Showing the world

摘要

The Mondiale de I'Automobile in Paris this month is a show for the style conscious and the trendsetter. But behind the glitz Maurice Glover finds new contenders for prime parts of the market and new ideas from the established automakers. Small cars made a spectacular series of big splashes at the Mondial de I'Automobile in Paris. But there is little doubt that the resulting ripples causing most concern in European motor industry boardrooms were those created by their new neighbours from South Korea. Having been once bitten by the Japanese, industry leaders seemed decidedly twice shy when Hyundai and Kia rolled out the vehicles they will soon be producing from showpiece factories likely to establish fresh standards in manufacturing. The new boys on the European block will also set a breathtaking pace in output that will result in a minimum a combined annual total of 600,000 vehicles swelling the C-segment before the end of the decade. For all that, not everyone was pessimistic after inspecting Kia's handsome (if strangely named) cee'd five door production model, the three-door sporty version and estate concepts that will join it on the lines by the end of next year - and the dashing Arnejs, a concept of the similarly-sized Hyundai which will also be challenging the likes of the Volkswagen Golf, Opel/Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus in 2007.