Liz Dobson - Paris Motors Show

It’s not all croissants, brie and berets at the biennial Paris motor show, instead it’s a reveal of fanciful concept cars and vehicles that we could expect to see on New Zealand roads within the next few months.

Official called Mondial de l’Automobile, the motor show is one the largest in the world with more than 1.2 million visitors checking out the latest vehicles from not only European manufacturers but car companies from around the world.

Opening to the public on October 4, the motoring media gets sneak peaks at the vehicles on October 2 and 3 with car companies having 15-minute allotments to present their products.

The stars of this show are expected to be the Mercedes-Benz AMG-GT, Jaguar’s XE mid-sized luxury sedan, and Volvo’s long-awaited XC90.

I’m heading to Paris this year and here’s my pick of cars that I’ll be queuing to view.

Mercedes-Benz AMG GT (pictured): Set to rival the likes of Porsche’s 911, the car has a beefy 4-ltire, V8 engine and curves in all the right places. It’s a replacement of the SLS two-seater and with aimed to give the company more of a rugged appeal. The German company is also expected to reveal the C-Class Cabriolet, with Mercedes NZ having recently launched the C-Class sedan here.

Mazda MX-5: Previewed simultaneous on three continents in mid-September, this is a chance to have a good, long look at the company’s forth-generation two-seater convertible. It won’t be in New Zealand until next year but it’s already being touted as a collector’s vehicle.

Skoda Fabia: The hatchback is expected to be a more revised, fuel-efficient version from the company now owned by VW AG. More Kiwis are picking the brand as an affordable European vehicle so expect to see more of these on our roads.

Jaguar XE: Thanks to the XF and hot F-Type convertible and coupes, this British built, Indian owned car company is gaining popularity for not only its build but also superb design. Now the company is after more sales and it hoping the XE mid-sized sedan will steal sales from its European competitors of BMW 3 Series, Mercedes C-Class and the Audi A4. Kiwis will be able to check it mid-2015.

Volvo XC90: Nothing says safety more than Volvo and now that the Swedish company has a new owner, Chinese brand Geely, the brand has had a life-saving reprieved. It’s been 12 years since the first XC90 was launched  - with most car companies replacing models every six or seven years – but even up to recent Volvo NZ was selling the popular large crossover. The new model even has moose detecting technology (pictured) and is set to be one of the safest cars on the road.

Land Rover Discovery Sport: Known as the baby Land Rover , this SUV will replace the Freelander when it goes on sale in 2015. Expect chunky off-roader looks plus the clean looks of the bigger siblings, Range Rover and Land Rover Discovery.

Kia Sorento: It’s the Korean company’s best selling SUV and the third-generation will be on show in Paris.  It’s using a new platform that gives it more interior passenger space and a clean exterior design. Expect it to take on the ‘sister’ brand Hyundai ix35.