20 stars of the 2026 Paris motor show

Held at the Paris Expo Porte de Versailles, this year’s event has produced a bumper line-up of hotly anticipated new production cars and concepts from all around the world.

This slideshow contains some of the year’s most important new cars. Join us as we take you through the highlights (in alphabetical order).

A number of Stellantis-owned brands have each shown off new concept cars at this year’s Paris show, the Cuorerosso being Alfa Romeo’s effort.

Similar in size to the current Giulia saloon, the Cuorerosso is a sleek 2+2 fastback that Alfa Romeo is describing as a manifesto for how the brand will handle electrification – although, interestingly, the concept is said to be powered by a hybridised, 2.9-litre twin-turbocharged V6 engine rather than being an EV, hinting at the brand’s commitment to petrol-powered performance cars in the future.

Based on the platform of the upcoming next-generation, electric Alpine A110 and Renault 5 Turbo 3E, the A310 Vision is a retro-futuristic take on Alpine’s 1970s four-seat sports car.

Officially a one-off for now, the A310 Vision takes inspiration from both the standard and pumped-up V6 versions of the classic A310.

The concept loses two seats but makes up for the fact by incorporating ‘pop-down’ front lights while maintaining elements of the characteristic angular styling of the original.

Audi has used the Paris motor show to give the new A2 E-tron supermini its public debut.

Based on the same platform as the Volkswagen ID 3 and taking unmistakable styling cues from the cult-classic original A2 of 1999, this EV has been designed for maximum efficiency – meaning a range of up to 401 miles on a single charge.

BYD has presented its new flagship electric SUV, the seven-seat Atto 8, as a rival for the likes of the Skoda Peaq and Kia EV9.

It will be available with up to 764bhp and features BYD’s second-generation 115kWh Blade battery – which means the Chinese firm's new ultra-rapid Flash chargers can charge it from 10-70% in just five minutes or 10-97% in nine minutes.

Perhaps the star of this year’s show is the long-awaited new 2CV, which Citroën has unveiled in concept form.

Taking clear styling inspiration from the original 2CV of 1948, this close preview of the future production EV – expected in 2028 – displays some of the features we can expect from Citroën’s budget Renault Twingo rival.

For instance, the concept features friendly, wheel-arch-mounted headlights, a simplistic fabric roll-back roof and interior details (pictured, above right) such as tartan bench seats, an ‘umbrella handle’ gear selector, a single-spoke steering wheel and mushroom-shaped pedals.

Citroën said it's targeting a production kerb weight of just a tonne, which would make the new 2CV one of the lightest EVs on sale. Crucially, the brand is also targeting a price of just €15,000 (£12,750), which would not only significantly undercut the Renault Twingo but make the 2CV the cheapest new car for sale in the UK.

In addition, Citroën has unveiled a commercial variant of the new 2CV concept, which revives the historic Fourgonnette name of the original 2CV van, built between 1951 and 1977.

From the B-pillar backwards, the Fourgonnette differs from the standard 2CV concept, incorporating a boxy cargo section accessible through a flip-up side panel and twin rear doors.

However, the Fourgonnette is yet to be approved for production, remaining at the moment a “passion project”.

The second-generation Dacia Spring is a budget supermini EV based on the new Renault Twingo.

It represents a big step up from the original Spring, more than 200,000 examples of which were sold in five years.

Dacia claims a range of 155 miles for the new Spring and, with its price set to dip below £18,000, it will be one of the cheapest new cars on offer in the UK.

DS has signalled the return of a hatchback within its range through the unveiling of the F3VER concept, which previews the Nº3 supermini.

After disappointing sales for the second-generation DS 3, which moved away from a traditional bodystyle to become a crossover, the new concept adopts styling cues from the 2009 original.

An updated and fully furnished concept will be shown next year with a full interior and then a production version is expected shortly afterwards.

Fiat has unveiled a new concept that takes inspiration from the 1990s Multipla, called the Multiplay – and, unusually, it features a sliding rear roof section that means it can take on different forms, converting from a raised MPV into a pick-up truck electronically.

Despite being only loosely based on the Multipla, its bubble-like rounded cabin and raised lighting are reminiscent of the divisive 1998 model, which has become a cult classic.

Fiat has yet to confirm whether the Multiplay previews a production car.

Fiat also unveiled the Multiplina, a four-seat microcar based on the same platform as the Topolino, albeit reworked to offer more space and a larger battery.

Reviving the 1950s styling of the 600 Multipla and having a similar footprint, the new Multiplina will be built to L7 quadricycle regulations from 2028 – unlike the Topolino, which sits in the L6 category. This means the Multiplina will be faster and, thanks to the bigger battery, have a longer range.

Making its debut at the Paris show, the Fiat Grizzly is a larger variant of the Grande Panda and conceived as a rival for the popular Dacia Bigster.

The SUV will be available with a choice of petrol, hybrid and electric powertrains and will be sold in both conventional SUV and Fastback bodystyles.

