Paris Motor Show features automotive treasures to satiate desires both subtle and gross

The glare of thousands of lights are reflected on the gleaming metal and carbon fiber at the stands of the Paris Motor Show as Europe’s carmakers hope that sales in the continent this year will finally increase, even with some indications that they may remain nearly flat.

With Volkswagen being the only mass-market European maker poised to make more money in the region, other brands have pulled out all the stops to make sure that they had their most stylish and desirable offerings on the runways.

Honda Civic Type R

Honda takes on the Subaru Impreza WRX STI and the Volkswagen Golf GTI with the Civic Type R. Featuring a 2-liter iVTEC engine generating “more than 280 PS [276.16 horsepower],” Honda says that the new Type R will outperform previous cars with the red badge, including the vaunted NSX Type R.

The Civic comes with a six-speed manual transmission, and in place of the “Econ” button now in most Hondas, the hot hatch has a “+R” button that changes the car’s driving characteristics to a setting suitable for track driving.

Fiat 500X

Taking a page from the Mini Countryman book, Fiat is also banking on the retro styling of its 500 compact, and expanding it to the crossover class. The 4.25-meter-long 500X comes in two versions: one for urban driving and the other for more rugged offroad adventures.

The all-wheel-drive system can automatically disengage the rear axle drive to save fuel. Fiat offers a wide range of choices for interior fabric or leather trim as befits the ultimate latest fashion accessory.

Ducati Scrambler

Don’t call it retro. The “post-heritage” Scrambler motorcycle is how Ducati envisions the iconic bike if the company had continued building it since its production era in the 1960s and 1970s. The yellow icon version features a rounded, classically beautiful shape that is crafted from metal and the latest components, including LED lights. The 803-cc engine is an air-cooled two-valve design.

Volkswagen Golf Alltrack

VW displayed its take on the Subaru XV with the Golf Alltrack. Featuring increased ground clearance and all-wheel drive, the raised wagon enters the hot compact crossover segment.

The new Golf will feature the usual engines, including a 177.53 HP, 1.8-liter gasoline unit and a 181.48 HP, 2-liter diesel version. The four-wheel drive system uses a Haldex coupling and electronic differential lock. Golf Alltrack features an “Offroad” mode and hill-descent control.

Volkswagen XL Sport

VW put a different spin on its XL1 ultrahigh mileage car at Paris with the XL Sport. While the limited-production XL1 (only 250 units will be built) can get up to 111 kilometers per liter, the XL Sport goes for performance.

The new car uses a Ducati V-Twin engine, the world’s most powerful two-cylinder engine. Revving up to 11,000 revolutions per minute, the motorcycle engine generates 197 HP, enough to propel the lightweight carbon-fiber XL to 100 kph in 5.7 seconds.

Nissan Pulsar Nismo

Nissan returns to the C-segment in Europe with the attractive new Pulsar, which we wish we had here instead of the more insipid Sylphy. Pulsar features Nissan’s Safety Shield system that can detect moving objects and brake the car when needed. Available power is a 187.40 HP, 1.6-liter engine. A Nismo version makes the Pulsar look even more aggressive.

Jaguar XE

Jaguar takes on the BMW 3 Series with the new XE C segment sedan. The aluminum-intensive chassis gives it a lighter feel and better performance, says Jaguar. Power comes from a supercharged 3-liter V6, good for 340.27 HP. Interior features customizable wood and leather trim. The new Jag is set to debut globally in 2015.

Peugeot Quartz

Peugeot combines the body of an SUV with the body of a sedan to make a different kind of hybrid, the Quartz crossover. The compact SUV is a styling showcase that includes dramatic scissor doors and a retractable step.

The interior features basalt trim, formed from magma, and digitally woven textile, with each piece precisely created to eliminate trim waste. Four buckets seats with floating cushions and backrests adorn the interior. Power is via a 1.6-liter, 271.23-HP engine.

Toyota C-HR

A styling exercise for Toyota, the futuristic C-HR shows what a future compact crossover from the big T might look like. Styled after a diamond, the C-HR features sharp and sculpted surfaces similar to the facets of the gemstone. Thankfully, Toyota still has a few years to refine this concept. Some touches like the floating rear lamp clusters look truly bizarre.

Mercedes AMG GT

The compact sports car is a stunning rolling sculpture, powered by a 507.94-HP V8. Developed in-house by Mercedes performance division AMG, the GT is set to take on icons such as the Porsche 911.

The GT features swing-out doors rather than the dramatic gullwing of its SLS sibling. The aluminum space-frame GT features a curb weight of 1540 kilograms, with a 47/53 front/rear weight distribution. Power-to-weight ratio is 3.3 kg/HP, slightly better than the new V8 Mustang GT. Top speed is a blistering 309 kph.

Mini Cooper four-door

There’s a point where brand extension has gone too far, and Mini has crossed it with the new Mini Hardtop four-door. Looking like a Chinese knock-off, the Cooper four-door offers easier ingress to the bigger rear seating area, which now features three seats. And surely the four-door can push all the right driving buttons, as with the even bigger Countryman and Paceman, but at the expense of one awkward-looking car.

The complete opposite is the Mini Superleggera, a stunning reimagining of the Cooper by Italian bodymaker Touring Superleggera. It’s sleek, it’s stunning, it’s beautiful.