1984 Porsche 944 on 2040-cars

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The mood at this year’s Paris Motor Show: Quiet

The Paris Motor Show, held every other year in the early fall, typically kicks off the annual cavalcade of automotive conclaves, one that traverses the globe between autumn and spring, introducing projective, conceptual and production-ready vehicle models to the international automotive press, automotive aficionados and a public hungry for news of our increasingly futuristic mobility enterprise. But this year, at the press preview days for the show, the grounds of the Porte de Versailles convention center felt a bit more sparsely populated than usual. This was not simply a subjective sensation, or one influenced by the center's atypically dispersed assemblage of seven discrete buildings, which tends to spread out the cars and the crowds. There were not only fewer new vehicles being premiered in Paris this year, there were fewer manufacturers there to display them. Major mainstream European OEM stalwarts such as Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Nissan and Volkswagen chose to sit out Paris this year, as did boutique manufacturers like Bentley, Aston Martin and Lamborghini. This is not simply based in some antipathy on the part of the German, British and Italian manufacturers toward the French market — though for a variety of historical and societal reasons that market may be more dominated by vehicles produced domestically than others. Rather, it is part of a larger trend in the industry. Last year, Mercedes-Benz announced that it would not be participating in the flagship North American International Auto Show in 2019 — and that it might not return. Other brands including Jaguar/Land Rover, Audi, Porsche, Mazda and nearly every exotic carmaker have also departed the Detroit show. Some of these brands will still appear in the city in which the show is taking place, and host an event offsite, to capitalize on the presence of a large number of reporters in attendance. And even brands that do have a presence at the show have shifted their vehicle introductions to the days before the official press opening in an attempt to stand out from the crowd. In many ways, this makes sense. With an expanding number of automakers, with diversification and niche-ification of models and with wholesale shifts that necessitate the introduction of EV or autonomous sub-brands, there is a growing sense that, with everyone shouting at the same time, no one can be heard.

Gemballa reveals new Porsche 991-based GT convertible

Gemballa went through the ringer last year, but rebounded with products that signal a complete turnaround. The latest is the recently-released Porsche 911 Carrera S with a Gemballa GT aerodynamics and technology package. Aero-wise, it includes carbon fiber additions beginning with a front bumper wearing the classic Gemballa air intake design and a lower, angrier splitter. New side skirts run from wheel to wheel, the final piece being a rear bumper in three sculpted horizontal sections featuring a rear diffuser tucked between six rectangular exhaust tips.
No engine mods have been made, but the technology part of the tune - springs that are 30 millimeters shorter yet still able to work with the PASM system - is claimed to make the car faster. Bringing things to a halt is a new Brembo brake system hiding behind 21-inch GForged wheels that are lighter than Porsche's standard 20-inchers.
The Gemballa GT aero kit runs €19,860 ($26,070 U.S.), which includes paint and installation if you happen to be in Germany, and we're assuming that includes the suspension modification, brakes and sport exhaust. The GForged wheels are another €9,895 ($12,989 U.S.) depending on your choice of tire. Check out the press release below for more info, and the photo gallery above for all the angles.

Best electric sedans of 2024

While the American automotive trends tend to lean toward SUVs and trucks, and sedans seem to be dying out, there are some great four-doors out there in the EV market. They may not have the bulk, the high vantage point, or the storage capacity of the utes, but some folks still want a car that’s, well, a car. A sedan might not always have as much room to cram in a big battery pack, either, but they also donÂ’t weigh as much. They tend to be more lithe, sexy and agile. And theyÂ’re generally cheaper than their bigger brethren, too, though some of the full-size luxury sedans can still get well into six-figure pricing. If thatÂ’s not your thing, you can check out the best electric SUVs, but if youÂ’ve read this far, you probably enjoy sedans as much as us. WeÂ’ve tested quite a few, and these are the best electric sedans of 2024.   Best electric sedans below $60,000 Tesla Model 3 — $40,380 The Tesla Model 3 is one of just two sedans (along with the Hyundai Ioniq 6) to make it onto our list of best EVs under $50,000. ItÂ’s quite the value, too, with a starting price of just $40,380. ItÂ’s also fun to drive. Yes, it has some quirks, including too many vehicle functions residing exclusively in infotainment menus, but the Model 3's idiosyncrasies are easy to forgive based on its price and range, and they're things you can quickly get used to or possibly even appreciate. No wonder this EV is so popular.   Hyundai Ioniq 6 — $43,565 Of the sedans on this list, the Ioniq 6 is one of the most affordable (starting at $43,565), and one of the best. ItÂ’s quite efficient, with long driving range — up to 361 miles. Its cabin is creative in its design while being practical and comfortable. Interestingly, the Hyundai Ioniq 6 is the sportiest version of Hyundai and KiaÂ’s E-GMP cars, apart from the high-performance Kia EV6 GT. Its design, value, range, fast charging and other useful tech easily make it one of best electric sedans you can buy.   BMW i4 — $53,195 Though the BMW i4 is essentially an electric version of the 4 Series Gran Coupe, this EV sedan is something special. ItÂ’s packed with power and great driving dynamics in true BMW style. The rear-drive i4 eDrive40 is one quick car, but the i4 M50 is ridiculously fast. If you can get past the questionable nose and the iDrive 8 infotainment system, the i4 is an electric sleeper, and a performance bargain.