lbs of torque from a custom 5.0-liter V8 engine, there’s far more to the Elite than just a name and some numbers.

The original Lotus Elan was an icon, a two-seat, four-cylinder roadster that weighed 1,400 pounds and was the inspiration for the Mazda Miata. The new one couldn’t be more different.

Some may say it looks a little like a Corvette Convertible, regardless, there’s no denying the Ferrari 599 SA Aperta is classically beautiful. With just 80 models being built, the SA Aperta is ultra-exclusive (they made five times as many Enzos) and celebrates 80 years of Pininfarina design. The name itself honors the design house – in particular Sergio and Andrea Pininfarina.

Inspired by the Trofeo GranTurismo MC series cars, as well as the Italian automaker’s GT4 race cars, the Maserati GranTurismo MC Stradale brings much of the former two models’ racing capability to the street.

Sure there are lots of high-powered V8, V10 and even V12s at the Paris Auto Show, but as you likely know most Europeans put around in tiny displacement engines. Well, Fiat is hoping its home market will be receptive to a further down-sizing with the release of the new 500 TwinAir. The “twin” in the name indicated the number of cylinders; that’s right, just two.