Cars

Its name sets the scene nicely for the task in hand. ‘P1’ not only casts a nod in the direction of the legendary McLaren F1, but also refers to the prize position in motor racing: at the head of the field, leading the pack in first place. Of course, with several rivals on the horizon – namely Ferrari’s Enzo successor, Porsche’s 918 Spyder and the production version of Jaguar’s C-X75 – this is the spot McLaren would very much like to acquire in the hierarchy of the hypercar grid, too.

It was a very appropriate gesture for the Paris Motor Show, since it was the 1925 Paris Exhibition or Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes that gave Art Deco its name. And here in 2012 we see a wealth of Art Deco-inspired interior detailing on the Phantom Saloon’s black and arctic white interior, a Phantom Drophead Coupé ‘furnished in resplendent mother of pearl onlays’ and a Ghost – its elegant simplicity enhanced by the two-tone, jubilee silver and cobalt blue, with a magnificent interior featuring intricate marquetry front and rear.

Rain, rain and more rain. The French weather gods had no mercy on the party commuters who hopped from one event to another, although they held a brief intermission for Lana del Rey to serenade the attendees of Jaguar’s F-type launch at the Musée Rodin. Thematically it was a good choice: del Rey successfully combines the glamour-rich sixties with contemporary pop culture, while the F-type performs a similar role as a spiritual descendant of the legendary Jaguar E-type of 1961.

A lack of wing mirrors is the only visual signal that the new Porsche isn’t ready for the showroom just yet, but its otherwise production-ready appearance means that it’s all but confirmed for production by senior management. Ferdinand Piëch displayed a knowing smile as the audience at the VW Group night – preceding the opening day of the Paris Motor Show – rose to applaud the new car.

Based on Bentley’s fastest-ever road car – the new GT Speed – the FIA-approved concept signals Bentley’s return to the racetrack for the first time since its Le Mans victory (the marque’s sixth outright win in the world-famous endurance race) in 2003. The Continental GT3, we’re told, ‘remains faithful to the company’s founding motorsport philosophy of developing racing cars from their road-going counterparts’.

It’s hard to believe, but true: next spring, the Lamborghini Gallardo will be ten years old. For a super sports car, that’s a small eternity – but before a replacement arrives next year (coinciding with the marque’s 50th anniversary), the Gallardo will receive a number of updates. As part of the reorganisation, the basic LP 560-4 is to be given a new front fascia and rear bumper design, both of which are marked by triangular and trapezoidal elements. New 19-inch ‘Apollo’ alloys round off the more noteworthy changes.

“There’s one thing I’d like to clarify,” said Jaguar brand Chief Adrian Hallmark during a secret preview of the new F-type in London earlier this month. “We’re not trying to honour the ashes of the dead. For us, it's not about sentimentality – and this is not a new E-type”. But comparisons to the greatest of all Jaguar icons are inevitable. Following on from the successful racing C- and D-types, the E-type arrived in the early 1960s to provide the British marque with long-awaited public success.

It shares the same 4.7-litre V8 as its siblings, but emphasis has been put on giving the car ‘sports characteristics derived from racing experience’ – albeit without losing its touring abilities. That’s why, while the MC Stradale coupé is a strictly two-seat affair, the GranCabrio MC has been allowed to retain its quartet of chairs.