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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.

Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini is a two-wheeled Italian mashup

Ducati has revealed its new two-wheeled mashup with parent manufacturer Lamborghini. The Ducati Streetfighter V4 Lamborghini follows in the footsteps of the 1260 Diavel, this time drawing on the Huracan STO, bringing together two Italian icons with common stylistic elements for a limited run of bikes designed for those who need as many romantic ponies as possible in their garage.  For the latest tie-up, Ducati says it applied its well-known “Fight Formula” to the existing Panigale V4 S (the latest Streetfighter makes 208 horsepower and 90 pound feet of torque) and then took it a step further, integrating styling elements that are "unmistakably Lamborghini." Depending on which generation of Lamborghini you grew up with, that could mean just about anything. Remember the '80s? Like, all of them? But in this case, Ducati and Lamborghini settled on a mix of modern styling and heritage inspiration.  Just about every part on the bike was at least breathed on if not outright redesigned. From the wheels, which are bespoke to this model, to the fender design meant to evoke the STO's air intakes, virtually everything you see is unique. Many of the smaller bits are made from carbon fiber (including the tail, tank cover and toe caps) and the STO emblem is displayed subtly (believe it or not) on its flanks.  The livery includes the #63 (as on the Diavel) in a nod to the year of Automobili Lamborghini's founding. That's also the number Ducati used to determine the number of units it would produce: divide 630 by 10 and voila. Ducati says it will also offer an even more-limited series of one-off designs for (you guessed it!) 63 lucky Lamborghini customers who will get the opportunity to match their bikes to their existing (or forthcoming) cars.  Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Volkswagen Group names Paefgen head of classics program

You may remember the name Franz-Josef Paefgen. Until recently, the German engineer and executive was head of both Bentley and Bugatti. Before that he was chief executive of Audi, after working for several years at Ford. He technically "retired" earlier this year, but like the cars he helped create, an executive like Paefgen could never really retire. So it should come as little surprise that the Volkswagen Group has named Dr. Paefgen head of its Classic program.
In his new capacity, Paefgen will oversee the historic automobile activities of the entire VW Group, including those of Volkswagen, Seat, Skoda, Audi, Lamborghini, and of course Bentley and Bugatti. It strikes us as a suitable semi-retirement for the man responsible in no small part for the Bugatti Veyron and Bentley Mulsanne, to name just two, and who was decorated in 2006 by the ACO as the "Spirit of Le Mans" for his contribution to endurance racing. Read the official announcement after the break.