The Must-See New Cars from the Paris Motorshow 2018

Tesla’s days as the only premium electric car options are numbered. Jaguar has recently launched the I-Pace, and now Audi is readying the e-tron. With a pure-electric driving range of 248 miles clothed in a traditionally crisply styled body, Audi’s first effort has driver and kerbside appeal. Quality is at a level Tesla can only dream of, too, while prices are expected to start from a little over £70,000.

The Audi Q2 might not be the greatest SUV ever, but its diminutive size and funky looks mean it’s been a sales success. Now Audi has shoehorned a 2.0-litre engine under the bonnet that produces an impressive 296bhp. A Quattro four-wheel drive system, upgraded suspension, brakes and gearbox, and quad-exhausts turn it into a seriously hot SUV (or an Audi S3 on stilts) that will rocket to 62mph in just 4.8 seconds. Deliveries start next year, where we expect the price to be around £38,000.

Arguably the most important, the new 3 Series will define BMW for the next seven years or so. The design has become a little muddled, and it’s proportions have grown a tad, but it’s still identifiably a 3 Series. Packed with new technology, there’s a 12.3-inch digital screen instead of traditional dials, a centre stack that’s been thoroughly redesigned, and another iteration of the iDrive control system. Adaptive suspension and four-wheel drive will be optional, and there’ll be an array of sensible and not sensible petrol and diesel engines. A plug-in hybrid will follow eventually, but the range will start at £33,610 when it hits the UK next year.

Finally eschewing the trend for ‘sporty’ suspension and Nurburgring-smashing performance, the latest GLE promises extraordinary ride comfort, with optional air suspension that scans the road ahead and prepares the car for bumps before you reach them. There’ll be a seven seat option, but it’s rather tight in the back; settle for just five seats and the GLE could be the perfect SUV, just so long as you can wait until early 2019 and have around £55,000 or more to spare.

Who saw this coming? In a market dominated by SUVs, Mercedes has added a boot to the new A-Class. From the nose through to the rear doors, it’s the same as the well-received hatchback, but a sleek back end has been grafted on. The result is a stylish and sleek design that promises to make the A-Class Saloon the most aerodynamic car on sale. A limited range will be available in early 2019, starting from slightly under £28,000.

People forget the B-Class exists, but there’s plenty of reason to be interested in it. Taking the latest twin-screen dashboard from the A-Class, as well as the voice-operated digital assistant, MBUX, the B-Class brings high tech goodies to the practical family car market. It really is practical too, with rear seats that can move around to free up as much as 705 litres of boot space. Wide doors, easy access and a high roofline add to the proposition, but it’s still a stylish and obviously Mercedes model.

First seen in Shanghai, Porsche hasn’t fiddled much with the Macan design for this new model. The interior is as dramatic as ever, with a low slung position and rows of high-quality metal buttons making their way up the centre stack, while the exterior is enlivened by some LED lights at the front and a full-width LED strip at the back. Powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, the power has dropped to improve emissions, but it still gets to 62mph quicker than the old model - just 6.7 seconds are needed. The best-selling model powered by a V6 diesel engine has been dropped, but there’s now a 434bhp model with an engine borrowed from the Cayenne, while on-road focussed suspension changes combine with the power to ensure this will be entertaining to drive. Order books are open now, with prices starting from around £47,000.

If you think the new Peugeot 508 looks good, then you’ll love the SW. It’s an estate version of the sleek hatchback, but the French firm has decided to retain the design-led focus and ignore such things as space and practicality. It mean loses out on load space to the old, frumpy, model, although it’s reasonably competitive for the class. We expect it to be every bit as desirable as the hatchback, especially as it shares the same high-quality cabin and interesting tiny steering wheel and high dials combination.

Everything that’s been written about the Skoda Kodiaq holds true for this new big SEAT. Sharing the same platform and engines, the Tarraco gets some Spanish flair from the bold and surprisingly aggressive grille, some crease lines along the flanks, and some animated rear lights. It’s every bit as practical as its cousins, with seven seats squeezed into the body without sacrificing too much boot space. The interior is spacious, modern and well equipped, while engines will range from sensible diesel options to sportier options with four-wheel drive. A hybrid will follow, as well mean a more performance oriented FR trim. UK deliveries are expected early next year, with prices from around £27,000.

If you’re tempted by a Monza, you’ll be disappointed; they’re already sold out, despite the £1.6 million price tag. The SP1 and SP2 are broadly similar, taking design inspiration from the Ferrari Monza of the 50s, but bringing it bang up to date. Both road cars, the SP1 has a single seat and a tonneau cover, while the SP2 predictably has a second seat for a passenger. Performance is intense, with 62mph taking just 2.9 seconds thanks to an 809bhp 6.5-litre V12 engine. Future models from the Icona range that the Monza’s are part of will be a little more affordable, but start saving now.