Top 5 performance cars at the 2018 Paris Motor Show

The Mondial Salon de l'Automobile de Paris, or simply put, the Paris Motor Show, is one of the most important European motor shows which happens every two years The 2018 edition marks the 75th anniversary of the French motor show and we witnessed some seriously drool-worthy cars at the Paris stage. Apart from the futuristic concepts and EVs, there were many performance oriented vehicles that graced the show with their presence. Here are the top five performance cars which became our favourites.

Skoda Kodiaq RS:

For the first vehicle in this list to be an SUV is laughable. But The Kodiaq RS is a serious machine which lapped the gruesome Nurburgring in 9:29.84 minutes, thus making it the fastest seven-seater around the Green Hell. Powering it is a 2.0-litre BiTDI turbodiesel putting out 237bhp and 500Nm. The four-wheel-drive keeps the power in check, and the SUV is capable of revving to a 100kmph from standstill in just 6.1 seconds before hitting a top speed of 220kmph. We might also expect the Kodiaq RS to come to India.

Mercedes-Benz A35 AMG:

The previous A45 was a breakthrough in the desirable hot-hatch segment, but before that arrives in its newest avatar, Mercedes-AMG showcased the A35 to the world. The cheapest AMG till date is powered by a 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol motor like the A250, which puts down 302bhp on the front wheels via a seven-speed DCT automatic. The A35 is a lot more aggressive than the standard car, especially with the wing at the back. We hope to see the A35 grace our shores as well when Mercedes-Benz decides to bring in the updated range to India. 

Ferrari 488 Pista Spider

The 50th drop-top model to be introduced by Ferrari is also the most powerful series production spider in the Italian brand’s history. The 488 Pista Spider also sports the most powerful V8 engine in Maranello history, putting out 720bhp and 770Nm. Its 0-100kmph sprint time of 2.85 seconds and a lap time at Fiorano of just 1.21 seconds is equally commendable. The drop-top Pista is equally gorgeous, akin to the coupe and gets a lot of aerodynamic aids along with weight-saving measures to keep things interesting in the supercar sphere. 

Hyundai i30 Fastback N

If you loved the idea of a Hyundai hot hatch, but found the i30 N to be too impractical, then Hyundai has got you covered. Hyundai’s third N model is the i30 Fastback N which gives the same performance but with an added 450litres of boot space. Sitting under the hood of the i30 Fastback N is a 2.0-litre turbo-petrol which is available in two tunes – 246bhp and 271bhp. The i30 N Fastback has all the elements of the hot hatch but the tail is complemented with gorgeous looking LED taillights and aggressive contrasting rear diffusers. 

Lexus RC

Lexus discreetly updated the RC in August and this was the first time the world saw the updated sports coupe in flesh. The cosmetic changes include the reshaped headlight with striking LED DRLs. It takes its inspiration from the LC, while the Spindle grille adds to the majestic appeal. There are many blink-and-miss updates but the most important update is under the hood, where the 2.0-litre engine has been tweaked for improved performance. The upcoming RC F will also carry similar changes with all its aggressive demeanour.