The Hyundai Tuscon SUV has entered its fifth generation with a bold new exterior design as it bids to remain one of the world’s best-selling cars.

Revealed in European specification in Paris, the Tucson must go head-to-head with new Chinese rivals such as the Jaecoo 7 and BYD Seal U.

The new car is bigger than its predecessor and adopts the interior arrangement from the new Ioniq 3 electric hatchback, emphasising interior space and safety.

The new Tuscon will be powered by a 1.6-litre four-cylinder turbo petrol engine with varying degrees of electrification and either front- or four-wheel-drive.

Chinese firm Leapmotor has confirmed at the Paris show that its new electric supermini, the B03, will arrive in the UK next year with a range of 242 miles and be priced from under £25,000.

A rival for the Renault 5 and Volkswagen ID Polo and already on sale in China as the A05, the hatchback can also be charged from 10-80% in only 21 minutes, having a maximum charging speed of 133kW.

Peugeot has introduced two striking new concepts at the Paris show, one of which is a rakish sports coupé that resurrects the RCZ name.

Intended as a preview of Peugeot’s new design language for its next generation of models, which will start with the new 208 supermini next year (see next slide), the RCZ concept is a four-seater that captures design elements from the 2009 original, including its distinctive double-bubble roof, and features a radical new cockpit design.

The new RCZ is actually being mulled for production, unlike Peugeot’s previous three coupé concepts, so long as the brand sees enough customer demand for it.

Alongside the RCZ, Peugeot has shown a second new concept that previews the next generation of the 208, which is expected in early 2027.

Rather than just stopping there, though, Peugeot has used the opportunity to cloak the concept in a retro-futuristic, motorsport-inspired bodykit that pays homage to the legendary 205 T16 of the 1980s.

While precise technical details haven’t been confirmed, the e-T16 concept is said to produce a monstrous 805bhp and features flared-out bodywork, yellow lights, aggressive twin boot spoilers and exterior details picked out in red accents.

Similarly to the RCZ, the e-T16 is purely conceptual for now but could be green-lit in the future if Peugeot sees enough demand for a production version.

Indeed, its designers are working with the PSE team, who run the brand’s World Endurance Championship programme, to create a fully drivable prototype.

Unveiled a few weeks ago, Renault’s conceptual homage to the legendary classic 8 Gordini has now made its public debut at the Paris show.

The 1962 original got its name from renowned engineer Amédée Gordini, who created a performance version of the humble Renault 8 that went on to dominate in the rally world and spawn the world’s very first single-make race series.

It distinctively featured quad headlights and twin white stripes against bright blue paintwork – something this concept clearly mimics. However, the new 8 Gordini is said to produce 270bhp from an electric motor, rather than a rear-mounted petrol engine.

Renault insists the concept is strictly a one-off, destined for the brand’s new museum in Flins, France, although the design contains hints of features that could appear on future models.

Renault has also unveiled the E-Space concept in Paris, which is a clear homage to the original Espace of 1984.

That car played a key role in popularising the MPV class and could even be considered as the original 'people carrier', which could point towards this new concept being an attempt by Renault to revive the genre.

The steeply raked front windscreen is said to mimic those of France’s TGV trains while the rear spoiler references the roof bars that were prominent on the Mk3 and Mk4 Espaces.

The E-Space concept can seat six across three rows of seats; the middle row can swivel and be folded flat to create a table for the third row.

Renault has said it will “explore possible futures” for the E-Space but has yet to comment on whether it's intended for production.

Smart is returning to its roots with a new sub-£20k, two-seater city car called the #2, 28 years after launching the seminal City Coupé.

The original Smart car, also unveiled in Paris in 1998, has clearly influenced the new #2 in terms of design, its tiny, boxy proportions being optimised for urban driving. At 2746mm long, it's actually slightly shorter than the Mk3 Fortwo that went out of production in 2024.

The #2 sits on a bespoke new platform and was co-developed by Mercedes-Benz and Geely. It's powered by a rear-mounted 80bhp electric motor and is good for 180 miles of range.

Vauxhall has unveiled a radical new concept at the Paris show called the STX (standing for Sports Tourer Experimental) – a low-roofed, streamlined estate that is said to preview the next Astra Tourer.

Technical details are scarce, apart from the fact that the STX is a four-wheel-drive EV. Its styling centres around its ‘Vizor’ front end and it's the first car to feature Vauxhall's simplified new logo.

Volkswagen has revealed the latest member of its ID electric model range, the ID Tiguan, as a replacement for the ID 4 and ID 5 siblings.

The ID Tiguan represents a major mid-life update for the ID 4 and ID 5 rather than being an entirely new model, overhauled interior and exterior styling to bring it closer in line with Volkswagen’s other contemporary models, such as the ID Polo and ID Cross.

Powertrain options are unchanged from the outgoing ID 4 and ID 5, but the ID Tiguan receives new suspension components to improve ride comfort.

The first examples are due in the UK early next year.

If you enjoyed this story, please click the Follow button above to see more like it from Autocar