Have we witnessed the death knell for the Paris show?
IT FELT like Paris had fallen out of love with the motor show – if last week’s expo in the French capital was anything to go by. The feeling from the uncarpeted concrete hall floors (a sign of budget cuts?) was one of uncertainty over the future of the event. Motor shows are propped up by the brands that pay to attend them, and while there were still some key cars making debuts – Renault’s 4Ever Trophy concept and Jeep’s Avenger were two of the big ones – most car makers were notable by their absence. None of the big German brands made an appearance; Mercedes had the audacity to hold its own event at the same time in the same city. Just two main halls were occupied, with Renault and Dacia,…