What to see at the Paris Motor Show: concepts

The Paris Motor Show has given auto fans a chance to get inside the design minds of the world's automakers, with almost every major brand rolling out tantalizing glimpses of the future in the form of new concepts.

As always, some are closer to production versions than others, with the Lotus Elite, Lotus Elise, Opel GTC Paris and BMW Concept Series 6 Coupe being examples that we will see on the roads, perhaps without too much further work, in the coming years.

Even the electric concepts on show from Saab, Mercedes-Benz and Infiniti may not be too far from the production line.

For visitors that enjoy stretching their imaginations, however, there is far more fun to be had.

Kia's electric POP concept is likely to be a big crowd-puller, with the Korean automaker saying that it "doesn't point at the style of the next generation of cars, but looks even further into the future."

Nissan's TownPod takes a similar stance, although its future is hinged to that of the Nissan Leaf, the electric model that will be on the roads before too long - a success story with the Leaf could see a TownPod van-style vehicle being brought forward.

On the more upmarket side, Jaguar's jet-powered hybrid C-X75 is a must-see for lovers of the British brand, while Lamborghini fans will be desperate to get a look at the new Sesto Elemento carbon-fibre concept.

Audi's Quattro concept, created to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the all-wheel-drive performance car, is also worth a look, and Mazda-lovers won't want to miss the Shinari, said to represent a new design language for the brand.

The Paris Motor Show runs October 2-17.

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