Accustomed to Shooting the Moon, Volkswagen Group Holds Fire in Paris

September 27, 2012, 10:24 am

By STEPHEN WILLIAMS

PARIS - Swapping the incendiary feel of last year's motor show in Frankfurt for a more delicate theme here - in a phrase, ballerinas and bubbles - the Volkswagen Group unofficially opened the press days on Wednesday night with a half-dozen premiers before a mass of media.

In his remarks, Martin Winterkorn, chief executive of VW, allowed for some skepticism amid the corporate ebullience. “These are turbulent times in Europe,” Mr. Winterkorn said, referencing the sovereign debt turmoil in the euro zone. “How long will the crisis last? Where do things go from here? No simple answers.” Ferdinand Piëch, meanwhile, was seen smiling, uncharacteristic of the VW Group chairman, who may still be on a high from purchasing the long-coveted Ducati earlier this year.

Mr. Winterkorn noted that plug-in hybrids rather than pure electrics would figure prominently in VW's product plans, sketching out vehicles that would offer about 30 miles on a charge, then switch to fossil-fuel power, in the manner of the Chevrolet Volt. “There is no alternative to the internal combustion engine over the long term,” he said.

Here are some notable debuts from Wednesday, to be attended on Thursday by formal introductions at the show:

- The Audi A3 Sportback: A four-door hatchback to join its two-door equivalent. Neither is destined for sales in the United States; the American market is scheduled to receive an A3 sedan next spring. The S3, a variant of the two-door hatchback with 296 horsepower, is another piece of forbidden fruit for American buyers to be displayed at the show.

- Bentley Continental GT3: The company says the GT3 marks a “return to racing” for the brand. The GT3, looking like a blown Audi TT, is nominally a concept, but it is scheduled to undergo testing in 2013 on the GT3 class circuit.

- Volkswagen Cross Caddy: No relation to the premium General Motors marque. An M.P.V. in the vein of the Fiat Panda and redesigned Ford Transit Connect, the Caddy mates what appears to be the front end of the Tiguan compact crossover with a big box in the back. Perhaps a descendent will contest the Taxi of Tomorrow wars in New York in some distant year, but the generation shown here will not be sold in the United States.

- Volkswagen MkVII Golf: Built on the group's new modular MQB platform, which arrives in Europe in November and is expected to reach the United States early next year. A GTI version, also being shown in Paris, closely follows the Golf's release. A diesel concept, the Golf BlueMotion, was shown here on Wednesday.

- The Unobtanium: A mildly refreshed Lamborghini Gallardo and special edition called the Edizione Tecnica were joined by a 1,200-horsepower Bugatti Veyron Gran Sport Vitesse. Fast company.

- Ducati: A pair of sexy sportbikes showcased for the Ducatisti the works of the Italian brand recently acquired by Audi.

Befitting the largest automaker on the continent, VW has a number of other introductions planned for Thursday from holdings like Seat, Skoda and Porsche.